Although I had seen Benjamin Zephaniah before on TV, the first time I saw him and actually listened to him was on the Parkinson show in 2002. I was completely fascinated as Benjamin performed Talking Turkeys and I remember thinking this isn’t like the poetry I hated having to learn in school. This was brilliant and funny. It was a massive eye opener.
Not just a poet, Benjamin Zephaniah was also an actor, author, activist, and one of this country’s greatest inspirational figures in advocating for justice, equality, and compassion during his lifetime. With his works touching so many and having the profound impact that they still do, as a celebration of his life and works there will now be a day of remembrance.
Benjamin Zephaniah: a festival of rhythm, unity, and revolution
On Saturday 12 April at the Brunel University of London, there will be the first “Festival of Rhythm, Unity, and Revolution, Honouring Benjamin Zephaniah”. The event falls on what would have been his birthday weekend.
Even though Benjamin died in 2023, he, his activism, and his poetry tackling racism, classism, the climate crisis, and the dehumanising effects of inequality remain just as powerful and continue to live on to this day.
With the event set to be a moment to mobilise in his spirit of activism, along with a blueprint for building a kinder, more inclusive society, the event organisers hope it will inspire meaningful dialogue.
Are you a warrior or a bystander for change…?
The event, which is currently being promoted by Lenny Henry, Judi Love, and Akala to name but a few, is a tribute and celebration from the many people that Benjamin Zephaniah and his words have touched and influenced:
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On inspiring that many people with his words, I found myself wondering what he would have said about our current society and where it seems to be heading. With so much of his work being incredibly relevant today I asked the organisers of the event what they thought. They told me:
If Benjamin were here, he might highlight the urgency of today’s crises from the climate emergency to rising xenophobia and political divisions. His poem “The British” celebrated multiculturalism, while “Dis Poetry” reclaimed art as a tool for liberation. He would likely challenge us to confront complacency, asking as he often did ‘Are you a bystander or a warrior for change…?’
Be a human being, not a human doing…
With this celebration happening for the first time this year, I asked the organisers how important it was to preserve and remember Benjamin Zephaniah’s work, including how inspirational it still is to others. They told me:
Benjamin’s work critiqued a world prioritising profit over people and planet. He might lament our continued drift from community-centric values urging us to reconnect with empathy. His refusal of an OBE, rejecting ties to empire and oppression, speaks volumes about his stance on institutional hypocrisy; a lesson still vital in holding power to account.
And that:
To honour Benjamin is to keep his words alive. His call to be a human being, not a human doing, resonates in an age of burnout and disconnect. By revisiting his poetry, we reignite conversations about resistance, sustainability, and solidarity – ensuring his voice guides future generations.
But most importantly the organisers told me that:
Rather than presuming his words, let us amplify the ones he left us. His legacy is a compass, not a relic.
Which is something that we can and should all be doing – whether it’s his call to activism or his inspirational words on inequality and fighting for human rights.
Celebrating Benjamin Zephaniah
In this spirit of inspiration, and also from the pure honour of working with the organisers of Benjamin Zephaniah’s celebration, I’ll end with a poem by me:
If only we could really see
The roots, the leaves and the wood from the trees.
If only we could really taste
The fruits of our labour, not a bitter waste.
If only we could really smell
The scent of roses and what they really tell.
If only we could really hear
The sounds of resistance, getting louder in our ears.
If only we could really feel
The urge to unite and stand heel to heel.
If only we could really do…
Wait, hold on, so what’s stopping you?
So, what is stopping us from not only amplifying Benjamin’s words, but taking these words and using them to creating that kinder, more inclusive society he dreamed of? If you agree then hopefully I’ll see you on 12 April.
You can find out more about the festival and book tickets here.
Featured image supplied
