Baroness Doreen Lawrence, former Chancellor of De Montfort University Leicester (DMU), has always encouraged young people to use their voices to help create a fairer society.
So, it was fitting that more than 100 children turned up to see their art works on display at a new exhibition on the DMU campus to commemorate 30 years since Stephen’s death.
The Stephen Lawrence Research Centre (SLRC) at DMU contacted schools around the country to take part in the Hopeful Futures challenge, inviting them to submit art works and writings to show what Stephen’s legacy means to them.
Poems, pictures, collages and even a Stephen Lawrence-themed make-up design were sent to the SLRC from around the country to help create the exhibition which was officially opened at DMU’s Leicester Gallery yesterday in time for the national Stephen Lawrence Day on April 22.
Stephen was murdered by racists in South London in an unprovoked attack on April 22, 1993, when he was just 18 years old.
It took his mother Baroness Doreen Lawrence – the former Chancellor of DMU – and lawyer Imran Khan QC, 18 years to get a conviction against two of Stephen’s murderers.
The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, which investigated why it took so long, found the Metropolitan Police institutionally racist – an accusation put to the force again this month in the Casey report.
Jess Neil, the CEO of The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation, which is led by Baroness Lawrence, was moved by what she saw at the exhibition.
“This is the reason that Baroness Lawrence does the work she does in Stephen’s memory”, she said.
“We want young people to get the message that Stephen was a completely ordinary young person like them – and young people can change the world.
“Often when we have conversations about discrimination and race we are encouraged to focus on what makes us different. There is something so hopeful about seeing the future through the eyes of the young people, and their work, at this exhibition today.”
Young people from as far afield as Cornwall, Leeds and The Wirral had pictures and poems on display.
Skylar Pearce, 13, from Newquay, in Cornwall, travelled to DMU with her parents Shane Pearce and Sophia Lefort, to see the exhibition.
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Skylar had created a make-up design to mark 30 years since Stephen’s death, incorporating orange – the colour synonymous with Stephen Lawrence Day – with a sunset and rainbow of colours.
She said: “I am very proud to be a part of the exhibition. I enjoy doing make-up – theatrical make-up in particular – and incorporated contrasting colours to show how all the colours of the world can integrate.”
Isabelle Yeboah, 11, from St Augustine’s Primary School in Leeds made the two-hour trip with fellow pupils to see her picture on display at the gallery.
“I had flowers in my picture with the word hope written on it because flowers bring me hope. I also put the silver on it so people can see their face in it and see how beautiful they are.”
Fellow pupil Anna-Maria Wieckiewicz, 10, said: “I was quite shocked when I found out my art was on display. Stephen’s story inspires me to be brave and courageous. My picture showed three different people with three different skin colours to show everyone should be treated equally in order to reach the same goals.”
Aamareya, 12, from Countesthorpe Academy, Leicestershire, had written a poem that ended with the lines ‘Innocent, young, intelligent; a future so truthful. Thank you for your grace – your legacy remains unstained and forever beautiful’.
She said: “At our school we take the Stephen Lawrence story very seriously. We have a Stephen Lawrence Group which meets every Thursday. We go into a conference room and discuss what we can do to make things better.
“I think the Stephen Lawrence story is a sad story. It is a tragedy. He was murdered 30 years ago. But racism still happens. It has not gone away. But I believe I will see it end in my lifetime.”
Erin Dean, 10, another pupil from St Augustine’s in Leeds, was asked to hold one end of a ribbon that was cut to officially open the exhibition.
She said: “I was really excited. It meant a lot to me to hold the ribbon because I wanted people to know how amazing it is to commemorate Stephen Lawrence.”
Dr Lisa Palmer, of the SLRC, said: “I have been overwhelmed seeing all the children and young people here at The Gallery and their work is moving and powerful. There enthusiasm and willingness to engage with the Stephen Lawrence legacy is just phenomenal.
“This is doing justice to the 30th anniversary, bringing Stephen’s story to a new generation.”
Following the opening of the new exhibition there was an inaugural Stephen Lawrence Research Centre Annual Lecture delivered by Dr Joy White. This was followed by a panel discussion led by Dr Palmer, with Baroness Lawrence’s lawyer Imran Khan, sociologist Professor Jason Arday, the youngest black professor ever appointed at the University of Cambridge, and Dr White
The Hopeful Futures exhibition runs until Wednesday 3 May at Leicester Gallery on the DMU campus and is open 10am to 5pm Monday to Friday and midday to 5pm on Saturday.
Posted on Thursday 20 April 2023