This week, in his first act of his controversial second term, Donald Trump cut the CBP One app. One of the only positives to come out of 2020, the application was created to help migrants enter the U.S. and reduce illegal and life-threatening border crossings. All pending appointments made within the program have been canceled, and thousands are left lost, confused and sidelined.
70 years since its publication, Sam Selvon’s melodic prose couldn’t be more timely. Both cases highlight how bureaucratic obstacles can lead to the mistreatment and marginalisation of immigrant communities, underscoring the enduring need for accountability, transparency, and empathy in immigration systems.
Set seven decades before the current crisis, The Lonely Londoners follows Henry ‘Sir Galahad’ Oliver (Romario Simpson), as he navigates his new life in England. Hailing from Trinidad, Galahad was promised work and better pay from his “mother country,” however instead of entering a maternal embrace, he is quickly given the cold shoulder.
He soon encounters Moses (Solomon Israel), a reluctant guardian and guide for all displaced “JA” citizens. Much like his biblical namesake, he is a reluctant leader, but he shoulders the burden to ensure those that follow him walk the right path.