Pictured - Aisha Njomo (Upper Sixth) and Meranie Kairu (Lower Sixth), lead ambassadors of the African and Caribbean Society at BGS.
Written by Meranie Kairu (Lower Sixth)
The African and Caribbean Society is a society for all who are curious, knowledgeable or intrigued by Africa and the Caribbean. We want to celebrate the heritages of students at BGS who often feel, either consciously or subconsciously, that school is a place they need to repress this part of their identity. I felt an African and Caribbean society was essential at BGS to help students feel more comfortable expressing their heritage at school without fear of alienation. As a school, we need to be more honest and open about our practices to properly address areas we have neglected as we move in the right direction. Our goal as the African and Caribbean society is to make BGS a more inclusive space and engage our community in a shift to a more open-minded, diverse way of thinking.
This October, we are bringing the school community together to celebrate Black History Month. It is a chance for us to commemorate and appreciate the cultures, communities and individuals that have shaped British Society and dig deeper into Black African and Caribbean heritage and history. Black History Month nurtures a greater sense of pride and belonging in young Black Britons and shows everyone a fuller view of British history. The history we see is overlooked in our literature, curriculum and the media.
The first event of our Black History Month takeover is a house competition that is being judged by our headmistresses: Mrs Gibson (Headmistress) and Mrs Howe (Head of Junior School). Girls in both the Junior and Senior Schools will be designing eye-catching and innovative posters on the most influential Black women to them. This competition encourages girls to celebrate the Black women in their lives as well as role models who have influenced and empowered them.
In the coming weeks, we will invigorate the school with displays and decorations showcasing Black music, art and fashion as well as the endless achievements of the Black community both in Britain and abroad. We have also organised a range of fantastic form time activities to educate and spark discussions on a variety of areas of Black history: from wars of independence to the development of African architecture to the contributions of Black people to British theatre. It is paramount that we shine a light on Black history in areas that our stories have traditionally been silenced and acknowledge the development of Africa and the Caribbean outside the lens of colonialism and slavery.
Look out for our guest takeover of the Headmistress’ blog next week as we explore the undeniable impact of the Windrush Generation on British music. Feel free to get in touch with The African and Caribbean Society, please email [email protected]
