ECA has been busy in the community supporting Black History Month events across London. ECA Chair, Oveta McInnis and Windrush Voices contributor Lavasky Joseph visited Heron Hall Academy in Ponders End and spoke to year 10 students about the black people’s contributions to history
The student tested their knowledge about the Windrush generation by playing the ECA’s Windrush Day Online Quiz. Lavasky shared his experience of the hostile environment he experienced in schools and growing up in Tottenham, after he arrived from Antigua in 1960. He discussed the frequency of being stopped and searched while driving his car and the everyday casual racism of the time.
According to Oveta, “It was a pleasure to go into schools and share important moments of black history. The students at Heron Hall were very responsive and showed real interest in hearing Lavasky's story, as he shared his experiences of coming to England as a Windrush child and the obstacles he faced and how he overcame these. It is definitely worthwhile to give students these real opportunities to meet people who are able to share their history.”
The Windrush Voices exhibition was also on display at The Association of Redbridge African Caribbean Communities (TARACC) Black History Month event at Redbridge Central Library in Ilford on Saturday 22 October. TARACC provides a number of health, cultural and information services to the African Caribbean communities in Redbridge, east London boroughs and Essex. The Windrush Voices exhibition provided particularly popular among the 200+ people who attended the event.
The day included inspirational speeches from several community leaders including Martin Wynter, an entrepreneur and Motivational Monday Presenter. Dr Donald Palmer, Programme Director at the Reach Society, who spoke about overcoming challenges and Dr Morgan Dalphinis, a retired senior education manager who brought the house down with his discussion on African, Caribbean and St Lucian history.
The event included an African Drumming workshop with everyone joining the Zuma group dance and group singing towards the end of the event. According to Sue Merchant, Events Co-ordinator at TARACC, “It was an engaging and stimulating event, where there was wide participation, that brought the community together in a positive way."
ECA also had a stall at Light Project Pro International Black History Month event in Islington on Saturday 22 October. Light Project Pro International is an educational charity which runs a wide range of projects for people of all ages. Founded in 2004, Light Project Pro International now runs 14 educational projects in its education centre in Islington that brings together families and volunteers, originating from 35 countries, to improve the educational opportunities of local communities. The 200+ people who attended the event were entertained by a number of singers and a performance of Yaram Arts.
Yaram Arts are a leading African led music development agency in London, specialising in programming, touring African artists, and reaching black and new audiences. Yaram Arts performed the Lion Dance from the Wollof people of Senegal and the Gambia. The amazingly visual and energetic dance is full of mythology and rituals of the Wollof people.
If you would like the Windrush Voices Exhibition to be displayed at your event, workplace, school or community centre, then drop us a line at info@theeca.org.uk
