Clive Lewis MP and Laura Trevelyan host podcast Heirs of Enslavement
Clive Lewis MP and Laura Trevelyan are inextricably linked by their history as they are both heirs of enslavement.
Clive is a descendent of the enslaved, and Laura, of the enslaver. In fact, Clive’s ancestors were most likely enslaved by Laura’s!
Heirs of Enslavement is a ground-breaking new podcast telling the story of two individuals – with deeply intertwined yet divergent histories – coming together to right the wrongs of the past.
The six-part podcast series, produced by Persephonica, follows Clive and Laura as they travel to the Caribbean and back to explore the impact of slavery and the demand for reparations.
For Laura Trevelyan, a former BBC journalist, and the descendant of one of the British Empire’s most prominent slave-owners, it was time to address the past.
This year, Laura and her family issued a formal apology to Grenada, where their ancestors had owned thousands of enslaved people, and donated £100k to education projects on the island.
For MP Clive Lewis, his Grenadian heritage meant that he grew up with the stories of enslavement and emancipation experienced by his ancestors.
When slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1833, slave-owning families were handed huge payouts for their lost ‘property’. Meanwhile, the people who had to grapple with their newly granted ‘freedom’, along with the descendants, have been considering and fighting for justice ever since.
Laura and Clive represent the pain of Britain’s colonial past but also the promise as they join together for a powerful journey of reconciliation.
The podcast includes interviews, personal reflections and original music, as each episode seeks to ask where the reparatory justice movement is headed, whose voices can be heard in this campaign and how a path toward collective healing and progress could be paved.
Less-considered consequences of the reparations debate such as the impact on climate change in the Caribbean are also explored.
Heirs of Enslavement launches on Friday 10 November with episodes released weekly on all podcast providers.