September and October have always felt like the true start of the year for me. By the time my birthday comes around, I even find myself setting “birthday resolutions”, small promises for the months ahead. The changing seasons, the anticipation of the holidays, and the arrival of Black History Month have always combined to make this time feel special.

But this October feels different. Across the country, the air is thick with unease and division. Instead of coming together, as Black History Month so often encourages, the UK feels as though it’s sliding deeper into polarisation. The rise in far-right protests and the violence simmering just beneath the surface make it feel dangerous simply to exist as a Black or minoritised person — let alone to celebrate loudly, proudly, and without fe

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