On Wednesday, the 22nd of May 2024, BSWN and the University of Bristol launched ‘The Three-Legged RACE Approach: Charter on Co-Production through an Anti-Racist Lens,’ marking the culmination of a two-year partnership under the Research Action Coalition for Race Equality (RACE). This partnership aimed to create an ecosystem that improved access to racial disparity data for Black and Minoritised communities and facilitated equitable and anti-racist research practices.
On Monday, 22nd April 2024, we hosted a Local Election Hustings at the Coach House, offering candidates for the upcoming local elections an opportunity to outline their visions for Bristol's future. Key themes such as addressing structural barriers, affordable housing, climate action, and community engagement were highlighted. With Bristol’s local elections occurring on Thursday 2nd of May 2024, where 70 councillors will be elected, the city’s electorate will play a crucial role in shaping its future. Following the recent decision to discard the mayoral system – emphasising the importance of political participation, a cross-party committee composed of councillors – our local councillors will hold greater power and responsibility to ensure the everyday operation of Bristol’s local government.
On Wednesday, 7th February 2024, we hosted our inaugural Sector Development Networking Event at the Coach House, in the heart of St.Paul’s and our local communities. Nathalie Sherring, our Regional Capacity Building Manager, and Michelle Meredith, our Community Development Officer, warmly welcomed over 30 colleagues from the sector, eager to connect, share ideas, and explore partnership opportunities. With Jikoni East Africa providing a delicious spread of food, we enjoyed an informal evening of networking and relationship-building.
On Wednesday, 30th of January 2024, we hosted an enterprise networking event, ‘Unlocking The Business Finance Landscape, ’ a partnership with the British Business Bank at the Metrobank in Bristol City Centre. The event aimed to explore finance options, build networks, and directly engage with investors. Attendees were welcomed into the venue with refreshments by Derek Tanner, our Enterprise Development Manager and Event Chair, who shared the challenges of accessing finance and the potential benefits that could be unlocked if Black and Minoritised businesses had proper access.
On Tuesday, the 12th of December, we hosted our Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2023 and an engaging discussion on Race and Philanthropy at the Watershed, Bristol. Attendees were welcomed into the venue with a buffet-style spread of food and beautiful Palestinian music from local musician Sara Alshaikhly. The AGM kicked off with a warm welcome from our Event Host and Creative Producer, Rob Mitchell, who read 'If I Must Die,' written by the late Palestinian Writer Refaat Alareer, who was tragically killed in an airstrike in Gaza City a week ago. To pay our respects, we held a moment of silence.
On Thursday the 19th of October in our Social Enterprise Incubator at the Coach House in St. Pauls, we hosted our, ‘UnMuseum Project Launch,’ an innovative project that reimagines the very essence of a museum and challenges the traditional museum concept. This event was also accompanied by the launch of our first pop-up exhibition, a collaborative effort with the Arnolfini, offering a captivating visual journey through our recent exploration of Museum Zoma in Addis Ababa. Guests also enjoyed a delightful spread of East African cuisine courtesy of Jikoni.
On Thursday the 14th of September we hosted our first ever Race & Justice Conference in the South West! The aim of this conference was to highlight and collectively tackle common issues in the racial justice sector (specifically, access to justice) by bringing together people in the South West – from community organisers, community leaders, activists, to legal professionals, and policy influencers. The event was sponsored by Burges Salmon LLP, who provided us with a space to host as well as a delicious lunch spread and refreshments throughout the day.
On Monday 24th April, BSWN was joined by key strategic stakeholders at Gloucester Guildhall for the official launch of its community-led research on racial healthcare inequalities in Gloucestershire and the launch of the related newly set up organisation: the Gloucestershire Race Equality Action Group (GREAG).
We hosted an event on Thursday 23rd March to celebrate the achievements of Black and Minoritised entrepreneurs in the South West region. The evening included networking, making new connections, playing games, eating delicious food, and hearing from a fantastic panel. The event was sponsored by Business West, who provided drinks, and catered by Jikoni East Africa. It was held in a beautiful event space at TLT LLP.
Here then is a beginning, an opening, in contextualising and situating why in 2022, here in Bristol, we are pursuing through an ongoing working group, discussions, arguments, dreaming, and planning for our very own UnMuseum. What you might ask is an UnMuseum? This is a good question, and the purpose of this introductory essay is to begin to address, though (intentionally) not definitively answer this question.
Introducing Sally Balfourth, who, through her practice, provides an opportunity to connect with the inner world, move with curiosity, and appreciate your body from the outside in. Sally has been holding monthly yoga sessions with the BSWN in our Social Enterprise Incubator space to help us take a step out of our busy day and focus on our wellbeing.
The Screening of The Meaning of Zong is certainly a night to remember for many who have attended. Lessons were learned, perhaps not just intellectual lessons, but lessons of the heart. We have learned of the value of empathy for people in the face of a system that does not recognise them for who they are.
Nigel started his business due to being passionate about helping others and our business enterprise team has been supporting him to achieve this since he started his business last year. River Jordan Counselling Service and Consultancy currently provide culturally sensitive therapy for adult men from racially minoritised backgrounds.
On Your Side is a new, UK-wide support and reporting service for anyone in the UK who identifies as East and Southeast Asian who has experienced racism or any form of hate. This free and essential helpline runs 24 hours a day with native-speaking interpreters to ensure all service users get the necessary support.
The importance of learning from the ways we have resisted oppressive systems to guide us towards emancipatory futures cannot be understated. BSWN’s Decolonial Working Group has taken on the task of locating a new centre to amplify that which has been silenced, and to reassert the political and cultural agency of colonised people.
Growing up in this generation has been interesting to say the least, especially being a young Black man myself. I have been subject to a lot of racism but have seen more cultural appropriation on the whole. Especially during secondary school, it was quite weird if I'm honest, the transition from being impacted by racism to facing cultural appropriation as a lot of kids went from having racist opinions to embracing Black culture like it’s their own.
“BSWN is an organisation that truly works with its communities providing information, a platform, and an opportunity to thrive. This way of working is so refreshing and it is obvious why so many people and organisations are so thankful and grateful to BSWN for their work and support, which empowers people and businesses every day.”
