Over the watchful eye of Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and Yaa Asantewa, thank you to those who attended the Memorialising the Future event at an over-packed Malcolm X Center. Bristol's African heritage communities were overwhelmingly represented. These included community, civic and city changemakers. About the event, attendees said "Inspiring", "Empowering", and "Exceeded my expectations."
Organised by the Bristol Legacy Group and the University of Manchester’s Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE) and supported by Black South West Network, the #MemorialisingTheFuture event was designed to find out what people want from Bristol's public spaces. Hosted by Sista Jendayi Serwah, she warmly greeted all and began by paying homage to the ancestors and the elders. After setting the scene, she handed the mic to guest speaker Professor Gary Younge who talked about the event's origins, its purpose and why memorialisation matters. He also clarified that he was there to hear from and listen to those in the room. Then as promised, each of the guest speakers used their time to spark curiosity, ignite a debate, and stimulate solid ideas for change. Holding back no punches, here's a snapshot of what the panel said:
Professor Olivette Otele invited attendees to think hard about if memorialisation matters. And if we remember who or what we remember and how we remember. She referenced examples around the globe and challenged us to be ambitious and purposeful, embrace the day's challenges and use them as an opportunity to reconnect with Africa and the Caribbean.
Delano Gournet-Moore reflected on the ironic naming of the Colston 4 and used this to warn about the importance of controlling the narrative and not allowing it to be hijacked by the media or used as a distraction to pacify us. He wondered if statues, plaques or memorials were the right answer or relevant. Also, he highlighted the importance of using memorialisation as a platform to engage and empower the Future today.
Stacey Olika spoke about storytelling, who the author is, whether it is authentic and the importance of being radical. The absence of truth warps our understanding; therefore, she felt strongly that it must be by us, with us, and for us. She also urged us not to fear technology and to embrace AI, QR codes, big data and augmented reality. Stacey posed a tantalising question - "What would make Bristol the best city to learn about African history?"
The floor then opened up to allow people to share their testimonies. The room then broke into several breakout groups to discuss, debate, and deliberate. During feedback, many great ideas and insights were shared. Some of these included: The need for a black cultural hub of excellence and hardwiring African heritage culture into the education system. Also, embedding this into Bristol's DNA and seeing more black leaders leading our cultural and civic institutions.
Following this, Cleo Lake and Kabbo Hue-Ferdinand invited the audience to participate in dance to the ancestors. After she explained the meaning of each movement thoughtfully devised through a series of workshops, the room gleefully joined in with the celebratory dance.
Memorialising the Future was closed by Deputy Mayor Asher Craig, who provided an update on the work she has been leading since 2017. This includes setting up the Bristol Legacy Group, comprised of the Council, Church, University, Merchant Venturers, and various individuals to develop an action plan. This included consulting closely and widely with the community about what they wanted—carrying out a 9-month research project and producing a report on what people would like to see on Colston's plinth and what should happen to the statue. Creating a permanent and temporary memorial about the brilliance and resilience of Bristol's African heritage Communities and that plans were in place to set up a Pan-African centre of excellence. Also, the world globes, created by Bristol Artists, for the Reimagine the World project to be returned and displayed across Bristol. Finally, she committed to this event not being a talking shop and following up in the Autumn to update the community on progress and to get feedback.
Following the event, watch this space for further insights from the event captured in an upcoming summary from Gary Younge and our event partners. Collating the rich actionable reflections from the audience will also allow the Legacy Group to incorporate these actions into their upcoming work in the city.
If you'd like to get involved, provide testimony, or have a question click here.
Event summary written by Julz Davis at Curiosity UnLtd.
