MPs Dawn Butler and Diane Abbott will share their experiences of working in government and the challenges they face from racism online, to being seen and heard in Parliament, as part of Islington's Black History Month programme.
The ‘In Conversation with' session on October 7 is just one of the free events ranging from performances, music, walking tours, family fun and sessions with activists and influencers scheduled to celebrate the contributions and achievements of the Black diaspora and communities in the annual event.
Celebrations kick off at 6pm today (September 30) with a launch event led by author, screenwriter and blogger Uju Asika, who will be speaking about her book ‘Bringing up Race’ and dealing with the awkwardness of speaking openly with children about racism.
Supt Dominic Barnes and Ch Insp Vincent Peters, who were both born and raised in Islington, will speak about their experiences as Black police officers in an online session on October 14.
Then Black LGBTQ+ influencers and activists Nic Dawes, Kayza Rose and Monitrice take part in a panel discussion on October 21 about their personal experiences and challenges.
Paul Crooks , a specialist in African Caribbean genealogy - who traced his family history from London back six generations, to ancestors captured off the West African coast who were then enslaved on a Jamaican sugar plantation - will deliver a talk at Finsbury Library on October 27 to advise others who want to trace their own African Caribbean ancestry.
For music lovers, on October 14 at Central Library in Fieldway Crescent there is an in-person Q&A session as author Lloyd Bradley interviews Barbados-born reggae guitarist, bass player, and record producer, Dennis Bovell, one of the founding fathers of the genre of lover’s rock who formed the 80s band Matumbai.
Other events include Black history walking tours, Ghanaian and Caribbean cooking classes and library story time sessions.
The council's community chief, Cllr Una O’Halloran, said: “The contributions and impact of Black heritage and culture are hugely significant and cannot be ignored.
"The month presents a unique opportunity to learn something new and celebrate the achievements of the Black community as well as the fundamental part they have played in British history for centuries."
See bit.ly/3kRvfOy for the full programme.
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