“I would like Stephen to be remembered as a young man who had a future.
“He was well loved and had he been given the chance to survive, maybe he would have been the one to bridge the gap between black and white, because he didn’t distinguish between black or white. He saw people as people.“
These are the words of Doreen Lawrence, mother of Stephen Lawrence, a promising teenager who was brutally murdered in a racist attack while waiting for a bus in South London.
Twenty years have passed since this life was tragically cut short.
And since the death of the A-Level student, who had dreams of becoming an architect, his family have set up The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, which helps to develop brighter futures for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Under the SL20 campaign, launched by the trust to mark this important anniversary, this weekend, Unity – A Concert for Stephen Lawrence will be held, celebrating Stephen’s legacy and the work carried out in his name.
Featuring high profile artists including Emeli Sande, Rizzle Kicks, Plan B, Jamie Cullum, Jessie J, and Tinie Tempah, the concert is aimed at championing youth and social empowerment as well as uniting communities and bringing people of all backgrounds together through the common language of music.
“Our aim is to build hope for the future,“ says Doreen. “Justice for Stephen is about all of us, every one of us, in society having justice.
“I want young people to feel inspired, be confident and have hope in their own future. We work every day to empower youth and we’re so proud that the music industry is joining us in reaching out to change the lives of young people.”
l Unity – A Concert for Stephen Lawrence is at The O2, Peninsula Square, SE10. Details: 0844 856 0202, theo2.co.uk, aeglive.co.uk