This is Why I Resist: Don't Define My Black Identity

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The six weeks writing it were, she says, “emotionally exhausting and exhilarating at the same time”.

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu Phd MBA LLM MA LLB IAQ

What emerges is a challenging, sometimes difficult read – indeed, she warns in the introduction, it is not a book looking for a dispassionate, “sugar-coated” piece of writing. Mos-Shogbamimu adds: “I am not surprised that they are talking about protecting certain statues without any sensitivity or understanding about the representation of these statues in the legacy of slavery and the legacy that continues systemic racism in our country today. I am not surprised. What is there to expect?” We talk about last year, one in which, had it not also been combined by the worst pandemic in a century – although this has also highlighted extreme racial inequalities – would be remembered primarily for protests over race, the tumbling of statues, footballers taking the knee. In 2020, says Mos-Shogbamimu, “what people saw was that the lid was blown off the repressed and internalised suppression of speaking out”. Like Dr Shola or not, one thing you cannot argue with is that she’s self-aware. She knows she’s a polarising figure and she understands that she makes the majority of Britons uncomfortable. But does she care?… Exactly. No.Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu is a lawyer, political commentator and activist for women’s rights, diversity and inclusion, law and politics. If you are not already aware of who Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu is go onto YouTube and search ‘Piers Morgan’. A wealth of heated Good Morning Britain debates will appear and amongst those, you will see Mos-Shogbamimu frequently feature. Mos-Shogbamimu is notoriously known for these debates, especially over the fact that she called Britain institutionally racist and Morgan disregarded it as nonsensical. In the first chapter, ‘Does White Privilege Whitewash Racism’, Mos-Shogbamimu looks closely at what allows people like Piers Morgan, to ignore such statements as falsity. Look, the conversation around white supremacy and the way white supremacists’ rhetoric is cloaked with an aura of respectability – it wears suits today, it wears nice dresses today, it’s on TV today.

This is Why I Resist’ by Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu ‘This is Why I Resist’ by Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu

We know everyone’s going to be affected by the negative impact. What we have to do is not be silent, not fold our arms. We still have to bring our expertise to the table, we still have to hold the government accountable. We have to do better in voting in the right kind of politicians who have the political will to really bring this country together.” She opens her book with a quote from The Telegraph: ” Arguably one of the most toxic voices in Britain’s race relations debate.” At last year’s virtual Conservative Party conference, home secretary Priti Patel condemned the tactics of BLM and Extinction Rebellion protesters, as she criticised the “hooliganism and thuggery” seen on the country’s streets. It’s not just about using the N-word or, you know, carrying burning crosses. The reality is that every single language or rhetoric we hear today existed 50 years ago, 500 years ago, so what we have to do is not shy away from fighting the good fight.” Its author, Dr Shola has spent her life in anti-racism circles, studying how race affects people’s lives. She tells me, however, that the stars aligned in 2020 – so she could finally speak through her first book.

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To celebrate the release of This Is Why I Resist Mos-Shogbamimu will be talking with Chante Joseph @ChantayyJayy on publication day. Inclusive, exciting and focused, This Is Why I Resist is a fantastic point of reference for intersectional anti-racism work, no matter who you are.’ Munroe Bergdorf We live in a place that is still grappling with the realities of a fallen empire, a place built on a colonial foundation and centuries of white supremacist indoctrination, she tells me. Unfortunately for Remainers, the negative impact that’s going to come from Brexit – this is not going to be like, you know, the plagues that hit Biblical Egypt,” says the 45-year-old.

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We’re chatting about the issue vexing many New European readers at the moment – that is, what Remainers do next. Mos-Shogbamimu was a fervent campaigner, an attendee at rallies, but thinks the next move will be a long game. A racial gatekeeper is one who uses their influence, their position, their power, their voice, to pull up the ladder behind them. What they do is legitimise the divisive rhetoric, the oppression, the system of oppression used against people from their own ethnicity. And they do this for self-preservation. They do this for the benefits they get from their proximity to white supremacy. One question I wrestle with after reading it is: what does Mos-Shogbamimu want white readers to take from the book? I ask because, on several occasions she states it’s not for her to educate a white audience or explain racism, but simultaneously she’s written a powerful resource which many will feel does just that. Is there a tension here? My book is speaking to those who are ready to be challenged, who are ready to have thought-provoking solutions to an ongoing structural issue. If people want to feel comfortable, I can tell you this book will disabuse you of that.” Her message is not confined to her book. With a little help from her 11-year-old she has, as they say, taken to TikTok to help spread her messages to an audience used to a more transient medium.

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Since then, Dr Shola has made several TV appearances, speaking out on several issues pertaining to racism in Britain – in particular, Good Morning Britain, where it has been a pleasure to see her shut down Piers Morgan on several occasions. 🙂 At least DR SHOLA Mos-Shogbamimu has revealed her political and cultural beliefs in straight language. I say to people, don’t shy away from the discomfort of speaking on these issues. If you don’t feel uncomfortable, then you’re not having the right conversation.”