Turning 24! A Few Thoughts!

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Turning 24! A Few Thoughts!

Kashmire Hawker • 15 September 2021

I hit another age this day! And some thoughts, don't go without a miss!

I felt with me turning 24-years-old and beginning what folk call Chapter 25 today, that I would give a perspective on what has been a simply crazy year since hitting 23 last September.

And for 365 whole days, which has seen me stand for public office, open my eyes to our extraordinary cultural universe, get back out into society post two lockdowns (as per the cover image, of me meeting THE LEGENDS of Steps last weekend!) and face some rather big challenges at home, it has very much made me learn a lot and reflect what I’ve achieved.

Of course, I do first say a wider thank you – particularly to the teams at Birmingham 2022, the West Midlands Combined Authority, Changing Our Lives, Solutions for the Planet and Silverstone Circuit for allowing me to play a small part in their operations.

Whether through the joys of my job at the B2022 Organising Committee, which has demonstrated the sheer importance of the region’s cultural industry and the incredibly humbling role my team have in it (which I with all my heart thank my colleagues, for being as supportive as they have!), to being engaged with the region’s leaders and making sure my generation’s voices are shouted about and whether through my eagerness to see how young people flourish in the world of STEAM through S4TP’s Big Ideas competition and beginning my Volunteering adventures at the UK’s Home of Motorsport, has given me moments to look back on with immense pride.

On the Combined Authority, with 2 WMCA Board Speeches made, countless contributions to the Transport Scrutiny Sub-Committee given (which I hugely thank Cllr Cathy Bayton for allowing me to form a part of!), being in a Video to promote the IncludeMe West Midlands project, in a yet unreleased photoshoot for the Jobs and Skills Academy and many more things in between, I feel thrilled at the opportunities to prove my capabilities having come my way.

Of course, it would strange not to say a big thanks to my fellow Labour Party Members, for enabling me to fully dip my toes into the Political waters on May 6th. With the 2022 Candidates form landed in the inbox this week, I feel obligated to improve, develop and one day become that Councillor which people believe I can be and with how the party is, that journey will intensify.

And of course, my family deserve the largest thanks for their constant encouragement and despite 2 Lockdowns in the last year – enabling me to stay as resilient as possible. Knowing of the change which we will soon experience – thanks to how the last few months have panned out (which I will not state anything public now), I am confident that through it all, myself continuing to look after one another and yourselves wishing to back my every step, will collectively make us stronger!

This next year for me, I aim to make one that prepares for hitting 25 next year, but ensuring I am as healthy, financially stable and motivated and engaged as possible. Knowing how the pandemic has still made me fell rather lonely and that there are many days that tiredness and pain dominates my body, means I still have a long way to go in feeling good about myself. No doubt it doesn’t help with consistent pressure and concerns, however I am hugely pleased at the number of things in place to give support and I shall use them with fullness and openness.

I will use another piece, with my thoughts and fuller targets for now until September 15^th, 2022, but to have found new ground and passions to use in a bigger way – particularly through the simply exemplary team at Silverstone, fills me with the deepest possible pride and will give me many more moments to savour going forward.

With today being another busy work day, I shall even with slight anxiety about the now don several smiles, knowing I am in a city and a period, where an impact is being made and despite many odds: demonstrating that “nothing is impossible, when you put your mind to it!”

Here’s to a year, that really enables me to take off and for all who appreciate such a task, I say both ta very much and that simply: “I’ll try my utmost!”

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Happy New Year! 2024 Review Part 2 and 2025 Look Ahead

by Kashmire Hawker • 31 December 2024

A Very Happy New Year! A few more Reflections on 2024 and a 2025 Preview

Season's Greetings and some 2024 Reflections

by Kashmire Hawker • 23 December 2024

As 2024 comes toward an end, I can say that this year for me has been one of change, one of further development and one of opening my eyes in many ways. In typing this reflection, I feel immensely satisfied and proud to have made this year my first in a full-time job without a fixed end date, in an organisation of the West Midlands Combined Authority, which has plenty of opportunities for me to consider in the coming months and years and working within in an outstanding team. I also feel hugely delighted at continuing to give my time in voluntary service, not least through Parkrun, Silverstone and in the perhaps once in a generation Champions League Final at Wembley in the Summer, as well as raise £405, in two events of the Great Birmingham Run of £130 for Cure Leukemia and £275 at the Molineux Sleepout for Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation and The Good Shepherd. On top, to have again sought office to serve my home city for a fourth year running and garnered 1,656 votes (even if not a winning total!), as well as contributed to successful wider political campaigning for my party’s and substantially expanded on my engagement in them gave me a privilege and deeper fire in the belly than ever before, in giving back to Wulfrunians. Finally, many more runs, seeing Taylor Swift, Kaiser Chiefs and The Darkness in concert, plus a sublime Musical about the pop heroes in Steps, marching at two Pride events, continuing engagement with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Solutions for the Planet and Changing Our Lives and completing a fantastic personal development programme on getting younger folk as Trustees in Arts and Cultural organisations, have all formed part of another busy 12 months. Naturally however, losing an Election and your best furry friend in my house’s dog Harley, alongside needing to help move my Mum to a safer place, all in the space of 7 weeks stung greatly in May and June. The death of a beloved dog and family member and Mum’s house move were not easy financially to deal with, but I managed it as has been the case with previous years. This year has also meant some greatly more honest and blunt conversations, which have burnt a few bridges with once seen trustworthy allies and pals. Being straight and upfront however is sometimes the best course and I don’t regret that for one moment, not least when the mind is burdened enough with day-to-day activity. Those things have definitely made me really realised that the world is a big and lonely place, and that sense of loneliness continues to affect my thoughts. This no doubt feels true and always will do at Christmas, with December 25th being the anniversary of Kieran’s passing in 2021 aged just 25 and I frankly will never know how to truly feel on the day itself. Knowing he is not here to share Christmas lunch will always put a size 9 boot dent in my heart. Having said that, I have good people around me and I give my wholehearted thanks to all for your continued support and good wishes, at what will forever be a sensitive and mournful point of the year, in my family’s life. In whatever way which you and your family mark this festive and new year period, I hope it is as enjoyable and peaceful as it possibly can be and that it gives a chance to rest and be with those closest to you, as well as embrace it being the season of giving, whether gifts or love. A further blog post, or two, on reflecting 2024 and looking ahead to 2025 shall come before the clock hits midnight next Wednesday.

Co-operative Party Youth Network Election 2024 - Candidate Statement

by Kashmire Hawker • 16 December 2024

The Co-operative Party has been a natural home for me for towards five years and gives me a brilliant platform to shout about and run on critical issues. As Chair of the Walsall, Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire, Branch and as a Labour and Co-operative candidate in Local Elections in my home City of Wolverhampton since 2021, I’m proud to make an impact and with the party’s immense expansion over the years, I would be honoured to play a bigger part. And as someone with experience in Youth Representation – most recently with the West Midlands Young Combined Authority and Labour Party wise as the current Policy and Political Education Officer for the Wolverhampton West CLP, I feel ready to use that skill set to the full. Thus, if Elected as a Youth Committee Member, I will: Help to establish a WM Young Co-operative Youth Network spread right across my region, which is not just stuck within the Metropolitan centre; Work with Labour groups across my region, for them to Elect a Co-operative Rep on to their committee s; Engage with our friends In Trade Unions, Fabians Society and The Labour Party to run joint events; whether campaigning, educational or socially; Work with colleagues to ensure events are accessible as possible, not least for Neurodiverse people ; Join Young Co-operators up and down the nation in campaignin g; And be Accountable and Transparent in my work as per the Nolan Principles, so fellow Members can question me at any moment . We have a wonderful opportunity to shape the Party’s future and with a Labour and Co-operative Government now in place, it would be a huge privilege for myself to play a part. Please vote Kashmire Hawker for Youth Committee. Thank You!