Commemorations for Joseph Daniels, Mary Mendy, and Khadija Saye, including emotional family tributes and a film celebrating Khadija's photography career at the Venice Biennale.
00:01:13 said afternoon can I say two things before we start the first is that I interrupted you at the end of the nadare seven that has commemorations when I
00:01:26 seven that has commemorations when I know you wanted to thank the family for their contributions so could I apologize well don't worry I I'd like to make it clear straight away that I find already
00:01:37 clear straight away that I find already finding these descriptions of the deceased extremely moving and I'm very conscious of the effort which some of those who are presenting them I've had
00:01:48 those who are presenting them I've had to make in order to tell us about their loved ones it can't be an easy exercise and I'm very grateful all of you who come along to do this and if I don't
00:01:59 come along to do this and if I don't mention something specifically at the end of your address don't think that I don't appreciate it I do very much indeed thank you
00:02:10 so we are now moving to a commemoration for Joseph Daniels and that is going to
00:02:22 for Joseph Daniels and that is going to be presented by his son Sam two things the first is I think it was flat 135 in which he lived and secondly that Sam was
00:02:34 which he lived and secondly that Sam was asked specifically but there'd be no applause after his presentation
00:02:41 yeah my father Joseph Daniels moved to London in 1982 in Greenville tower I've been his only home since then the events
00:02:54 been his only home since then the events of that night took his life and all trace of his existence in this world he never stood a chance of getting out it should never have happened
00:03:13 I'm not going to ask you to rise as you've only just come in but there will be a moment whilst we arrange the next to commemorate who are going to sit on
00:03:25 to commemorate who are going to sit on the stage together one is for Mary Mindy and the other for Khadija say we'll take whatever time you need thank you very much one for them
00:04:28 so the commemoration for meri mehndi lived in flat 173 is going to be presented by the solicitor for the family
00:04:39 family Shakira to son who see are you going to do from there from the lectern thank you would you introduce who's on the podium
00:04:51 would you introduce who's on the podium with you Betty Mandy is sorry could you just pull that in front of you so we can hear you sing into it thank you yep Betty Mandy she's Mary's sister this is
00:05:04 Betty Mandy she's Mary's sister this is Brian Jackson her friend providing her with support and David Lammy who is very close friends with her DJ and of course this is Marcia Willis Jordan thank you
00:05:16 this is Marcia Willis Jordan thank you I've been asked by people who manage the sound to ask you if you could put the microphone in front of you so something that's it perfectly that way we're going
00:05:27 that's it perfectly that way we're going to hear everything that you say thank you thank you very much this is a statement for Larry Mandy prepared by and being read on behalf of her sister
00:05:40 and being read on behalf of her sister Betty Mandi and Myron Telfer her niece Mary a J or kosterman D is born in The Gambia on 11th June 1965 she was
00:05:54 Gambia on 11th June 1965 she was hard-working she came to England in the 1980s in 1992 she gave birth to her DJ which turned out to be the greatest and
00:06:06 which turned out to be the greatest and the proudest day of her life sorry to interrupt it's Koski to Paul's to see if we can get the lights to calm down just a little bit more just their beautiful photos and we'd like to see
00:06:17 beautiful photos and we'd like to see them
00:06:23 that's like PC or that's much better thank you
00:06:28 thank you she completely devoted her life to her DJ Marion says I joined my aunt in December 1992 we moved into Greg our
00:06:41 December 1992 we moved into Greg our town around 1993 my aunt and DJ lived at the address until that fateful night where our lives were changed forever my aunt was my hero she has been in my
00:06:56 my aunt was my hero she has been in my life
00:06:56 life for every major event she is my mom as well as my aunt for the first time in my life my aunt is not a phone call away she's not there to listen to my
00:07:08 she's not there to listen to my complaints oh my gosh if my aunt made me it made me a priority in her life she was a best aunt and sister we could have asked for she was warm and kind she
00:07:22 asked for she was warm and kind she welcomed everyone into her home gram Fatah was a place all her family and friends could find shelter if they ever needed it marry RJ or Guster Mindy was a
00:07:34 needed it marry RJ or Guster Mindy was a carer who worked within her community she was a humanitarian who made it a passion to help those less fortunate than herself she frequently traveled to
00:07:46 than herself she frequently traveled to Gambia and offered donations to hospitals and other organizations on the night of June 14 2017 our family lost
00:07:58 night of June 14 2017 our family lost too much loved members my aunt was the strong one the fighter and the protector the pain is unbearable
00:08:10 the pain is unbearable there are no words to describe the emptiness that's in our hearts Marion says I hate my times because night
00:08:22 says I hate my times because night brings silence and silence brings tears of sadness because that's when I start to remember the blaze of fire
00:08:34 there will be two empty chairs on the table for every birthday Christmas in years but they will forever own a position in our hearts we will carry
00:08:45 position in our hearts we will carry their memories throughout our lives our children and our children's children although the pain feels like forever it
00:08:56 although the pain feels like forever it will soon be replaced by happiness all of the tears were replaced by memories of joy until we meet again
00:09:28 I think we're now going to move to the portrait for Khadija say from the same flat and I think this Marcia you're
00:09:42 flat and I think this Marcia you're going to present that dear some Orbach my daughter Khadija say was 24 years old
00:09:53 my daughter Khadija say was 24 years old when she lost a life in the Grenville tower fire of June 2017 she was very gentle very kind and
00:10:04 she was very gentle very kind and friendly she was born in Hammersmith London in 1992 she attended San Charles primary school and signed Manning's
00:10:16 primary school and signed Manning's secondary school both in Ladbroke Grove West London she later went on to rugby school in rugby Warwickshire and the University for Creative Arts in Farnham
00:10:29 University for Creative Arts in Farnham to study photography her burning passion was photography encouraged by her mother Mary Mandy who also lost her life in the
00:10:42 Mary Mandy who also lost her life in the same fire Khadija said to me one day daddy I'm in love with images it was this passion that Khadija pursued to the
00:10:56 this passion that Khadija pursued to the end because it gave her great satisfaction and brought her some joy and happiness thank you very much you're sincerely Muhammadu say Oh Marcy I think
00:11:11 sincerely Muhammadu say Oh Marcy I think what's going to happen now is that there's going to be a piece of film two things firstly could you just tell us what we're going to see and then before it's played I'm going to ask that the
00:11:22 it's played I'm going to ask that the lights are actually dimmed and I'll do that for all of the videos so that when they're played we can get to see them in their best possible way so what we're going to see oh sorry we're going to see
00:11:35 going to see oh sorry we're going to see a short video put together following the documentary that was to be aired she had been part of a group of artists that had gone to the venice by oni and
00:11:47 that had gone to the venice by oni and following the unfortunate events of the 14th of june a short clip was put together celebrating her and her burgeoning career as it were at the time
00:11:59 burgeoning career as it were at the time and together with her family was discussed at length and her father that it would be appropriate to show that
00:12:11 it would be appropriate to show that edited version because part of it was filmed when she was at home ingram fell and also it exhibited her talent and the
00:12:23 and also it exhibited her talent and the poignancy of the development of a career shortly before all of that thank you I'm just going to ask that the lights perhaps be lowered a little more and
00:12:34 perhaps be lowered a little more and then once that's been done we'll see the video thank you may I take a Cesar thank you
00:14:31 [Music]
00:15:08 photography's being a part of my life that I do I'm always with the subject I
00:15:22 that I do I'm always with the subject I think back in the day I was they I was very like if I'm quiet child I would always be posing which it's sort of changed now I'm more comfortable behind the camera I've become a lot more cautious and aware of what of the power
00:15:35 cautious and aware of what of the power that the camera holds so even looking at my Aryan how much it's changed in terms of the building development and I can look back at photos and see how quickly
00:15:46 look back at photos and see how quickly the spaces change of the matter like ten years
00:15:57 that was an extreme contrast to my Arian love that growth so it was a big culture shock having to adapt to a very different lifestyle that I felt very
00:16:10 different lifestyle that I felt very much on the outside because everyone sort of grew up in this sort of like opulence and opportunities and the sky's the limit
00:16:20 the limit I wanted to do photography bow sort of fighting it because I felt it's not something I should do it's something I should do and they do on the side but having such supportive teachers but
00:16:32 having such supportive teachers but actually led me to pursue that and yeah I'm very grateful to them because if not I wouldn't be here
00:16:39 [Music]
00:16:52 [Music] both my parents are from Gambia and my mother is Christian and my father is Muslim so this idea of having these dual faiths and being brought up going to the
00:17:04 faiths and being brought up going to the mosque even going to church has always been something I've always found fascinating and it's one of the first times I've been able to explore it doing my photography
00:17:15 my photography [Music]
00:17:35 [Music] waking up this morning was very strange because I just I woke up to people speaking Italian outside my window and it just clicked as I hope I might have
00:17:47 one of my friend said you're an artist oh yeah quite an emotional moment to
00:17:58 oh yeah quite an emotional moment to actually say Kavita you've done it it's you know you'll get up there all this work and this emotional journey and self-doubt and wanting to pack it in
00:18:09 self-doubt and wanting to pack it in it's gonna come together and yeah it just can't wait really [Music]
00:18:29 I'm excited to show her the work she's extremely proud and she's been telling everyone you know oh my daughter is going to Venice I'm not giving up here
00:18:41 going to Venice I'm not giving up here and she won't give up either [Music]
00:18:56 so that concludes the photograph and forgive me the presentation and on that really rather poignant and beautiful photograph that concludes the
00:19:07 photograph that concludes the presentations that we have prepared for today extremely impressive presentations and really bring to life again the people that you're commemorating and I'm
00:19:18 people that you're commemorating and I'm very grateful to have a chance to see and hear them thank you
00:19:40 so that concludes the presentations we have today if I may say firstly there will still be tea and coffee available upstairs and so please feel able to
00:19:51 upstairs and so please feel able to spend some time upstairs with each other having tea and coffee I'm around if people need to raise anything with me but otherwise may we please meet again tomorrow
00:20:01 tomorrow ready for a 10 o'clock start will finish now and start again at 10 o'clock tomorrow and I look forward to seeing one of you here again then thank you very much thank you
00:20:22 you