LMHR compilation CD and new music video for schools

LMHR has teamed up with teachers’ unions and with musicians, campaigners, individual teachers and students, to develop accessible and engaging activities for schools which address and explore the issues of racism and fascism, and encourage those taking part to get involved in the movement to combat fascist organisations like the BNP.

This Spring we are launching two exciting and linked initiatives in schools and colleges. Both will help boost UAF & LMHR’s Don’t Vote BNP message in the run up to May’s local council elections. A new LMHR compilation album, compiled by Drew McConnell of Babyshambles, Lisa Moorish, and LMHR, will be produced and distributed free in schools across the UK. Those contributing exclusive tracks include The View, Roll Deep, Albert Hammond Jr., and Get Cape Wear Cape Fly. The CD, which willl also carry anti-racism education resources in CD-ROM format will also be available from April. See also this story in last week’s NME about the LMHR CD.

One of the tracks on the CD, “Racist People” by Roll Deep, was specially written by the group following their experience of playing at LMHR’s Anthony Walker Tribute show in Liverpool. A music video for the track, aimed at promoting the LMHR message, is being produced by top music video directors PTE (Roll Deep, The View), and will be shot on location with young people and artists in Barking & Dagenham, Eltham, West Yorkshire and Stoke-on-Trent. The video has already been promised heavy airplay on music video channels MTV Base and Channel U, and will be shown at all LMHR school events.

If you’re a teacher or school/FE college student who’d like to do something to spread the LMHR message in your school, contact us using the form at the top of the page.

These initiatives build on existing successful LMHR schools work. Last year, we commissioned a 20-minute DVD, narrated by UN goodwill ambassador and Mercury Prize-winning musician Ms Dynamite and directed by Alan Miles, containing a potted history of anti-racism and anti-fascism in the UK over the last 30 or so years, along with artist interviews and exciting footage from LMHR concerts featuring major artists such as Hard-Fi, Kano, and The Clash. The DVD has been shown in scores of schools, colleges, workplaces and public meetings to great acclaim and has inspired many people to get actively involved in campaigning against racism and fascism. In the words of one teacher who organised a LMHR event at her school last year: “…the kids positively floated out of school that day. The anti-racist message was loud and clear within some of the lyrics written by our kids which was backed up in the judges comments. Also one member of Roll Deep gave a really lovely speech about what he felt racism was which I thought was really articulate and to the point. He put it into words that students could relate to..”.

We can provide campaign speakers and musicians to come into school to introduce the DVD and lead a discussion with pupils following viewing. We can also, in association with our sister campaign Unite Against Fascism, organise for expert witnesses such as Holocaust survivors and victims of racism to come in to speak with pupils about their experiences. We have also worked with many schools in organising their own Love Music Hate Racism concerts.

For excellent examples of LMHR events in schools, including press coverage and video footage, please see the following:-

National anti-racism campaign launched in schools
LMHR/NASUWT Schools Initiative Launch in Yorkshire at King James’s School, Knaresborough
LMHR Barking and Dagenham schools launch big success

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