Illiasou

Mohammad Barry (dad of Illiasou pictured)

The picture you see in front of you is my daughter Illiasou who has grown up on this road. I sell African textiles and Jewellery in Ridley Road from a small unit inside Harmer Market. This inside market here is now quite derelict and there have been protests over who should stay. Back in 2019 traders here were served an eviction notice but a petition by locals and activists gained over 9,000 signatures. This was a proud moment for me as I helped to lead this campaign to protect our rights. It’s a tough job and a tough role here these days. These new high-rise developments do not cater for black or working-class people and they don’t see us. Many of my past customers have left the area due to high rents – they cannot afford to live here anymore.

I have been on this road since 2006 when I first had my own stall selling African music CD’s. I had been trading in Hackney for 3 years, from 2016 to 2019 when a store at the front of the market became available, so I asked the store manager if he would let me hire it to continue selling my CDs. The manager agreed to my request, and I therefore moved my stock to the newly available store location.

It’s a struggle to stay here in Hackney being a market trader. The only way for me to stay in this community is with the help of the government. They have to set up a system where the market owners cannot remove us and put us somewhere else where we don’t belong. My children are happy here because they have friends at school, and they play with their friends. If I was to take them somewhere else, they would be scared to jump in and start playing with other kids. We want to remain where we are. Our children have a future in this place but if we are evicted, I cannot see where our children would be, if they would get another future. For them if you would mean to jump from one place into another.