Poetry and Policing: #RoyMcFarlane and #RodCharles for #DavidOluwale50th

Roy McFarlane is a former Wolverhampton youth worker who is now an acclaimed poet. Roy will read from The Healing Next Time, his new collection of poems about many of the people who have died at the hands of the police over the years. This collection has been described by The Poetry Society as ‘a timely and unparalleled book of interwoven sequences on institutional racism, deaths in custody and of a life story set against the ever-changing backdrop of Birmingham at the turn of the millennium’. More below.

Rod Charles is a retired Chief Inspector in the London’s Metropolitan Police. His great nephew Rashan died, aged 20, in July 2018 while under restraint in the course of a stop and search encounter. Rod has argued in articles published in the Guardian newspaper that, had this officer put into practice the training that Rod and others had instructed, Rashan would be alive today. More below.

Our event will mix Roy’s poetry, a talk by Rod about policing today, and a full Q&A audience discussion. It will be hosted by DOMA Board member Mahalia France-Mir. This is the first of a series of events commemorating 50 years since David Oluwale was hounded to his death in the River Aire in Leeds (on 18.4.69). More information on Facebook #RememberOluwale

This is a Pay As You Feel — we hope to cover Rod and Roy’s travel expenses! Please register on the Eventbrite page for this event