Workshops

Due to the second lockdown in England MW are planning future projects which we hope to offer in 2021.

Meanwhile we’d like to share this articulate and heartfelt response by two young women who have been involved in MW productions and which encapsulates our feelings around BLM.

This is not a war between Races.

This is the time to educate.

This is the time to communicate.

Now is the time to direct yourself to learn Black History. Educate yourself on all aspects.

I am British, born in Essex. My mother is white from Britain and my Father is also British born in Leeds. However, my dad has carried his father’s Caribbean genetics onto his children therefore my ancestry and heritage is broader than Where I was born. My dad, growing up in Leeds, was one of Five black families on an estate amongst hundreds of predominantly white households. My Grandpa was from St Kitts in the Caribbean and My Grandma from Ireland. During the 60s, signs were seen everywhere stating “No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs.” This is discriminative. Both my Nana and Grandad experienced first hand prejudice therefore my Dad, uncles and Aunts had to grow up experiencing racism towards themselves meaning they had to learn from a young age about the injustice in today’s society. This has carried on till this day. I myself have been lucky enough to have my dad to educate me on my culture and ethnicity. He has taught me how to understand racism on its many levels which sadly had mostly come from my dad’s own experiences.

Being Black is so much more than just a colour. It is a culture. It has the blood of our ancestors. We are the Grandchildren of Slaves. Our names have been stripped from us and so me as well as many others will never know our true original roots no matter how hard we look. They have been lost along with our languages, different types of food, cultures, plus everything else that makes us who we are.

Being Mixed Race, I am constantly asked the question ‘do you see yourself as Black or White?’ I have had time to reflect and concluded that this question itself is barely answerable, as it comes with more than just a colour. In addition, this links into people being insensitive enough to call out a person for ‘acting Black’ or ‘sounding White’. How can you tell somebody to act a colour due to their appearance? I will never experience the racism that my grandfather did coming to this country. However on the other hand I am not able to fully experience white privilege. Another question that follows me everywhere is asking how my sister’s complexion is ‘white’ but mine is ‘black’. This goes back to my point of how being black is not just a colour but a culture, being black ranges from all kinds of beautiful shades, shapes, sizes. One girl’s hair could be tight coils whereas another’s could have dead straight hair. But this doesn’t change her carrying where her genetics are from.

This is now solely the BIGGEST civil rights movement in History and we MUST keep it moving. Protesting (socially distanced) signing petitions, talking to your Friends/family about this, having those uncomfortable discussions to raise awareness. The world is on pause right now, use this time wisely and EDUCATE YOURSELF.