To celebrate the migrant communities that help shape the culture of our great city, we have teamed up with some great organisations in Leeds to bring you an evening of dance, poetry, film and music, reflecting the lived experience of migrant communities in Leeds from past to present.
Dance and Spoken Word: Speak Woman Speak presents a bespoke spoken word piece made specially for this event. The piece delves into themes of epigenetic inheritance, poverty, responsibility and hope for the future. Ozzy Moysey from Ancient Infinity Orchestra on the double bass collaborates with Leah Francis performer, using sound to accompany the piece which is inspired by Caribbean Artist Count Ossie. ‘The Lives we Carry’ explores epigenetic inheritances. Passionate and sad it showcases the Northern, Black, Female Voice, depicting the Universal Black, Female, Migrant experience. Being a ‘Leeds Lass,’ I yearn for my mother’s, grandmothers’, ‘Aunties’ and ‘Sista’s voices to be heard. They’re just as poignant and powerful as those in the South. TLWC shows us Womanhood, migration trauma and the effects; the dreams, the passions of these women. We connect with them, to ourselves and to our family
Film: The Little London social cohesion documentary video produced by the Leeds African Community Charity Trust, funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is about people from various racial backgrounds talking about their lived experiences growing up in the area; how things have changed, especially societal values such as respect, tolerance, caring, and how life can be made better.
Poetry: Heartlines Creative Writing Group. Group members run occasional informal workshops for each other, publish anthologies, participate in local literature festivals and run a monthly open Mic called Soundbites which is sometimes on Zoom and sometimes at HEART in Headingley.
The day will be interspersed with music from a DJ, plus a chance for Q+A and networking after the film.
The event is free, but donations are encouraged. Please register here