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I hope you remember me… a poem dedicated to BAME frontline workers.  

I hope you remember we stood side by side on the frontline, fighting a common enemy.

I hope you remember we stood shoulder to shoulder in the war against Covid-19.

I hope you remember when we fought in the trenches the differences of our faces faded.

I hope you remember both you and I were fighting to survive.

Promise me when all is well you will tell them I was there as well.

Promise me when you retell our history you will represent me as well.

Promise me when the names of those who fought on the frontline go down in history books, mine will be recorded as well.

Promise me, just like yours, my name will feature in one of the greatest stories to be told to generations to come.

I despair because of the history between you and I

I despair because every day I am reminded of the differences between you and I

I despair because the social distancing between you and I existed way before Covid-19

I despair, because of the history between you and I, when the pandemic is over we won’t see eye to eye.

I hope you will remember to call me your fellow countryman and woman when we conquer the enemy before you and I.

I hope you remember, I left my fellow countrymen and women in a land far in the distance, over the seas and oceans for a better future for both you and I.

I hope you remember, I brought hopes, dreams, brawn and brains to rebuild Britain to benefit both you and I.

I hope you remember through blood, sweat and tears we toiled together until we found a cure for both you and I.

Never forget to call my sons and daughters your sons and daughters

Never forget I paid a mighty price for my sons and daughters to earn half the privileges of your sons and daughters

Never forget the road isn’t easy for me because of the divisive legislations and laws imposed by your forefathers, disadvantaging my sons and daughters not your sons and daughters.

Never forget before Covid-19, I have endured the loss of loved ones in the distant land without the privilege to bid them farewell.

Never forget, before Covid-19 I was socially distanced from my brothers and sisters with no end in sight for the lockdown rules.

Never forget I have been on lockdown way before lockdown

When you see me I hope you say hello instead of crossing the street when all this blows over.

When you see me at a job interview, I hope you see my potential, my strengths, and my accent as a sign of intelligence as I can converse in multiple languages.

When you see my sons and daughters I hope you see the generation of frontline workers, decision makers and policy makers.

When you see my people out and about, I hope you remember they helped rebuild the economy when this blows over.

I hope you remember, regardless of the colour of my skin, I stood side by side with you during this Pandemic.

I hope you remember to stand by me and wish me well in my endeavours after the pandemic.

I hope you remember the biggest pandemics you and I are yet to conquer in our society are racism and social inequality and injustice!

I hope you remember, we are all human and we deserve to be treated as such.

I hope you remember together we rise, divided we fall.

When it’s all said and done, I hope you remember me….

 Inspired by personal experiences and those of family and friends.

~ written by Brenda Gutu, Senior Mental Wellbeing Practitioner at the Big Life group.~