Broadcaster STV this week launches its on-air short film initiative, Black Voices Scottish Experiences.
Comprising a series of 3 x 60 second films, the campaign offers a platform for Black voices in Scotland to share their experiences of racism and their vision for the changes they believe need to happen. Each film is prefaced by the statement: We haven’t done enough. We must listen. We must learn. We believe black lives matter.
The new content features Councillor Graham Campbell, X Factor semi-finalists The Cutkelvins and one contributor who wished to remain anonymous. Those who agreed to participate have used the opportunity to discuss their experiences and hopes in very different ways.
BSV Contributor 1: Cllr. Graham Campbell
https://vimeo.com/477504830/eea9abf062
BSV Contributor 2: Wezi
https://vimeo.com/477505993/b220772ffb
BSV Contributor 4: Shereen & Jay Cutkelvin
https://vimeo.com/477505636/b94e0e5228
"Given the unique times we are living in and the personal nature of the campaign, the production process was unusual. We relied heavily on our participants, who wrote their own scripts and filmed themselves delivering them. As always, our duty of care to contributors was the highest priority.”
Contributor Shereen Cultkelvin said: “To be able to have a platform to speak about some of our family experiences was a no brainer. Growing up from Scotland and Belize, I am proud and I will continue to share that message for people out there who think they are alone.”
Jay Cutkelvin added: “It‘s great to be a part of the Black Voices Campaign to raise awareness and to be a voice for people like myself on a movement that’s so close to my heart.”
Simon Pitts, CEO of STV, added: “As Scotland’s commercial public service broadcaster, we have a responsibility to use our platform not only to entertain but to educate, spark conversation and reflect the diversity of our audience both on screen and within our organisation –and we take this responsibility very seriously. The Black Voices Scottish Experiences campaign is hugely important: it is part of our wider commitment to diversity and inclusion at STV, and is one which will continue and evolve going forward.”
The first three films in the STV Black Voices campaign can be seen on STV and on the STV Player page at www.stv.tv and here:
For more information, please contact Kirstin Stevenson - kirstin.stevenson@stv.tv or call 07803 970106.
Comprising a series of 3 x 60 second films, the campaign offers a platform for Black voices in Scotland to share their experiences of racism and their vision for the changes they believe need to happen. Each film is prefaced by the statement: We haven’t done enough. We must listen. We must learn. We believe black lives matter.
The new content features Councillor Graham Campbell, X Factor semi-finalists The Cutkelvins and one contributor who wished to remain anonymous. Those who agreed to participate have used the opportunity to discuss their experiences and hopes in very different ways.
BSV Contributor 1: Cllr. Graham Campbell
https://vimeo.com/477504830/eea9abf062
BSV Contributor 2: Wezi
https://vimeo.com/477505993/b220772ffb
BSV Contributor 4: Shereen & Jay Cutkelvin
https://vimeo.com/477505636/b94e0e5228
- Shereen and Jay Cutkelvin are siblings and musicians from Lanark who featured on The X Factor. Shereen has just been announced as the new host of BBC Introducing Scotland and the band are still producing music. Together they deliver a spoken word piece about how proud and blessed they feel to be Black, their experience of racial slurs and the need to be united.
- One anonymous contributor speaks about an incident where her mother was brutally assaulted at a busy bus stop because she was Black, beaten until she was semi conscious. She speaks of her confusion at no one coming to help as her mother bled on the ground, people just watching in silence.
- Councillor Graham Campbell is a veteran political campaigner and community activist who was elected as Glasgow's first African Caribbean Councillor in May 2017. Graham was instrumental in Glasgow City Council holding its first ever official Black History Month event hosted by the Lord Provost in October 2017. Originally from London, Graham now lives in Glasgow. Graham states that Scotland has a problem with racism; speaks of his belonging to Scotland, the history and his experience of the Black community’s struggle against racism.
"Given the unique times we are living in and the personal nature of the campaign, the production process was unusual. We relied heavily on our participants, who wrote their own scripts and filmed themselves delivering them. As always, our duty of care to contributors was the highest priority.”
Contributor Shereen Cultkelvin said: “To be able to have a platform to speak about some of our family experiences was a no brainer. Growing up from Scotland and Belize, I am proud and I will continue to share that message for people out there who think they are alone.”
Jay Cutkelvin added: “It‘s great to be a part of the Black Voices Campaign to raise awareness and to be a voice for people like myself on a movement that’s so close to my heart.”
Simon Pitts, CEO of STV, added: “As Scotland’s commercial public service broadcaster, we have a responsibility to use our platform not only to entertain but to educate, spark conversation and reflect the diversity of our audience both on screen and within our organisation –and we take this responsibility very seriously. The Black Voices Scottish Experiences campaign is hugely important: it is part of our wider commitment to diversity and inclusion at STV, and is one which will continue and evolve going forward.”
The first three films in the STV Black Voices campaign can be seen on STV and on the STV Player page at www.stv.tv and here:
For more information, please contact Kirstin Stevenson - kirstin.stevenson@stv.tv or call 07803 970106.