Empathy is about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, but what happens when your feet just simply won’t fit? Understanding a system that you’ve never been subjected to is not an easy feat. This also makes explaining and creating awareness around such issues that much harder. It’s a learning curve for all, including the families and friends of people of colour.
I have been watching Formula One since I was about 7 years old - for reference I’m now 22. I watched the moment that Lewis won his first world championship, and have continued to watch up to his current championship battle with Dutchman Max Verstappen.
Although Lewis and I are over 10 years apart, I feel that we have followed a similar journey in relation to race consciousness. Growing up mixed race in a white area (I’m black-white Caribbean for the government tick box), you are always acutely aware of the fact that you are somewhat different. This is not to say I had a full comprehension of race and ethnicity in my adolescence, but I always noticed that the ‘can I touch your hair’ and ‘I want to be your colour’ comments were only really directed at me.
A pressure to assimilate into society, whether overt or not, is a difficult thing to manage at such a young age. I have used every straightener, hair relaxer, Brazilian blow dry-based product that is known to man, and my understanding of my desire to do that only became apparent to me recently. Now, had I seen someone like Naomi Schiff on my screen as a young girl, I may be in a different position now, there is no guarantee, but it is a significant possibility. This is why representation is important.
This takes me back to Sir Lewis Hamilton. A young man, who grew up in Stevenage with a dream, turned into the statistically most successful Formula One driver in history. The impact that this has had cannot be underestimated. It is an undeniable success story, and Hamilton is a role model to people all over the world.
Lewis is now far more than an incredible driver. He is a spokesperson within motorsport for issues facing ethnic minorities all over the world. He is a presence that makes many people feel comfortable and proud to be black and to be British.
Photo from https://new.in-24.com/sport/f1/68937.html
However, things are not always sunshine and rainbows. I was at Silverstone this summer and witnessed the crash between Max and Lewis. The tension was palpable. No one knew how people were going to react, and it was a scary moment. The fallout reaffirmed what I already knew: no matter how much money and notoriety you have, to some you will never be more than your skin colour. That was a rude awakening.
Now, I do not believe that successful people are above criticism. Seeing people blame Lewis for the crash fundamentally didn’t bother me, as it was a messy incident - it was to be expected. However, the volume of racist abuse that Lewis received was almost inconceivable.
Racism has evolved. I don’t mean spiritually, where it now has some form of moral compass, but evolved in its delivery. Whilst there is still the somewhat occasional shouting across the street, racism now has the capacity to be expressed anonymously on the internet and this was rife following this crash. Watching people revert back to using terms that have not been acceptable in my lifetime, was a shock to the system. It definitely got me to acknowledge the privilege that I have being a lighter skinned person in the 2000s, but also gave me a deeply uncomfortable feeling.
So where do we go from here?
To what extent is it the burden of the oppressed to educate the oppressor? This is a question that has plagued my mind for a while. To what extent is it Lewis’ responsibility to educate the rest of the grid on his struggles? To what extent is it his responsibility to ensure they care?
In all honesty, I am still not sure. Initiatives such as Mission 44, and the Hamilton Commission, work to address discrepancies between groups in different sectors. There are hundreds of years of history that have reinforced an institutional struggle, and the best we can do is work to change that.
Lewis Hamilton. 7x WDC. The only black driver on the grid.
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