Monthly Archives: October 2019

TheDuchess of Sussex has said a conversation about gender equality and female empowerment cant happen without men.

She met youth ambassadors from One Young World at Windsor Castle yesterday for a discussion on initiatives to improve gender equality.

She was joined by her husband, the Duke of Sussex, who arrived as a surprise to the delegates alongside his wife in a grey electric Audi. Their use of the electric vehicle comes after the couple were accused of hypocrisy for using private jets while supporting environmental campaigns.

The Duchess, 38, was originally meant to attend by herself, but Prince Harry, 35, appeared to show a united front.

The participants, who represented organisations from countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Iraq, Malawi and Bangladesh, also shared their personal achievements and the best practices that had helped them overcome complex challenges and significant obstacles.

Beginning the discussion, the Duchess, seated next to her husband, told the group: I think were all aware One Young World has been very important to me for several years and now being vice president of QCT (Queens Commonwealth Trust), it just felt like the perfect medley.

What youre all capable of doing independently is incredible but then when you work collectively...

Our intention today is to try to create somewhat of a task force to see what we can do within our communities and then use that knowledge to apply it to whatever is happening in all these other communities.

In terms of gender equality, which is something I have championed for a long time, I think that conversation cant happen without men being a part of it.

So for this reason it made complete sense to let him [Harry] join today. So thank you for letting him crash the party.

The discussion was led by QCT chief executive Nicola Brentnall and moderated by One Young World counsellors, social media influencer Rossana Bee and Canadas first openly gay Olympic gold medallist Mark Tewksbury.

Lebogang Bogopane, the founder of the South African organisation Motholung Network Against Women and Child Abuse, spoke about her personal experiences of familial domestic violence.

Ms Bogopane said: I got married very young and experienced domestic violence. My mother is a survivor and Im also a survivor. One day I said Im tired, this needs to stop.

She told the Duchess about her project Bake For Hope, which provides locally baked bread, something she said is still a luxury in certain parts of South Africa.

The event was the Royal couples first public engagement since an emotional television documentary broadcast last weekend in which they described the struggles of the past year.

In the programme, Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, the Duchess admitted feeling vulnerable and spoke of the difficulty in coping with intense tabloid interest, saying: Its not enough to just survive something, thats not the point of life. You have got to thrive.

The Duke also told of the pressure he felt trying to protect his family from unwanted media attention.

The couple are president and vice president of The Queens Commonwealth Trust respectively.

The Duchess is a long-standing supporter of One Young World, which she called the best think-tank imaginable. The One Young World Summit is a four-day global forum for young leaders, which aims to bring together 2,000 young people from more than 190 countries to accelerate social impact.

On Tuesday, the Duchess attended the summits opening ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Read the rest here:

Duchess of Sussex: Equality can't happen without men being a part of it - HeraldScotland

Women today are being urged to keep pushing the boundaries and keep making our voices heard. The latest percentage of women on ASX 200 boards is29.7% as of 31 July 2019, consequently. In a male-dominated business society, women must work together to stand out as leaders.

That mean we need to empower women to see them thrive. Empowerment of women isnt just good for women but for everyone. A report by McKinsey & Co shows women on the board leads to better decision made. Women often face great challenges when building networks and embracing traditional leadership qualities, mentoring has proven even more important.

Its never too early to start planning how to achieve your goals. Whether you are to become an expert in your field, a CEO of a large organisation, or start your own business, every day you can be getting one step closer so long as you have the right skills.

Coming up in March 2020, we will be hostingThe Empowered Woman, a one-day experience to ignite your passion for business in all its forms so you have the skills to achieve your dream career. Be inspired by personal stories of success, learn from intimate tales of failure, harness your ambition to make it happen. Our headline speakers confirmed include Sarah-Jane Clarke, Justine Troy, Suzy Nicoletti and Van Le.

Regardless of their backgrounds, these women are defying stereotypes and changing the way business is played. Get in early and book your ticketsnow!

See more here:

Empower women to thrive in business - The Mandarin

Its no secret that money and stress go hand in hand. Mo money, mo problems, might hold true, but a lack of money, especially when it comes to retirement savings, is a problem like no other.

According to AARP reports, just 35% of African Americans feel theyre doing a good job of saving, and a third admit to having less than one month of funds to rely on in a crisis. This is despite the fact that money management 101 dictates at least six months worth if you want to stay afloat. For women, this represents a particular challenge because when you operate at a gender-and-race-based earnings disadvantage (never forget: black women currently earn 61 cents for every dollar earned by white menand thats 18 cents less than white women), savings are hard to come by.

Given the prevalence of women-led households, the wage gap, and wealth of financial pressures black women are balancing across generations, AARP and the Ad Council have stepped in to help sheroes shore up their savings and build long-term wealth.

Their joint Tribute to Our Sheroes retirement savings campaign, launched today, is specifically tailored to black women, their unique questions, needs, and concerns. The goal, according to the campaigns designers, is to create some much-needed #blackgirlmoneymagic.

We believe in supporting black women as they plan for the next phase of their lives, says Edna Kane Williams, AARPs senior vice president, Multicultural Leadership. They are so often taking care of others and deserve to have access to all the necessary tools needed to live comfortably in retirement.

Part of the campaigns own magic is its simplicity. A visit to the site opens with a three-minute virtual chat with Avo, a digital retirement coach, regarding your current retirement savings efforts and status. Based on these results, you are provided with personalized tips relevant to your specific income, obligations, and goals. Ultimately, you receive a doable, semi-customized retirement savings action plan for yourselffor free.

All of this is about uplift and empowerment, says Shani Hosten, vice president of Multicultural Leadership, African American/Black Audience Strategy, AARP. Its about reducing the shame, blame, and sense of discouragement around retirement savings.

Black women are at the helm of creating Tribute to Our Sheroes. From campaign strategy to production to publicity, this for us by us public service campaign was designed by black women who feel a deep personal attachment to its mission.

I hear my friends expressing regret and blaming themselves for not doing a better job of saving, says Hosten. We have to start putting actual tools in place earlier to empower African American women. This does that, and meets you where you are.

See original here:

New Site Sets Black Women Up as the Sheroes of Their Own Retirement Savings - Black Enterprise

Cara Santana in Apt 9 x Kohl's with Nancy Santana: Lawyer & Proud Mom, Elle Valera: Opera Singer, ... [+] Model, & Influencer, Amanda Gullickson: Model & Influencer, Najwa Zebian: Activist, Author, Speaker, Steph Shepherd: Entrepreneur & Activist, Lily Oakes: Singer/Songwriter, Victoria Villarroel: Influencer & Model, Candice Nikeia: Content Creator.

Actress, influencer, philanthropist and global engagement officer at Glamsquad, Cara Santana, recently launched a collection with Apt 9 for Kohls. Santana spent almost a year designing this collection alongside Reunited Clothing. In addition to designing the collection, she directed the marketing campaign for the Apt 9 x Kohls collection. Instead of using standard models for the photoshoot, Santana did something unique and different. She used real women from all different types of backgrounds to model the clothes. It may seem like common sense to have real women model clothes that real women would wear, but that rarely is the case in mainstream fashion.

Santanaand the women featured in this campaign represent that diversity and message of empowerment, as behind each woman featured is a unique story. The cast in the marketing campaign surrounding this collaboration include actresses, models, singers, activists, lawyers, and creators, showcasing diversity across body types, sexual orientation, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and lifestyles.The inspiration behind this collaboration stems fromSantanas desire to allow every woman, everywhere the opportunity to look and feel their best by designing a collection for dynamic and multifaceted women.Santanas collection, stands for style and empowerment for every woman, regardless of size, age, background and lifestyle.

Cara Santana in Cara Santana for Apt 9 x Kohl's.

Santana shared why she decided to bring diversity into mainstream fashion through her Apt 9 x Kohls collection.

Yola Robert: Why did you decide to choose real women from diverse backgrounds for your Apt 9 x Kohls campaign?

Cara Santana: Growing up there werent a lot of women that look like me in magazines or in advertising campaigns. The older Ive become the more I hear that from other women that I am friends with and so I wanted to create a campaign that represented the country in a more inclusive and diverse way. We all have to get dressed and why should we not be able to see ourselves when we look at a fashion magazine or campaign?

Robert: Why is prompting diversity important as a creative?

Santana: Representation is something that I am passionate about. I feel as though I have a responsibility to include women from as many backgrounds as possible to give young women the ability to not compare themselves to what they see but instead identify with what they see.

Robert: How did you design the line for all types of women in mind?

Santana: I looked at the staples in my wardrobe and then I thought about how I could make it so that my designs translated to a broader audience whether it be size, shape, age, or lifestyle. Then I worked with the design team to incorporate all of those ideas to create a line that would reflect the needs of the general consumer.

Robert: Why did you want to partner with Apt 9 and Kohls for this collaboration?

Santana: As a little girl the only outlet I had for self expression was through my local Kohls. It is where my mom would take me to shop, and its also where I learned many fashion tips and tricks that I still live by today. Naturally, I wanted to partner with them on my collection because it felt very organic being the place where I loved to shop growing up.

Robert: Where did you pull inspiration from for the collection?

Santana: I pulled my inspiration from women that I know and from the inspiring women I see out in the world everyday. I find women to be multifaceted and layered, and I want my clothes to reflect that. Growing up, for instance, I always watched my mom get ready for work and she would put on her suit and even though she was dressed with a much more masculine flare than I saw on some of the other women in the carpool line, she still retained a sense of femininity with her wardrobe. Thats something that I have adopted into my own personal style. I look at young women who are entering the job force, I look at stay at home mothers, and I look at all of the women around me and thats really what inspires me.

Robert: Tell me more about the women you chose to be in the campaign?

Santana: First off I had to have my mother by my side. She is a 60 something-year-old attorney who lives in Houston Texas. Shes a modern working woman who likes her style to be effortless,no fuss and comfortable.

Lily Oakes is an incredible musician and fashion model who lives a bicoastal lifestyle with her partner between London and LA.

Najwa Zabian is a Lebanese Muslim author and poet with 3 number 1 best sellers (Mind Platter)who up until a year ago dressed in full hijab.

Amanda Gullickson is a successful LA based commercial model with campaigns like Sketchers and Reebok under her belt and a Masters degree in business, who is now focusing on entrepreneurial endeavors.

Stephanie Shepherd is a Japanese American entrepreneur and environmental and human rights a activist, who within 5 years went from personal assistant to COO of one of the Worlds largest branding empires and is now focusing on her work with The Environmental Working Group, while also advocating for gender equality in Uganda with Khana Panties.

Candice Nikeia is an outspoken advocate for diversity in the digital influencer space and active philanthropistwho started an organization bringing beauty products for women in need.

Victoria Villarroel immigrated to the US from Venezuela, received her degree from FIDM and is pursuing a career in creative direction after helping support one of the most successful influencers build their cosmetic company to over a $1B valuation.

Elle Valera is abody positivity model as well as a classically trained opera singer who lives in LA and advocates for the empowerment and inclusion of body positivity and diversity.

More here:

Cara Santana Is Bringing Diversity To Mainstream Fashion With Her Apt 9 x Kohls Collection - Forbes

The U.S. Department of Education published a letter on Sept. 22 threatening to revoke funding for the Duke University and University of North Carolina (UNC) Consortium for Middle East Studies. The letter criticized the program for sponsoring an outdoor concert by rapper Marco Pav, described as a Millennial Muslim from Memphis who conducts hip-hop and social justice workshops. The Department of Education leveled the charge that by hiring Pav, the Duke-UNC program had failed to use their funding to ensure the security, stability and economic vitality of the United States.

Now, Pav, born Tauheed Rahim II, is Georgetowns first hip-hop artist-in-residence. Since his inaugural Sept. 6 discussion in McNeir Hall, Pav has worked with the departments of Performing Arts and African American Studies to organize Critical Frequencies: Live from the Southern Hip-Hop Stage, a series of discussions designed to explore hip-hops influence on entrepreneurship, culture, fashion, politics, social justice, and the music industry. Some Critical Frequencies events include an Oct. 4 discussion on sneaker art and its ability to critique societal injustices, as well as an upcoming Nov. 15 panel exploring African American entrepreneurship within the art industry.

Being an artist-in-residence allows Pav to focus on producing new music from his office in New North while receiving financial backing from the university. Im just free to learn and explore all types of musical capabilities that I have, that I havent tapped into, he said. During his residency, Pav hopes to work directly with students on their music and have them engage with the rich history and legacy of hip-hop.

Im planning and building a ton of events on campus that really explore hip-hop culture and really explore critical things that people can dive into and put their teeth into and understand more about this country, but through a hip-hop lens, Pav said. When asked what he hopes students will learn from Critical Frequencies, Pav said, I want people to understand where [hip-hop] comes from and not only be consumers, but be students of it.

For Pav, hip-hop has played an essential role in the creation of modern American life. He believes hip-hop has moved beyond simply being a music genre and into the realm of a cultural force. Without hip-hop, everybodys lives would be boring, he explained. The way we dress, the way we talk, the way we communicate with our friends is all through hip-hop. Because of this, Pav not only aims to produce music for people to enjoy, but also to learn from.

Issues of equality and identity are prominent themes in Pavs work. He expresses his background as an African American, Muslim, and millenial through his music, which he views as a platform to discuss social justice and empower young people to share stories about their own lives. Prior to becoming artist-in-residence, Pav worked as a Memphis Music Initiative teaching fellow to educate middle and high school students about hip-hop music, culture, and activism. He has released several singles, a 2015 EP called Perception, and a 2017 album titled Welcome to Grc Lnd (pronounced Graceland).

Pavs path to Georgetown did not come without obstacles. He admitted that the consequences of speaking up for social justice, especially as a Muslim, can be daunting. But despite being scrutinized by the Department of Education, Pav has not been deterred from his mission. It makes you be fearful of what the repercussions can be for just speaking out, but thats all we can do, he said of the executive letter. My life is basically to always show people that we have to push back.

Long before he was performing at universities or drawing the ire of the Trump administration, however, Pav discovered hip-hop during his childhood in Tennessee. He described how, in the sixth and seventh grade, he would listen to artists like Lil Wayne and Missy Elliot, wanting to follow in their footsteps and learn from their musical styles.

Pav frequently cites his upbringing in Memphis as a major influence on his approach to music and perspective on society. His early life shaped a major theme of his work: transforming a negative situation into a positive outcome. Growing up in Memphis was definitely one of the most difficult things Ive done because I didnt want to go the traditional route of gang culture, he said. I had already done that by 15 years old. For me, I was trying to get away from that.

He described how escaping the cycle of violence and focusing on his music career was especially challenging for him. If youre trying to branch out and do something completely different without any support systems, then its going to be totally difficult, Pav explained. The way I built my platform as an artist basically was to challenge the system.

In addition to his own personal history, Pav uses music to explore Memphis public history. If you look at people of color in any city, most likely theyll have a similar story, but Memphis definitely has its own specific style of racism, he said.

He recounted the citys historical associations with slavery, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights Movement. Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, Memphis, according to Pav, is a city founded on the profits of companies that sold cotton and transported slaves downriver to plantations in the Deep South. After the Civil War, the city was subject to a century of Jim Crow laws and the oppression of African Americans. In 1968, just three years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in the city, dashing many Americans hopes of racial progress and societal reform.

Through his work, Pav contextualizes Memphiss place in the history of the struggle for racial justice, discussing how the citys past connects with the experiences of Americans today. Thats the shadow we live in, and thats the reality we live in, because 50 years after MLK, not a lot has changed, Pav said.

The music video for Black Tux, the lead single from Perception, epitomizes his focus on using his lifes experiences to create socially conscious hip-hop. In the video, Pav delivers his rhymes inside a crumbling factory in Memphis, symbolizing the structural inequities people of color face in the post-Jim Crow South. The video is interspersed with black-and-white flashbacks that show some of the difficult decisions Pav had to make on the way to fulfill his dream of becoming a hip-hop artist, including forgoing job opportunities in order to focus on making music. Dressed in the titular black tuxedo, Pav stands in stark contrast to the decay around him, representing how he has sought to escape the challenging circumstances of his childhood and build his own legacy.

Through his music, Pav says he wants to give a voice to young people across the country who seek to challenge and overcome issues of systemic inequality and injustice, all while trying to stay afloat and pursue their dreams. Thats the point of the music. Its to show people that miracles can happen, show people that the impossible can happen if you just put your mind to doing something thats outside of what your circumstances are.

Despite the initial obstacles, Pav is grateful for what he has been able to accomplish in his career as a hip-hop artist. I come from a very negative situation from the socioeconomic standpoint, but also from the interpersonal family standpoint, from abuse, he said. And Im sitting here at Georgetown University as an artist-in-residence today.

Image Credits: Marco Pav

See the original post:

Marco Pav, Georgetown's First Hip-Hop Artist-In-Residence: A Conversation on Rap, Social Justice, and Self-Empowerment - The Georgetown Voice

Here at The 405, were always amazed by artists who fixate on the evolution of their craft. New York-based pop singer, VRIT (aka Kelsey Byrne) has done this with her music well before the release of her debut album (Somewhere In Between) back in 2017 and that fascination has continued to develop with her upcoming sophomore album, New Skin (out today). Delving deeper into her personal experiences, the songs weve heard so far from New Skin show a more candid and resilient side of VRIT. There are moments of confusion, curiosity, resiliency and empowerment throughout these songs, but most importantly theres a complex human being at the center of it all. On this episode of the podcast, Ken Grand-Pierre catches up with VRIT to discuss new music, evolving her craft, and what we can expect from her next.

You can subscribe to the 405 Exchange podcast on iTunes, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, Google Play, and Overcast. You can also listen to the podcast over at Anchor.

Continued here:

The 405 Exchange: VRIT on the artistic growth of New Skin - The 405

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) Briar Cliff hosted a Womens Leadership Summit on Thursday and Friday.

The event was called 1930 in honor of Briar Cliffs founding in 1930.

Organizers said the university was founded by women for women and that is one of the main reasons they wanted to start something like this.

Students and other members of the Briar Cliff and Sioux City community were invited to attend and learn from several different speakers about female empowerment.

The summit included motivational speakers and activities to inspire personal growth, collaboration, community response during a crisis, and key leadership lessons that are critical for the modern-day.

Organizers said they wanted to honor the 30th anniversary of the crash of United Airlines Flight 232 and use themes from that day, like collaboration, community response during a crisis, and key leadership lessons.

This idea was actually a spark of an idea that I brought to life very early on in my presidency. Because the university was founded by women for women, I just really thought it was important to honor our roots, said Rachelle Karstens, Briar Cliff University President. Its really about uplifting women and helping them to network and find sponsors and mentors to help them achieve their dreams.

Speakers at the event included the International President of the Association of Flight Attendants, Sara Nelson, and CEO of UnityPoint Health System Fort Dodge, Leah Glasgo.

More:

Briar Cliff University hosts their first Women's Leadership Summit - KTIV

Food insecurity is an issue close to the heart of UC San Diego student Tyler Sepulveda.

Growing up there were days where he might not have eaten if he hadnt had food at school. At home there were times when his mom would have to stretch to make sure he and his brother had a meal, sometimes taking a rice or pasta box labeled for three servings and having to portion it out to last several days.

That story is not just me; 1 in 5 kids experience food insecurity here in San Diego, Sepulveda told a room full of people from various government, nonprofit and business sectors Saturday. For an area that is one of the largest economic hubs here in California, I dont think that is how the world should be.

Sepulvedas personal experience was among many stories young people from throughout San Diego County shared to highlight issues of importance to their generation Saturday.

The conference in Logan Heights hosted by Youth Will, a youth empowerment nonprofit, drew more than 70 people a diverse group of young San Diegans joining community members from other nonprofits, government agencies and local businesses.

They came together to discuss how issues like transportation, housing, access to health care and restorative justice are impacting young people in the region. They also discussed what possible long-term solutions could look like and what role various groups can play in helping develop a Regional Child and Youth Development Master Plan.

Local young people began drafting the countys first youth master plan in collaboration with local leaders and Youth Will. Here, Shadia Omer talks with Janet Ruiz of the San Diego American Indian Health Center and Maddy Moritsch of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

(Nancee E. Lewis)

Earlier this year Youth Will and young people from throughout the county created a Youth Bill of Rights and set their sights on developing a plan with long term strategies for the entire region to support and ensure the success of young people.

When we believe in young people, when we give them the opportunity to prove themselves, they will, said Sean Elo, executive director of Youth Will. What we are trying to do here is work toward that vision our young people have created... and if we work with them I know we can actually be the San Diego we envision where every young person has what they need to be happy, healthy and reach their potential.

Although the conference didnt provide long-term solutions to every issue young people are hoping to address in the ultimate regional plan, Saturdays event served as a starting point by bringing together various stakeholders in the community and reflecting who still needs to come to the table.

Attendees broke into 11 small groups to focus on the 11 issues outlined in the Youth Bill of Rights.

Some of the groups, such as the one focused on transportation, had few community member volunteers.

Cassidy Jacquez, a Fallbrook resident who is a third-year student at Cal State San Marcos, emphasized the need to engage young people around the topic of transportation, especially since many young people and students like herself are commuters who would benefit from having a solid public transportation system that is affordable and widely accessible.

We need to incorporate a better transportation system so that people like me... can actually get to school without having to spend money I dont have on gas, she said.

Other groups saw more immediate community engagement.

For instance, a group focusing on justice and safety included individuals from a variety of entities including the county probation department, the county public safety department, the San Diego American Indian Health Center and Youth Empowerment, a community group focused on helping at-risk youths.

That groups discussion focused heavily on how it could help connect youth, community organizations, and government entities to share and learn new information about various accountability practices through alternate means like education and therapy. Members of the group also discussed the need to get more feedback from young people, as well as various ways to create points of access with government entities that are less intimidating and more widely known for members of the community.

The engagement from so many different community members at the event Saturday including county Supervisor Greg Cox and Assemblymember Todd Gloria was a positive sign, according to Youth Will leadership. But still much work needs to be done.

We can put a Bill of Rights together, we can put words on paper, but unless we act on it, its not really going to be anything, said Warsan Artan, who leads operations and youth organizing at Youth Will.

Excerpt from:

From hunger to transportation, San Diego youth work on their own Bill of Rights - The San Diego Union-Tribune

This year is a milestone year for the organizers behind the Tapestry of Womens annual conference.

The event is celebrating their 25th anniversary and this years instalment will be like no other.

The theme this year is Reflections: Unity in Diversity. Attendees can expect a hot nutritious breakfast, lunch, snacks and prizes. The Morley Pow Wow Academy and Thunderstone Drummers will open the conference and four speakers will engage attendees with thoughtful discussion on topics including empowerment and reconciliation with women. The day will end with a traditional friendship round.

Its an amazing energy, said Cindy Murray, a co-organizer of the event.

Its just women supporting women. Were all there for each other. You get the camaraderie that women get when were together.

The Tapestry of Women Society - Bow Valley is a non-profit society that hosts the annual conference. The conference began in response to the 1995 United Nations World Conference of Women in Beijing. The conference in Beijing focused on Indigenous women facing barriers to full equality because of their race, age, language, ethnicity, culture and religion.

The local society felt the message around barriers applied to their home. The society has worked on bridging the gap between women in Rocky View Country and women in the Stoney Nakoda nation.

The conference works to provide information and education on issues of importance and relevance to women in Cochrane and the surrounding area. The intimate gathering strives to provide an opportunity for women to feel enlightened, reduce their stress, and potentially learn about themselves. The forum will also help women connect, share common concerns, build upon personal strengths and support one another.

We firmly believe that healthy women help build healthy families and communities, the society wrote on their website.

One of their inspirational speakers includes Chantal StormSong Chagnon. Chagnon is local activist, singer, drummer and storyteller.

The conference will also feature entrepreneurial women from around the province selling their handmade art.

Women can move mountains, Murray said.

When you put women together theres something about the energy.

The conference is also looking for sponsorship as not every woman can afford to attend. Potential donors or sponsors can contact the organization on Facebook by searching Tapestry of Women Cochrane AB.

More here:

Milestone year for Tapestry of Women's annual conference - Cochrane Today

It has been a trying, unrelenting week for the 19 Labour MPs who voted for Boris Johnsons Brexit bill on Tuesday. Since the vote, they have been accused of facilitating Brexit, handing the Tories a boost before a potential election and driving Remain voters into the arms of the Liberal Democrats. Some have faced open hostility from members of their own party. One MP had to break off an interview as tears filled their eyes when describing the pressure placed on them and their families.

Interviews with the MPs reveal a group desperately battling to find a route through the Brexit impasse, having found themselves at the sharp end of the most fraught political debate since the second world war.

Some of the stuff that some colleagues have had has been just horrendous, says Jim Fitzpatrick, the veteran London MP who voted for the bill. There were people in the chamber last Saturday in tears because of the dilemma between what they were being asked to do by the party, the whips, their constituents and what they believed in. Everybody feels it, and we dont expect any sympathy because its the job.

It is a sign of the pressures that some of the MPs did not wish to speak, while others asked not to be named. What united most was the conclusion that, despite the costs involved, their constituents remained clear that they wanted them to honour the referendum result and they had to find a compromise.

I campaigned door to door during the referendum, trying to convince them to vote Remain, says Ruth Smeeth, the Stoke-on-Trent North MP. I did that, which is really important to me. I went and made the argument. There is a hilarious video on the Guardian website of me going door to door, begging people to vote Remain. I chose my safest ward, hoping that would be helpful. It was not. I had every local employer, MPs, unions everyone was on the same page. We couldnt convince people.

Its about understanding who you represent and why. I stood on a manifesto to respect the result. I said I would deliver Brexit in a way that protects my constituency as much as possible.

Melanie Onn, the Great Grimsby MP, reached a similar conclusion that people know the risks of Brexit. In 2016, part of the Labour Remain campaign did set these things out, she says. I know I shared that information with people. They plumped for something else. People are telling me that it is a trade-off they are prepared to risk in order to get a sense of self-determination and empowerment.

Gloria De Piero, the MP for Ashfield, says she was taking a commonsense position that followed the Labour policy of battling for an acceptable deal. I had incredibly high Leave votes in my council estates. I remember one man very clearly, about 65, saying: Ive never, ever voted in my life. I think he was a telephone engineer, from memory. Now, Im sorry, but these are the people I came into politics to represent. They are the people who Labour exists for.

Fitzpatrick is in a different situation. He is in the heavily pro-Remain Poplar and Limehouse constituency and would have faced little criticism for opposing Brexit altogether. However, he says he had reached the view that a no-deal Brexit was not going to happen and that the referendum result could not be ignored. I wouldnt have the grief Im getting from constituency members, delegates, family, friends [if he had opposed the deal]. All of my main supporters in my constituency are very committed Remainers. They got me elected several times. They are appalled by my voting and there is nothing I can do to assuage them, other than to explain my position. I can live with myself and I think its the right thing to do. In that sense, I can defend it.

The decision clearly weighs heavily on all. This is not about sending people off to war, so lets keep it in proportion, says Onn. But yes, for me, this is a conflict between my personal opinion and those expressed strongly by my constituents. So there is always going to be that conflict. There is a conscience, constituents and country perspective on all of this. Its fair to say Ive had sleepless nights. I didnt want to be the person just saying No. If you think its the right thing to do, then you just have to do it.

The reaction to their decision, both from within Labour and more widely among disappointed Remain supporters, has been mixed though several of the MPs talked of hostility. Stephanie Peacock, the Barnsley East MP, says: Everyone feels passionately and sincerely in this debate. One of my frustrations is some of the personal and political attacks, questioning our Labour values and socialism. The idea that we couldnt possibly be Labour thats quite difficult to deal with.

Smeeth says: The way in which some people have decided to speak to us, at us or about us has been neither comradely nor a way to engage with people. It is grim to be on the other side of the debate to people who Im very close to on every other issue. There have been some horrible moments and some horrible things said by both colleagues and political commentators about our motives. Onn has had similar treatment. Ive had people saying: Youve just done that to save your job. Well, no, because I could have had the whip removed and not been a Labour candidate.

Some of the MPs say they end up under fire from all sides. I go to my constituency and they think, because Im a Labour MP, Im like [Lib Dem MPs] Jo Swinson or Chuka Umunna, says De Piero. Then I come to Westminster and some of my colleagues think Im like Nigel Farage. That is the gulf I understand the pressures on colleagues who take a different view to me and respect them for it but Id like them to respect my way.

Most of the group are still reserving judgment on how they would vote should Johnsons Brexit bill return to the Commons unchanged. De Piero says: I have respect for my colleagues whatever they decide to do on the bill. I would say that youre not going to get more than half voting for the final deal.

Others appear to have decided to back the Johnson deal to the end. Im reconciled to it, says Fitzpatrick. I dont like it. It has caused me a lot of grief. I get a lot of, This is what youll be remembered for, you traitor. I said, Im surprised, because I didnt think Id be remembered for anything.

Originally posted here:

Labour MPs on why they backed Boris Johnsons Brexit bill - The Guardian