We want to tell the world how the African-Caribbean community challenged racial stereotypes and the system and changed Britain for good
Keep Calm is an impact documentary that is an academic and personal account of what racism and xenophobia is and how societies and systems of power can be influenced in order to decisively change for the benefit of everyone.
It explores the current and past situation of the African-Caribbean and Black communities in the UK, commencing with the colonisation of Jamaica by the British Empire.
We want to show this inspiring and enlightening exploration to the world for everyone to see.
Share on Facebook and Twitter, our website is www.keepcalm.film. Like and comment on social media, talk to your colleagues and friends. Donate a pound £ or a dollar $ when you can – if we don’t reach our target until deadline of the campaign we will lose all the money we have accumulated already, that’s how Kickstarter works. Thank you. Please read on and have a look at our trailer:
Gloria Bailey MBE. Mrs Bailey arrived in the UK in 1954. She worked for Thomas Cook Travel/Cunard Shipping Line for over 20 years and then became a foster carer for Lambeth Council. Gloria is featured in numerous campaigns promoting fostering and she has led a number of black community initiatives. In 2009 she was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by The Queen – the ultimate recognition for the many years of her dedicated community service. Amongst her other awards are the London Community Award, the Lambeth Council Civic Award, Experience Corps Women of the Year Award, Parent Governor of Norwood Girls School.
Grace Bailey. Sexual health worker and a lecturer, Grace was the first liaison and communications officer for the NHS at the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic in the UK. She was one of the first black TV presenters for Channel 4 together with Smiley Culture where they ran Club Mix. She lived in the USA for a stretch of time and has been involved in multiple activist campaigns.
Devon Thomas. A black community political activist and a lecturer in Sociology, Devon Thomas was the first black tutor at Goldsmiths, University of London back in 1975. He has been a Brixton community leader for many years and a chairman of the Brixton Business Forum.
Dr. Lez Henry. Dr Lez is a Social Anthropologist, researcher, consultant and staff trainer for Nu-Beyond Ltd: Learning By Choice. He is a lecturer in Sociology and Criminology at the University of West London, Ealing Law School. He is a poet, writer and also known as Lezlee Lyrix, one of the pioneer, British, Reggae-dancehall Deejays.
George “Fowokan” Kelly. A visual artist who exhibits under the name “Fowokan” (a Yoruba word meaning: “one who creates with the hand”), George Kelly is a self-taught artist and has been practising sculpture since 1980. Fowokan’s work is rooted in the traditions of pre-colonial Africa and ancient Egypt rather than the Greco-Roman art of the west. He has also been a jeweller, essayist, poet and a musician – former member of the funk group Cymande in the early 1970s.
Dr Stephen Davies. Dr Davies was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History and Economic History at Manchester Metropolitan University from 1979 to 2009. He was program officer at the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University in Virginia, USA. Currently he is an Education Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, London, running a series of academic seminars for students and faculty and being responsible for the Institute’s academic, student and alumni networks.
Les Back. Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, Les Back is an author of books on sociology, race and racism such as “The Art of Listening” and “New Ethnicities and Urban Culture: Racisms and Multiculture in Young Lives”. Prior to his latest commitment at Goldsmiths, he has worked at the Institute of Education, Birkbeck College and the Department of Cultural Studies, University of Birmingham.
Glyne Brathwaite. A youth worker, music mentor and producer, a DJ at the iconic Ministry of Sound in London and founder of the Rude Awakening House label, Glyne Brathwaite is an active contributor to the Hackney Quest charity dedicated to supporting families and young people in East London.
Tamar Clarke-Brown. An independent British curator based in London, Tamar is a fellow of the International Curators Forum (ICF), an Arts Writer for NTS Radio, and a contributor to a number of platforms including the Tribe Magazine. Amongst her recent projects are ‘An Improvement’ – a live exhibition at the Bussey Building, Peckham and ‘60 Untold Histories’ as part of Black History Month 2015 at The Stuart Hall Building, Goldsmiths.
Charles Bailey. Alongside being a song-writer, film-maker, social commentator, and a record producer, Charles Bailey has led social campaigns in London such as “Don’t shoot”. He is well known for the London Metropolitan Police recruitment “rap” and producing football records for Manchester United and Arsenal football clubs.
Bianca Wilson Bailey. Bianca is a PHD candidate dedicated to Educational Development at the School of Professional Development at Imperial College, London. She is an Associate at the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years and has been a project officer at the National Literacy Trust.
We need 16 thousand pounds in order to be able to afford
All funds exceeding the target ( that we will not use to promote the movie ) will be donated to:
IF YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO HELP US THEN LIKE , SHARE AND FOLLOW – WE NEED TO SPREAD THE WORD! WE HAVE A MONTH TO SUCCEED! Thank you for your support!
Keep Calm is an independent production and as such we have complete freedom and significant control over the product of our labour and that of our fantastic interviewees. Our small crew is competent and experienced. We are indeed almost there with the release and therefore are confident we can put the final effort to make these important stories accessible to the widest possible audience we will be capable to reach.