BWNO: #FreeSiyanda - Siyanda Mngaza (Cammilla Mngaza, Mz Lee C Love, Jessikah Inaba, JK)

After two and a half years of a 4 and a half sentence, Siyanda Mngaza sits in with us for a talk about her time inside. The story, for many, has frustrated and angered at how successive events in the lead upto court cases appear to have some kind of inherent bias towards a particular type of people. Often minoritised people in countries who have a presence because of waves of immigration for one reason or other. Often the calling of those who have particular skills or trades, or those willing to 'make something' of their lives in the pursuit of something you may never find an end to. All this to face the direct or indirect impact of what is racism showing up right in front of us yet those who are policymakers, law makers and create legislation around how groups of people create division within their system as it clearly reveals a dominant disposure to longer and/or harsher sentencing when it comes to those from a black and minority ethnicity in what is so-called Great Britain. Siyanda was holidaying in Wales and she shares her story of how she was defending herself after initially being attacked by three other adults, two men and a woman. She received a four and a half year sentence and reflects on the masses of support that she received, when the prison service would allow her mail. This, in the shadow of Windrush, and the scandal of recent years that involved members of the Caribbean community in fear of and actually being deported. We document how black people are often on the short end of the stick when it comes to law and prison. Siyanda, now out of prison continues to campaign to clear her name, finding her feet quickly with the support of her mother, Cammilla, who joins us again after being interviewed with us last year where we were also joined by Lee Jasper.  Today we were able to probe deeper into the experiences of Siyanda while going through the process of coming to terms with the development fo the case, how it unravelled and eventually led to her imprisonment.  With an opening from Mz Lee C Love, a moving spoken word piece, we close with a piece from JK, a member of the Curious Anarchy House Band, a talented singer and pianist. For more on SIyanda's campaign please go here: www.freesiyanda.com