【Inexperienced Experience Of The Summer (2015)】

LONDON -- A British singer has penned an open letter about her experience of "institutionalised racism" on Inexperienced Experience Of The Summer (2015)a train.

Jamelia claims that she and her 11-year-old daughter were seated in the first class carriage when they were challenged by a fellow passenger.

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According to the post, Jamelia was approached by a woman in her early forties who asked her: "Do you have a first class ticket?" "I glance around and it clicks. My daughter and I are the only black people in the carriage," writes the singer.The woman reportedly told Jamelia that she had seen the conductor and he had said he wouldn't let her travel in this carriage. "At this point I feel her assumptions are crystal clear, I'm offended and my daughter's face shows she has understood the rhetoric too. I feel this is a teachable moment, for both the woman in question and my daughter," writes Jamelia. When Jamelia confronted the woman about her reason for challenging her, the woman claimed she had asked because she wanted to sit with the singer and her daughter.

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"Let’s be honest, you've seen a young, black girl and assumed she doesn't have a 1st class ticket. You've allowed your prejudice to speak for you," Jamelia told the woman. When Jamelia's daughter Tiani asked the woman if she was going to challenge an "older white man" who later entered the carriage, the woman reportedly ignored the question. "The woman didn't turn her head to acknowledge my daughter’s question, but the beetroot hue on her face was proof enough that she’d heard every word," wrote Jamelia.

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Institutionalised racism

Jamelia wrote that the situation she encountered is not "unique". She believes this is an example of "institutionalised racism" -- a form of racial discrimination that has become "established as normal behaviour within a society". "Black people experience this daily, in social and professional environments, whether it’s being greeted with “Wha Gwarn”, touching our hair without permission, being told we are “so well-spoken”, being repeatedly stopped in our luxury cars or being asked if we have a ticket to travel in first class," writes Jamelia. "This kind of thing happens every. single. day." Jamelia tweeted about the event and she says she received replies asking her why she hadn't kept it to herself and why she felt the need to play the "race card". "The problem is that we don'ttell you, we speak about it amongst ourselves, and you get to carry on about your day not realising you've ruined ours. I tweeted because I wanted you to read it,"

Jamelia says she wants people to be aware of her experience and that she doesn't want to stay quiet any longer. "We serve no-one by remaining quiet, if anything this renders us complicit in the continuation and validation of this behaviour. It is not ok with me, and it shouldn't be OK with you."