The event was filled with Wellness Symposium, Award Presentations, Live Music/dance, networking and amongst others. As an organisation, the event was used in commemoration of events marking the 75th Anniversary Celebrations of the Windrush Generations and Black History Month this October – offering an opportunity for us to honour and celebrate the stories and achievements of the Windrush generation and their descendants, their impact on British life; whilst acknowledging the sacrifices they have made and the difficulties they faced and overcame; racism; colonialism and immigration. We used the event to educate and celebrate equity, diversity and inclusion, and ethnic and cultural diversity.
The history of the Windrush Generation is both a story of British history and that of Black history. 75 years ago, since the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush into Tilbury docks with more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean, the stories of four generations of descendants has indelibly woven and shaped the fabric of our communities in the UK with their enormous contributions to social, economic, and cultural life. The anniversary of the Windrush generation offers us the opportunity to recognise the pain and suffering of this generation and the contributions and sacrifices they made, starting new lives and raising families in the face of overt and covert injustices – racism and anti-blackness.
We were delighted to be in our presence some high level dignitaries; The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Al Garthwaite; Cllr Katie Dye, Chair of Climate Emergency Advisory Committee; Cllr Abigail Marshall Katung, Chair Scrutiny Board (Infrastructure & Inclusive Growth) Labour and Cooperative Party; Cllr Eileen Taylor, Chair of West Yorkshire Police and Crime /Lead Member for Race Equality; Emiliene Grace Eyongakpa, Founder & CEO ThatName Woman; Patron Julian Tabi Ebai, Managing Director of JETPLAY Consulting; Dr Playne Ebai, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist; Shaheen Jaffary, BSC (Hons) Mar, Reflexology Expert, Wellness & Menopause Coach Manager; Mirabelle Sonkey, Founder & Promoter, Network for Solidarity Hope and Empowerment; Basil Ajuo, Chief Executive Officer, Minnesota, Africans United (MAU) and the various individuals, communities represented, leaders, organisations and businesses who were present and our sponsor the Community Fund in contributing and making the event such a huge success.
