Shaka honoured, humbled by Freedom of the City award

DAVID SCARLETT

FORMER Trinidad and Tobago and Newcastle goalkeeper Shaka Hislop expressed his delight and gratitude in receiving the Freedom of the City Award in Newcastle, England.

The Freedom of the City is an honour given by a local council, for example, to either a person (civilian) or military unit, in recognition of their exceptional service to the city.

Following the decision made on March 3, Hislop was formally named Freeman of Newcastle on May 13 by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle Habib Rahman and the Newcastle City Council for his work as a founding member of Show Racism the Red Card.

In a recent interview, Hislop said, “It’s an honour to receive this award, particularly for the reasons behind it – recognising the work that I’ve done off the football field, its importance and its impact. It’s humbling in many ways and I have to thank the thousands of people who were involved in this campaign over the years.

“They have made it what it is and helped it to grow to the capacity it is at now. It’s been a joy to be a part of and recognising the work that has been done was key to the decision made to award me the Freedom of the City.”

Hislop continued, “Although I only spent three years as a player in Newcastle, the impact of what I’ve been involved in has long outlived that. I will continue to grow and make more meaningful impacts all over the United Kingdom.”

The former Reading, Newcastle, West Ham, and Portsmouth goalkeeper had a 14-year career in England and was a victim of racist abuse on several occasions. One such occasion pushed him to take a stand for himself and others like him. In 1996, while playing for the ‘Toon’, he was subjected to racist insults by a group of youths at a gas station.

As they rallied closer to him, they recognised who he was, began chanting his name and asked for his autograph. Hislop refused the kids and drove off with his wife as quickly as possible. That incident angered him and led him to help establish Show Racism the Red Card.

“Racism has had different impacts on me,” said Hislop, “including the incident (at the gas station) that sparked the foundation of Show Racism the Red Card. I recognise my role as a minority figure - one that’s enjoyed the visibility of being a footballer in a city like Newcastle but also in my work at ESPN. I always represent the truest version of myself as a black man from a small country in the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago), and I’ve tried to give a voice to those parts of my identity.”

Show Racism the Red Card is now the largest anti-racism education charity organisation in the United Kingdom. Over the last 26 years, more than 850,000 children have been through day-long workshops. Such workshops are conducted for 50,000 children and 10,000 adults each year, as well as work at corporate level. Hislop believes that the key to eradicating racism is education and that will continue to be his focus.

The organisation also has presence throughout Europe in addition to a partnership with the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation to provide resources and support for their anti-racism education institute in South Africa.

Hislop is open to having similar partnerships with anti-racism organisations in Trinidad and Tobago if the opportunity arises. “If similar partnerships were available to us in Trinidad and Tobago, that’s something we’d have liked to be a part of,” he stated. “But, as things stand, we’ve had no approaches.”

He added, “I’m not in a position to form a new organisation in Trinidad and Tobago. I think that would require people in the country who live there and understand what occurs (better than we do) to start, promote and grow an organisation. If that happens, or there are existing organisations doing similar work, we can partner with them and support them.”

As an Honorary Freeman, Hislop’s name is now engraved into the walls of the Banqueting Hall in the Newcastle Civic Centre. Sporting his new prestige, he was invited as a guest of honour to Newcastle’s Premier League clash with Arsenal at St James’ Park on Monday.