MOST OF us have been glued to our television, radio or social media to find out what the latest was in Ukraine since our last update, which may have just been an hour before.

We’ve learnt in the last two weeks that 60 minutes is a long time in this latest chapter of the Russian Ukrainian story that began almost two decades ago. 

If this was a different time in history you may have switched off by now, asking what has this got to do with you, however thanks to social media you and I know how much this affects us. 

Bringing the message closer to home than social media is the letters of increase in our energy bills and the record breaking price of fuel for our cars. 

Our pockets are feeling the strain and our eyes cry tears of sadness as we watch lives and families ripped apart on our devices daily.

The last two years of dialogue and some might say improvements seemingly evaporated as you look at Twitter feeds and see images of black and brown people trying to escape the bombing and killing, treated as less than as authorities prioritise getting people out of the dangerous zone. 

It’s one thing to be aware or have a feeling about a matter, it’s another thing when you’re faced with evidence to confirm your worst fears. 

Many have longed to believe that the notion of a global anti-blackness was the construct of a few woke leftists who unfortunately now had the power of social media to amplify their lies. Unfortunately for all of us what psychologists refer to as leakage seem to pull back the veil on the worst of our fears. 

Comments from journalists on new networks that we’ve come to love and trust made us double take in disbelief.

“This isn’t Iraq or Afghanistan…This is a relatively civilised, relatively European city,” CBS foreign correspondent Charlie D’Agata said of Kyiv.

If that wasn’t enough, Ukraine’s Deputy Chief Prosecutor David Sakvarelidze said on the BBC: “It’s very emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes and blonde hair being killed.” This begs the question, what about the folks with brown eyes, brown skin, and brown hair? Is their pain less worthy of sympathy?

This question led us on Premier Gospel Radio to host a discussion on Twitter Spaces: “Are some lives valued above others in this crisis?” The answer for some may seem obvious but a particular vista espoused by some people in our community on that discussion is my main concern.

I was surprised to hear views in the discussion that made clear that it was wrong for us to call out people in Ukraine or Poland who were not receptive of or kind or helpful to black and brown people who were trying to escape danger, saying that this only perpetuated hate against them.

In a conversation with me for Premier Gospel Radio, 19-year-old Rachel Diyaolu, an Irish medical student of African heritage who is studying at Sumy State University in Ukraine, spoke of the ordeal of hiding in bunkers from the bombing and shooting for days and the three-day attempt to escape that was thwarted by armed Russian soldiers.

I asked Rachel what her response was to those who suggested as some did in our Twitter discussions that how people trying to escape were treated is the fault of the people and their governments and not that of the Ukrainians or Polish authorities. 

Some of her comments were: “A lot of people fleeing to borders was out of sheer fear…when you’ve heard the things we’ve heard bombs going off you are petrified…if you had the opportunity to get a border, a lot of people will go…….you can’t blame the victims for the discrimination they have experienced…”

Our hearts break for Ukraine and for our black and brown brothers and sisters in Ukraine attempting to survive bombs and bombast while also struggling with racism that treats them so very differently from other human beings. 

Maybe they might find some solace in the Fred Hammond song popularised by Jamie Fox during his NAACP award speech “No Weapon” . 

This was the song that Rachel Diyaolu said kept her sane, that plus the comforting words of Psalm 91: “… His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you…”

I implore you that when you read this, share the humanitarian stories you come across knowing that your voice counts, knowing their lives count.

Muyiwa Olarewaju OBE is Station Director at Premier Gospel Radio, a TV & Radio Broadcaster, and Principal of gospel group Muyiwa & Riversongz

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