Talk:Focus E15

GA Review

This review is transcluded from Talk:Focus E15/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Reviewer: SusunW (talk · contribs) 14:27, 23 October 2022 (UTC)

I'll take this one. Am looking forward to collaborating with you again. SusunW (talk) 14:27, 23 October 2022 (UTC)

Thanks for picking up the review, I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on the article. Mujinga (talk) 15:14, 23 October 2022 (UTC)

Formation

• Formed when?
  • good point, added 2013 Mujinga (talk) 11:38, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• How do we know the hostel was called Focus E-15? Source says "a homeless hostel"? Okay, it gives the name in the Watt abstract and the Amara piece in the Independent, please add citation.
  • done Mujinga (talk) 15:30, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• How do we know they were under 25? Source says "young", but I note Amara verifies the info. Please add cite to the Independent article by Amara.
  • done - sideissue, i created the wikiarticle for Pavan Amara, didnt notice that before Mujinga (talk) 11:44, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Watt is paywalled. Please mark as subscription needed. Also can you input page # via {{rp|x}} throughout, or is it a web view? (I cannot access.) If it is a webview, perhaps mark the reference "(Web page does not indicate pages)" or something similar.
  • added, dont want to add page numbers as it's a journal article Mujinga (talk) 11:44, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• The Evening Standard is paywalled. You either need to mark it as subscription needed, or better yet, remove the live status, as it can be read in full at archive.org
  • done - prefer to keep the live status as it is live Mujinga (talk) 11:44, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• failing to show appropriate respect to a member of the public is a direct quote from the source. Either attribute the quote and mark it as such or reword.
  • done 11:44, 24 October 2022 (UTC)Mujinga (talk)
• Is show flat a model or a showroom? Perhaps link to that?
  • showroom works! thanks Mujinga (talk) 11:38, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Would fake living space be better described as a model? It seems to me that if it was designed as a living space, it isn't fake, but the intent is not for it to be habitable.
  • agreed, i got my knickers in a twist there, rephrased Mujinga (talk) 11:38, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

Carpenters Estate

• After and could be lived in can you bundle the refs? I also note that I don't have access to Watt, but I don.t see 4-8 years in any of the links. It is verified in Holdsworth, however.
  • added holdsworth - will look into bundling Mujinga (talk) 12:17, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
    • bundled Mujinga (talk) 14:37, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

      there's a gap for me now under ref5 but i don't see a way to get rid of it Mujinga (talk) 15:36, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• Yes, also for me, but that's a technical thing and we all know beyond my skill. LOL

• I'll try to rectify that moving forwards but I can't really work out why it's there right now Mujinga (talk) 17:03, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• The Independent is paywalled. You either need to mark it as subscription needed, or better yet, remove the live status, as it can be read in full at archive.org.
  • Independent (and Guardian as well) isn't paywalled, it has a soft request to register which you can click through. Or at least for me that's the case? Mujinga (talk) 12:17, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• Can't answer that. I have never been able to access the Independent from Mexico. I am registered with the Guardian. If I don't sign in I can only see a few articles before I have to log in or I get nada.

• I note you say immediately went to court, but the article mentions no timeline and says "Bow County Court". I am assuming that is a court in Bow, London, but that is confusing because our article on Stratford, London says it is in Essex County and part of the Borough of Newham. To my unfamiliar eye, it looks as if the city was fiddling with the jurisdictions, but then I see in the Stratford article that it was originally in Bow. Perhaps you should link to Stratford, London? Unsure if naming the court will cause others to have the same confusion I did. On the time, I see the immediacy because Amayra says on 28 September 2014 that the council was studying ways to remove them, but by the time the BBC piece was written on 2 October, they had filed suit. Suggest you add a cite to the BBC piece.
  • If i look up bow county court it says its postcode is E15 4EG and E postcode area says E15 is partly in bow, so i think that's ok, but you are right the boundaries of bow might well have been redrawn since the court was set up. I don't know if it's necessary to identify the court in the article Mujinga (talk) 12:17, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• Yes, as I said, probably will just confuse people like me .

• Are you calling Andrew Baikie "a local councilor" because of BLP concerns or is there another reason for omitting his name?
  • yes - i don't think he is particularly notable and not sure if his first placed google entry needs to be him saying something about FocusE15 - I'm following WP:BLPNAME here Mujinga (talk) 12:17, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• I thought probably, but you know I rarely do living people. Dead folks are easier.

• Ditto for photographer Jess Hurd, why call her "a photographer"?
  • likewise although here the reference is more positive ... WP:NOTPUBLICFIGURE would also apply in this case Mujinga (talk) 12:17, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• The Telegraph is paywalled and even inaccessible in archive.org. Mark it as subscription needed.
  • done - did a doubletake on the author being Prymface but it's the truth Mujinga (talk) 12:17, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• The Newham Recorder link is dead, but available in archive.org. Change url-status.
  • weird, done Mujinga (talk) 12:17, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Maybe it's just me, but argued they had been housed permanently instead of temporarily in the hostel is confusing. Seems like they are upset that they were provided permanent housing. Perhaps, "as their temporary placement had stretched on for three years", or something similar.
  • source says: "she and other residents at Brimstone House were coming together to present a legal challenge to the council over the fact that their temporary accommodation was turning out to be anything but short-term." - i've rephrased 12:17, 24 October 2022 (UTC)Mujinga (talk)

• Much clearer. Thanks!

• More to come. I love your work on housing rights. Such an important issue that is often swept under the rug. Am really enjoying learning about E-15. SusunW (talk) 16:42, 23 October 2022 (UTC)
  • Thanks! The mums are a great example of self-organisation Mujinga (talk) 12:17, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

Individual cases

• Why is Wood parenthetical?
  • rephrased per WP:NOTPUBLICFIGURE - actually yes I'm going to remove some names in this section Mujinga (talk) 12:34, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• cool except now you have Saafan and her children and we don't know who that is. "She and her children" would be better.

• Insert after children were evicted "in 2015"

• garrrr thanks for the eagle eyes on that Mujinga (talk) 17:05, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• • done in rephrase Mujinga (talk) 12:34, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Perhaps note in the 2nd sentence that she was their employee, i.e. "The council, also her employer…"
• Link Forest Gate?
  • sure! Mujinga (talk) 12:34, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Why input Wellman ref twice? I see no quotations and no breaks with other reference citations. Should be sufficient to show one citation at the end.
  • just becuase it's different cases and so the two refs might get broken up later on Mujinga (talk) 12:34, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
    • to explain myself better, i mean right now the sentences are adjacent but since the refs are citing different things, i'd like to keep them both becuase possibly more information will be added and break up the current structure Mujinga (talk) 13:29, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• Not a problem, just something I noticed as being different from your usual citations.

• I don't see the film reference in Ramiro, but I do see it in Booth. Fix cite.
  • done Mujinga (talk) 13:27, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Insert comma after wider family and replace the mother with "Wood's mother".
  • source says "Even when her family offered to pay the full amount owing, they refused to let her back in." so I'd prefer to keep it as it is Mujinga (talk) 14:12, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Who is she? Clarify it was Wood, not her mother, who was invited to meet with the council.
  • From the above, i think it's clear it's wood herself Mujinga (talk) 14:12, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Can't access Newham Recorder again. (Perhaps they are blocking me from Mexico?) Change url-status, as I can access from wayback link.
  • hmm i'll check this Mujinga (talk) 14:12, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• empty East Ham police station perhaps would be clearer by saying "the empty building which was formerly" the station?
  • agreed it could be clearer, went for "derelict former" Mujinga (talk) 14:30, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• possibly omit redundancy by replacing one of the uses of "empty" in the same sentence with vacant?
  • solved by change above Mujinga (talk) 14:30, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• After emergency accommodation insert "in 2014", which is implied in the source (18 mos prior to 2016) but stated outright in Hopps, which you might add as a citation to confirm date.
  • i think i've already fixed this with previous changes Mujinga (talk) 14:36, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Can't access Newham Recorder articles by Hopps, Long (2 articles by Long), or Burford. Change url-status to dead as I can read all of them on archive.org.
  • darn yeah same for me, they must have trashed their archive since I wrote this Mujinga (talk) 14:33, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• or moved their server or whatever. Fortunately they were all available in wayback. Good to know it isn't a "Mexico ban".

• Insert "in 2016" either before or after to Basildon in Essex
  • i think i've already fixed this with previous changes Mujinga (talk) 14:36, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Insert "in 2017" after for 6 months
  • i think i've already fixed this with previous changes Mujinga (talk) 14:36, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Insert "in 2018" after won the right to appeal
  • i think i've already fixed this with previous changes Mujinga (talk) 14:36, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• All of the above dates are fine. Was just trying to build the time line and show it was repeated over a span of time.

• So did she appeal? Did they ever find her housing in Newham? (Inquiring minds are curious.)
  • let's hope so, but there doesn't seem to be any updates in the media Mujinga (talk) 14:42, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• Dammit! I want to know.

• You should make clear that the threatening note was issued by staff of the council
  • ok! Mujinga (talk) 14:42, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Inside Housing is paywalled and not archived. Needs to be marked subscription needed.
  • done! Mujinga (talk) 12:34, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

  stopping to eat then hope to have time to continue! Mujinga (talk) 12:35, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

In popular culture

• Not sure how a research paper can "find" anything. The authors can find or report.
  • true, changed in rephrase Mujinga (talk) 13:23, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Possibly replace one of the "highest numbers" with "highest amount" or "most" to eliminate redundancy in the sentence.#
  • done Mujinga (talk) 13:23, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Possibly link Summerhall
  • another nice spot! Mujinga (talk) 13:23, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• Why omit the name of the Lung Theatre Company?
  • sure i can add that Mujinga (talk) 13:23, 24 October 2022 (UTC)
• I see in Hitchings that it was playing in Battersea but not that the Battersea Arts Centre commissioned the play?
  • hmmm yeah good spot - i can't find that in hitchings or gardner either, so removed Mujinga (talk) 13:23, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

Miscellaneous

• Sourcing appears to be RS, but article names mostly are not in title case. Not a deal-breaker on a GA, but if you are going for FA it should be corrected.
  • I think it just needs to be consistent rather than any particular style, so I've regularized it Mujinga (talk) 15:34, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• Fine with me.

• Image licenses and captions are fine.
• Images need alt text
  • Ooops should have found that on my pre-nom sweep, thanks Mujinga (talk) 13:25, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• I get it. I try to remember, but sometimes this one in particular I forget.

Checklist

GA review (see here for what the criteria are, and here for what they are not)
It is reasonably well written. a (prose, spelling, and grammar): b (MoS for lead, layout, word choice, fiction, and lists): It is factually accurate and verifiable. a (references): b (citations to reliable sources): c (OR): d (copyvio and plagiarism): It is broad in its coverage. a (major aspects): b (focused): It follows the neutral point of view policy. Fair representation without bias: It is stable. No edit wars, etc.: It is illustrated by images, where possible and appropriate. a (images are tagged and non-free images have fair use rationales): b (appropriate use with suitable captions):
Overall: Pass/Fail:
· · ·

That's it from me. Mostly nitpicky stuff on an interesting and well written article. Thank you for writing it and bringing it up to GA standard. SusunW (talk) 19:07, 23 October 2022 (UTC)

• SusunW thanks for a really thorough review! I hope I have replied on everything Mujinga (talk) 15:36, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• Mujinga I think we are done except for the one little failure in anonymizing the women who were evicted. If you fix that, I can approve the GA. Truly enjoyed working with you again. SusunW (talk) 16:07, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

  OK deal, changes made. Thanks so much for a very thorough review! Do you think this could be a FA? I hadn't really thought about it to be honest but maybe I could put it to peer review and see what comes. Mujinga (talk) 17:07, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

• I am no expert on FA, but I think most articles have the potential to become that. As I said above, I usually work on dead people for a reason. I don't want to spend a lot of time working on an article which will substantially change because life happens. That would be my hesitation here too. It's an active organization dealing with a serious rights issue which could substantially change quickly. I'd weigh that before I put in a lot more work, but I was truly serious that I appreciate your work on housing rights. It is such an important issue. Approving the GA now, but the technical stuff will take me a bit, because well, you know... SusunW (talk) 17:14, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

  Thanks for this comment, I think I have similar concerns which have prevented me from having it on my list of FA possibles. Looking forward to future collaborations with you! Mujinga (talk) 08:38, 25 October 2022 (UTC)

This edit

This edit is not in my opinion useful to the article on Focus E15. Could you explain your rationale please @Asososo? Thanks Mujinga (talk) 14:11, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

It doesn't seem like you understand that Focus E15 was supported by an artist named Andrew Cooper. I’m not sure why you think it sounds like vandalism—I was simply highlighting his contribution. Could you clarify if you understand the campaign?

Involvement of Artists and Educators Throughout its efforts, Focus E15 has received support from various artists, educators, and activists, including Andrew Cooper (Psychopolitical_Artist) , an artist and educator with over 30 years of experience. Cooper, who draws on Marxist and Hegelian philosophy, used his art practice to engage with the group, exploring the ways in which art can serve as a tool for political resistance and collective action. His work focused on democratic organisation and the role of art in expressing the struggles of those affected by housing oppression. As a member of the campaign, Cooper contributed to efforts that used art to highlight the issues of housing inequality and systemic exploitation, often focusing on creating humanised learning environments for the participants in the campaign. Asososo (talk) 14:34, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

Hi @Asososo thanks for the response, I did ask you not to re-add the information but I see you have done so. I have a few issues with the information regarding Andrew Cooper:

• Firstly are you the artist in question?
• Focus E15 is a housing campaign, saying that it was supported by an unknown artist is not I think that relevant, particularly becuase you have not provided any significant coverage in reliable sources independent of the artist to back your addition.
• Further, the way citing on wikipedia works is that you need to as a rough rule have at least one citation at the end of every paragraph. Most of what you added is uncited.

I hope that clarifies matters and I'd ask you to self-revert. Thanks, Mujinga (talk) 17:56, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

• What is your real name? If you're not willing to share it, why should anyone respond to your initial question? While I am not the artist, I am actively involved in the campaign and have declared my Conflict of Interest (COI) on my user page.
• This is why I believe it’s important to give credit to the artist rather than referring to them as “UNKNOWN.” If you're unsure of the artist's identity, I suggest reading this article from The Guardian, where credit is given to the artist.
• I’ve also added the citation. I hope you understand that everyone deserves proper credit for their work.

Asososo (talk) 19:02, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

@Mujinga

Referring to the artist as an "unknown artist" disregards his significant contributions over the past decade. The Focus E15 housing campaign has consistently used his artwork to illustrate how the council has treated residents, exposing the unacceptable conditions they have faced. His artistic contributions have not only served as a form of resistance but have also provided a healing process for the people of Newham. If you question the artist’s influence on the campaign, I encourage you to review the available photographs before making any judgments: Mega Focus E15 Housing Stall.

Andrew Cooper’s involvement extends beyond his artwork—he has also shared his knowledge of socialism to challenge capitalism, shedding light on issues of deception and displacement. Without his contributions, Focus E15 may have struggled to achieve the same visual and creative impact in its activism. His work has played a crucial role in shaping the campaign’s message, which is why it deserves recognition on the Focus E15 page.

Don't assume this is just a "housing campaign" without understanding its broader impact. The Focus E15 movement goes beyond housing—it challenges systemic inequality, austerity, and social injustice. Asososo (talk) 20:20, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

@Mujinga https://andrewcooper-unseen.org/2024/03/18/mega-focus-e15-housing-stall/ Asososo (talk) 20:21, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

The content was promotional. You added promotional language and links to the guy's portfolio/website, and you added what is obviously a spam link, this one. You need to explain the conflict of interest: see your talk page. Drmies (talk) 20:25, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

I understand that you might not have the same perspective, but the exhibition Poor Things and its themes do touch on issues that could be connected to housing, especially through its exploration of social class and the material conditions of life. The artist’s work focuses on how class influences artistic practice, using manual production, everyday objects, and humour—elements that can resonate with working-class or marginalised communities, including those affected by housing inequality. Maybe you don’t fully understand because you haven’t experienced life in places like Newham, but these issues are real for many. I hope that your work will receive the recognition it deserves in the future. Asososo (talk) 20:45, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

This is Wikipedia, not an advertising platform, your appeal notwithstanding. Drmies (talk) 21:00, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

This is Wikipedia, and it often feels like it’s only for well-known names! People here don’t seem to pay much attention to what's happening in real life. It’s as if some are just keyboard warriors with no understanding of the real world. If you take a look at the discussion above, it’s clear that you might not fully grasp what’s really going on in Newham and London housing. Thanks anyway! Enjoy your life behind the keyboard! Asososo (talk) 21:07, 2 April 2025 (UTC)

OK, there is no need for childish insults. Wikipedia works by way of reliable secondary sources, and it's for articles and content written up neutrally. If your psychological artist doesn't have that sourcing, they're not notable. If you can't write neutrally, this is not for you. You could have made an effort but you ended up with commercial links. Drmies (talk) 01:47, 3 April 2025 (UTC)

Insult? From a psychological standpoint, an insult only exists if someone perceives it as such. You’re looking at this through a particular lens, which is why you fail to see that my writing was neutral and the links were relevant. The psychopolitical artist using his work to drive a movement is notable—not just in my view, but as supported by sources like The Guardian.

Beyond that, it’s now clear that this Wikipedia page was managed by at least one person outside the UK—one from Mexico and didn’t even know about Bow County Court. This isn’t discrimination; it’s simply a fact. Wikipedia is run by individuals who believe they can understand everything remotely, without ever setting foot in the places they claim to write about. What a joke! They claim expertise, yet they’ve never even been to Newham.

And even worse—you place yourselves in a position of authority, acting no differently from the very governments that will never truly understand grassroots movements. What a joke!

Under such conditions, no matter how neutrally I write, you’ll still dismiss it as promotion. What a joke! Anyway, thanks for proving just how reliable Wikipedia really is. Asososo (talk) 08:32, 3 April 2025 (UTC)

Look this is an encyclopedia and you aren't really making any coherent arguments about why your addition to the page is justified. That's making no judgement on your perspective or on the artist themself; it's simply that wikipedia does require significant coverage in reliable sources. Mujinga (talk) 08:36, 3 April 2025 (UTC)

If an encyclopedia entry fails to include key details about how a movement operates, the resources that sustain it, and its foundational themes, it risks offering an incomplete or biased representation. A comprehensive and accurate account of any significant movement must encompass the methods, resources, and ideologies that drive it. Without these essential elements, an entry can become shallow, overlooking the full complexity and importance of the movement.

The absence of these critical aspects is often a reflection of limited sources, editorial bias, or a failure to fully appreciate the movement’s impact. When such information is omitted, the result is an entry that does not capture the full scope of the movement, distorting its true significance and reducing its value to readers seeking an accurate understanding.

What is being omitted:

The Focus E15 movement is a powerful example of how art can inspire social change by engaging the public in critical conversations about housing. Through projects like artist Andrew Cooper’s street banner initiative, Newham residents—especially children—are invited to voice their concerns about the housing crisis by drawing and writing on a blank canvas. This form of artistic expression serves not only as a creative outlet but as a direct challenge to local authorities, aiming to apply pressure on the mayor and other decision-makers.

In Newham, where more than 35,000 people are on the housing waiting list, many families leave council offices without solutions, facing the risk of homelessness. Cooper’s initiative encourages the community to take an active role in the movement, using art to mobilize collective action. By engaging the public in this creative process, the artist not only raises awareness but also builds solidarity and empowerment among those directly impacted by the housing crisis.

Focus E15 is not a temporary movement; it remains an ongoing campaign, with weekly street stalls held every Saturday on Stratford Broadway (outside the former Wilko store). Here, individuals affected by housing struggles gather to create artwork, further amplifying the movement’s message. The continuous and inclusive nature of this initiative has attracted significant attention, achieving a level of visibility and influence that exceeds that of other events, such as SharkSphere.

The omission of these details diminishes the true scope of the Focus E15 movement and the role art plays in its activism. By adding this context, the entry would offer a fuller, richer understanding of the movement’s methods, motivations, and far-reaching impact, providing a more accurate representation of its significance in the ongoing fight for housing justice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gakVWIk9U_c

https://focuse15.org/#jp-carousel-5891

https://focuse15.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/wp-1651687895687.jpg?w=1208&h=540&crop=1

https://focuse15.org/get-involved-donate/

https://focuse15.org/2023/10/06/calling-friends-comrades-and-supporters-join-us-to-mark-10-years-of-existence-and-resistance/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001z91h/newsround-specials-no-place-to-call-home

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/04/uk-failure-to-build-social-homes-shocking-says-author-of-2004-report-kate-barker

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/may/02/young-single-mums-took-on-housing-crisis-and-won Asososo (talk) 09:45, 3 April 2025 (UTC)

References