LEVI ROOTS was born in Jamaica in 1958, 10 years after the SS Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, bringing with it hundreds of passengers from the Caribbean.

His parents, Lassel and Doreen came to the UK when he was just four years old, like many others from the Caribbean, they worked hard to build a new life for themselves and help build Britain.

“Well, my connection [to the Windrush Generation] is a marvellous one because it’s what inspired me to be who I am today because it’s about my parents,” Levi said. “My parents came over just like many people in the Caribbean and I see those people as some of the greatest entrepreneurs, some of our greatest business people.”

Approach

This entrepreneurial approach to life manifested itself through hard work, sacrifice and resilience.

Levi’s parents weren’t the only members of the Windrush to inspire him. He talks fondly of former trade unionist Lord Bill Morris who came to the UK from Jamaica in 1954 and retired from the House of Lords earlier this year.

“When I was growing up and I wanted inspiration to see certain black people that were from the Windrush Generation that went through that struggle and then [elevated] themselves up there to a position to try and say to us, ‘Look you can do it because I’m up here as well too and I did it through hard work’ – it was Bill Morris.

“It was people telling their stories you felt for. The stories told when the scandal first broke out tugged at the heartstrings of everyone”

“He was one of my first heroes because of the position he held at the time.”

As someone who has been inspired by the Windrush Generation, Levi has also been an advocate for them, speaking out about the scandal that saw many people who came to the UK from the Caribbean have their right to live and work in the UK disputed by the government.

“It was sad. It was heart breaking because it was the people that were telling their stories that you felt for. You felt for these individual people. When you cast a big net on it, [it’s a] big injustice, yes, but when you saw some of these people that were telling their stories when the scandal first broke out, I think it just tugged at the heartstrings of everyone,” Levi said.

“I felt it for my own parents who put so much in this country, especially for my mum who worked all the jobs and all the worst jobs that you can possibly think of but yet she’s not still thought of as a British person by the British,” he added.

Compensated

Levi is grateful that his mum made sure he went through the process to document his British citizenship.

But he watched others, including one of his best friends, who has been in the UK for nearly 60 years, experience problems with their citizenship status.

“I do think that we’ve got to keep this fight and keep at it until we get proper justice for some of these people”

“It was very heart breaking to see that and again it just reminded me of my own story that I just about got my own self sorted out. But again, that was through my mum because I was running up and down in those days in the ‘70s and ‘80s and I didn’t really take much notice of it,” he said.

While Levi has helped raise awareness of the scandal, he believes that addressing the issue is something that needs to remain in focus.

“I do think it’s up to the press and the media to keep that vibe up. Because of COVID that’s come along, it’s kind of put a block on a lot of stuff, especially serious issues that people would have still been talking about,” Levi said.

While the COVID-19 outbreak has dominated headlines, the Windrush scheme and the Windrush compensation scheme continue to function and be accessible. The Windrush Help Team has continued to process applications during the pandemic and is working to help and support those seeking to obtain the documents required to demonstrate their legal right to live and work in the UK.

“I do think that we’ve got to keep this fight and keep at it until we get proper justice for some of these people,” Levi said. “This is something that’s changed a lot of people’s lives for the worse.”

He added: “Going forward again it’s about keeping up the pressure. We need full justice and we need everyone to be compensated who was affected by this Windrush scandal.”

To learn if you can receive help from the Windrush Scheme and the Windrush Compensation Scheme, even if you are unsure of the documents you need, visit https://windrush.campaign.gov.uk/ or call the FREE helpline 0800 678 1925 for assistance.

Anything you tell the Windrush Help Team will be treated with sensitivity and won’t be passed on to Immigration Enforcement.