Yomi Sode shares a series of visuals on YouTube and Instagram emerging from his debut poetry collection, Manorism, exploring the lives of Black British men and boys. Through these pieces he spotlights the generational trauma attached to this group of people, which is deep-rooted in the confinements of systemic racism.
In one visual titled ‘Fatherhood: in conversation with Simon’, depicts a phone conversation between Yomi and his childhood friend, both now fathers.
“…all of this was normal because there was nothing else to show us that “Yo, what you’re going through is trauma.””
Yomi offers a lens into their lack of mental health support during their upbringing with immigrant parents. Their experiences shed light on the challenges faced by many Black people, whose families must adopt a survival mentality due to their limited opportunities and the significant difference in how impunity is granted to White people compared to Black people.
Upon reflection of this visual, Yomi states in an article by Skin Deep Magazine “this conversation was the first time we had spoken about it. It was always easier to plan for the next rave and internalise the trauma, even though we witnessed a fight… As men, we just never spoke about it deeper than we needed to.”
Another visual is a conversation with his mother where Yomi expresses feelings of acceptance upon acknowledging his trauma after confining with close female figures in his life. This representation serves as a powerful portrayal of challenging traditional perceptions of masculinity, while highlighting the importance of support within a family.
The result of these visuals along with the book showcases the vulnerabilities of masculinity, and the importance of understanding its unique nuances within the Black experience.