At BVSC, we celebrated Black History Month with a day of presentations, a guest filmmaker, music, activities and plenty of food representing the different Black cultures within our organisation.
We started with an interactive presentation from a colleague whose parents arrived in England during the Windrush Era. Through letters, recipes and family photographs, we explored their journey to the UK and their experiences of building a life in Birmingham. We were also joined by filmmaker Charlotte Bailey, who is part of a film pardna called Pass It Down (@passitdown_bigg). She presented a film on Black arts, music and culture in Birmingham, ranging from 70s Caribbean, 80s Youth Culture and 90s Birmingham Caribbean Carnival. Following this, colleagues shared presentations exploring what it was like growing up Black during the 1980s, reflecting on the experiences, challenges and culture that shaped their childhoods. We then moved on to growing up Black in the 2000s, exploring the prominent Black figures who shaped our childhoods and what it means to grow up in an African home in Britain. This included reflecting on our parents' journeys from an African perspective, the intersectionality within Black culture and the effects of cultural fossilisation on second-generation immigrants.
Of course, food was also a big part of the celebration! We had a range of African and Caribbean dishes for everyone to enjoy and share. The event was a huge success, and it was amazing to have the opportunity to celebrate Black culture in an appreciative and safe space. It gave us the chance to share our experiences with colleagues, learn from one another and reflect on the different journeys that have shaped our identities.
The feedback for the event was really positive:
'I'm very grateful that we were given the opportunity to listen to our colleagues' experiences and understand more about the culture'
'I learnt new things about my colleagues' experiences that I didn't know before, the day was very engaging and informative'
'Food was absolutely amazing!'
'It was a great event, I had such a good time, and it was lovely to mark Black History Month in such a meaningful way'
Overall, the event was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the Black voices within BVSC and showcase the diversity within Black culture. We were able to acknowledge and reflect on the adversity faced by Black communities, while also celebrating our culture, experiences and achievements. Most importantly, it gave us the opportunity to bring colleagues together and celebrate Black History Month in an intentional and meaningful way.