Ngozi Fulani and Sistah Space

[Squittel]

It is discriminatory to badger someone about where they are “really” from in my opinion. It absolutely does depend on context and intent but this woman clearly kept pushing and pushing. If she’d just asked the question and taken the hint and moved the conversation on it wouldn’t be a problem but the snarky “I knew we’d get there in the end” shows intent to me.

 

[Everytown]

Just a reminder of out of the four years Sistah Space have had to submit accounts and annual returns to the Charity Commission...

2018/19 = 28 days late
2019/20 = on time
2020/21 = 69 days late
2021/22 = 38 days late and counting

Many seem to have chosen to take the CC's decision not to launch a formal investigation, but rather to issue "words of advice," as giving them a clean bill of health. I think the reality is that it was a warning for them to put their house in order, and Fulani resigning now may be part of that process. In PR terms the whole thing is as toxic for the CC as it has been for the royal family. If the CC pulls SS up, the latter can play the victim card again, just as they did repeatedly with Hackney Council.

 

[Tangerine Cat]

As a keen amateur genealogist if I met someone whose surname I knew was prevalent in a particular area of this country, I'd be asking them where they are from.

Well I probably wont now because its yet another thing you cant talk about.

I agree. Remember Blind Date with Cilla Black all those years ago, everyone she introduced was met with 'what’s your name and where do you come from'.

How times change in such short time.

 

[Gloria Rostron]

I agree with your point @FogOfWar , regarding Fulani accepting the apology. Only a few weeks ago, she was on the news channels saying Lady H was abusive, now that people are looking in to the cracks in her activities, she wants it all sewn up and people to forget about it. Hmmm.

She’s an mp for Hackney so I guess she was trying to support?

She should have looked at the facts before she tried to 'support' and it should have been in a purely professional occupation, not as a friend.

 

[Blueblue123]

Strangers in the street don't speak to each other. Guests at a function do.

I hope guests at a function would have more decorum than to pester someone about where they were from just because they felt their appearance didn't fit.

And while we're here, when did the statement arrive that LH's questions were based on hair or clothing? The transcript makes no mention of that.

 

[FoxyBingo]

WHITE PERSON LOOK AT ME ME ME ME ME!

No it isn’t racist.


@studmuffin they’re not curious. It’s unconscious bias. The person is very unlikely to recognise why they are doing it. That’s the unconscious part

That's incredibly insulting.

 

[Blueblue123]

And I said that Ngozi's public supporter, who acts in a public capacity, holds bigoted views against white people. Lady H is white. There is nothing whataboutism about it.

This thread is about the potential wrongdoing of Sistah Space, a charity represented by Ngozi Fulani, based on findings from James/justpikachoo. James and Ngozi are directly related to the topic at hand, Diane isn't. If it wasn't for James's tweets/"research" this thread wouldn't exist and the Charity Commission wouldn't have taken a look.

James's "research" into a charity led by black people to help black victims of DV in an attempt to bring it down can't be separated from his clear dislike of black people. "Research", might I add, which apparently wasn't strong enough to lead to a proper investigation. By a person, may I also add, is more than happy to accept money to dismantle an organisation which aims to help black people.

Whatever you believe Diane to have said or done has no bearing on this situation. You're only using it as a comeback, not because it influences these events in any way.

 

[Eltonjohnsflorist]

Because without the legal, carefully considered definition, cancel culture can shut down people and their livelihoods. Free speech has never been less free.

Free speech comes with responsibilities. If you can’t handle the consequences, don’t moan about people criticising your free speech

 

[TheShire]

the refusal to take the answer is unacceptable

Who knows if that's even what happened. Lady H has had a big role in the royal family for decades and never faced controversy like this. NF has had a minor role for a few years and has a history of being manipulative and dishonest. We will never know what actually transpired, but looking at their histories does make you wonder.

 

[Gloria Rostron]

That is literally the definition. View attachment 1819528
Note, "typically one that is a minority or marginalized". Just because that's not how you see it, it doesn't make it not true. This has been explained innumerable times but clearly you don't want to accept reality

Typically does not mean exclusively.

 

[Eltonjohnsflorist]

It is if the charity manager/representative slips herself a few ££.

That’s theft, not profit

 

[Crabbypatty00]

"people turned into the moral police." - Um no it's not about morals, its called fraud and it's probably going to involve the actual police.

This isn't about exposing the charity's wrongdoings - that's literally what a charity commission investigation is.

Someone make it make sense.

 

[Gloria Rostron]

Free speech comes with responsibilities. If you can’t handle the consequences, don’t moan about people criticising your free speech

If you can't ask where someone's from (be it themselves or their ancestry), without losing your job of 60 years, then it is not free speech.

To be honest, I don't hold the words of someone who denies that racism exists towards white people and disregards their lived experiences, in high regard.

 

[FoxyBingo]

I don't believe it's completely unrelated especially as people are using Ngozi's ethnicity as a basis for her honesty or lack of it

But I admit I got into a too long back and forth with someone who was clearly debating in bad faith.

No one here has questioned her honesty on the basis of her ethnicity. You're making things up here.

 

[FogOfWar]

This thread has been fascinating in revealing how much unconscious bias exists, how many misperceptions there are about race, racism and power, and how difficult people find it to admit that they may have jumped the gun, misunderstood a situation and cast negative aspersions.

Quite. If only NF herself had reflected on these words.

 

[Blueblue123]

If it was racist, there would have been a police investigation. Fulani has allegedly defrauded Hackney council of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The lack of a criminal charge or prosecution does not mean an event did not take place. That's a worrying precedent you've set. I hope you don't apply that mindset to all wrong behaviours because you and I both know people can misbehave for a lifetime and never face consequences. Try again.

 

[Blueblue123]

How so ? Do you believe NF without unconscious bias towards LH ? Misconceptions as to her motivation ? That it wouldn't have been worth NF giving a bit more thought to it before plastering shit all over social media ?

"Shit, perhaps I just assumed that an white lady who works for the RF would be telling me I don't belong here. Maybe she was just cack-handedly asking after my family's heritage. Perhaps if I had stayed Marlene Headley and worn regular UK clothes, rather than christening myself Ngozi Fulani and dripping cowrie shells despite absolutely no cultural connection to Africa beyond the colour of my skin, the whole conversation might never have happened at all ? Anyway, back to my centre where I support people based on the colour of their skin whilst decrying racism."

It has nothing to do with Lady Hussey and everything to do with the question.

People from ethnic minority backgrounds have been speaking for years about how this question makes them feel. Maybe if you cared to be respectful and mindful towards others, you'd know that.

You can find articles as old as 10 years about it.

But I suppose that requires some common sense, emotional intelligence and willingness to learn/grow.

And I'm glad Lady Hussey has shown those qualities.

 

[Blueblue123]

We do know what was said and by whom in the « racist » conversation. It is not racist to ask someone named « Ngozi Fulani » in full cowrie and wax print to ask where she is from, and when told the UK to ask what her family heritage is (to better understand). It is interest in the person.

There was once a time when it was wasn't considered too wild to ask a gay person if they had "tried being straight".

After hearing from people on the recieving end of such questions, we now know how it makes them feel and I hope fewer of us would dare to say such a thing.

Maybe if we spend more time listening and less time being defensive, we can all have kinder interactions.

An old lady was unable to find the right words, not awful, but a smidge of good faith and it’s resolved amicably on the spot.

Thankfully, Lady Hussey isn't lazily hiding behind her age and has taken this as an opportunity to learn and apologise for her mistake. You're never too old to adapt or be educated.

It would be great if more of us had the humility to be open to being corrected, rather than firmly defending outdated behaviours which may upset others.

 

[Baby Giraffe]

Blimey this is now going even further off topic. Yes, some people don’t mix, some do. Some people have preconceived ideas about other people, some are more open minded and don’t immediately assume x = right and y = wrong. Sadly it’s always been the way.

 

[Gloria Rostron]

This made me giggle.