“Racism in some industry is not verbal, it’s silent… you read between lines…”
Novlet Gordon was born in 1958, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica.
“My family cultivated sugar cane and citrus, that is what I remember from my childhood… I have siblings, but my siblings was born here in England… I came in 1967… on BOAC, British Overseas Airways. [I was] nine.”
“I came to Wales in 2000…I was happy when I came down here.”
“I did hairdressing for nearly 20 years… [then] I left hairdressing… I’ve always liked baking and things, I baked and I cook very well… I had a cafe, so I was self-employed for five years.”
“They wanted health care workers… I got a letter offering me an interview… I got the job. So I did my training as a mental health nurse… I worked in the NHS for nearly 25 years, until I became visually impaired.”
“I’m very clued up, although schooling here does not teach Black history, it never did. Black history needs to be incorporated… part of the curriculum.”
“Black people, been in England just as long as white people. It’s about learning to understand… it’s your religion, it’s your culture, it’s part of your tapestry.”
“I work as a support worker and I do some voluntary work now, I try to utilise my time.”
“Wales is beautiful, it’s a place to fall in love with… my grandchildren, they speak Welsh fluently.”
“You know, sometimes people, they oppress you so that you don’t excel… continue learning and do as much as I’m able to do to help others as well as myself…”
“Mewn rhai diwydiannau, nid yw hiliaeth yn digwydd ar lafar, mae’n ddistaw... rydych chi’n darllen rhwng y llinellau...”
Ganed Novlet Gordon yn 1958, Plwyf Clarendon, Jamaica.
“Roedd fy nheulu’n tyfu câns siwgr a [ffrwythau] sitrws, dyna rwy’n ei gofio o fy mhlentyndod... Mae gen i frodyr a chwiorydd, ond ganed y rheiny yma yn Lloegr... fe ddois i yn 1967... ar y BOAC, British Overseas Airways. [Roeddwn i’n] naw oed.”
“Fe ddois i Gymru yn 2000... roeddwn i’n hapus pan ddois i lawr i fan hyn.”
“Fues i’n trin gwallt am bron i 20 mlynedd... [yna] fe wnes i roi’r gorau i drin gwallt... rwyf wastad wedi mwynhau pobi ac ati, rwy’n un da iawn am bobi a choginio... roedd gen i gaffi, felly roeddwn i’n hunangyflogedig am bum mlynedd.”
“Roedden nhw eisiau gweithwyr gofal iechyd... fe ges i lythyr yn cynnig cyfweliad imi... ac fe ges i’r swydd. Felly fe wnes i fy hyfforddiant fel nyrs iechyd meddwl... Fe wnes i weithio yn y GIG am bron i 25 mlynedd, nes imi gael nam ar fy ngolwg.”
“Rwy’n deall digon ar y byd, er nad yw’r ysgolion yma’n dysgu hanes pobl Dduon, wnaethon nhw erioed mo hynny. Mae angen cynnwys hanes pobl Dduon... fel rhan o’r cwricwlwm.”
“Mae pobl Dduon wedi bod yn Lloegr cyhyd â phobl wynion. Dysgu bod angen deall yw’r peth... eich crefydd, eich diwylliant, mae’n rhan o’ch tapestri.”
“Rwy’n gweithio fel gweithiwr cefnogol ac rwy’n gwneud ychydig o waith gwirfoddol nawr, rwy’n ceisio gwneud defnydd o fy amser.”
“Mae Cymru’n brydferth, dyma wlad i ddisgyn mewn cariad â hi... mae fy wyrion yn siarad Cymraeg rhugl.”
“Wyddoch chi, weithiau mae pobl yn eich gormesu i’ch atal rhag rhagori... dal ati i ddysgu a gwneud cymaint ag y gallaf ei wneud i helpu eraill yn ogystal â fi fy hun.”