Black Excellence
Street art mural of Muslim girl riding skateboard stuns Birmingham residents
A mural depicting a Muslim girl riding a skateboard has stunned Birmingham residents who have praised the artwork for its bold approach to inclusivity. The street art has been created by talented graffiti guru Bunny Bread and is part of a series of murals which aim to engage local residents in Lozells through an interactive public arts…
IN PICTURES: Simmer Down Festival 2021 in Handsworth Park
The sun was shining over Birmingham on Sunday as the Simmer Down Festival made a welcome return to its home in Handsworth Park following a limited virtual presence online during the pandemic last year. Headlined by British reggae group Aswad, the reggae-fest was a celebration of Afro-Caribbean culture and music as thousands of revellers descended on…
Birmingham festival celebrating local diversity gets celebrity backing ahead of June launch
An annual festival celebrating diverse communities across Birmingham is set to take place this month and will be delivered both digitally and at a physical venue. Being held on select days between 12-26 June, ‘This is My City’ will bring together Birmingham residents to celebrate the rich cultures of the UK’s second city, with a strong focus on…
Disabled teen who taught over 80,000 people sign language wins Pride of Birmingham Award
A 16-year-old boy from Birmingham, who helped to get more than 80,000 people learning British Sign Language over the last year, has won the ‘Stephen Sutton Inspiration Award’ at the 2021 Pride of Birmingham Awards. The Pride of Birmingham Awards celebrate the city’s unsung heroes, including those who have come to the fore during the…
BBC launches Wolverhampton radio station to help people through latest lockdown
The BBC is to launch new temporary local output in Wolverhampton as the country continues to deal with the COVID crisis. BBC Radio Wolverhampton and will provide more localised news and information to people living in the West Midlands city. It follows the launch of BBC Radio Bradford, which began broadcasting last month.
Hip-hop dance artists announced for Gallery37 ‘Roaming Dance’ festival commission
A team of Hip-Hop dance artists have been announced for a new ‘Roaming Dance’ commission for Birmingham International Dance Festival 2021. In partnership with DanceXchange and Punch Records, north Birmingham community arts hub Saathi House have commissioned the talented Joseph Toonga, Emma Houston and Bellatrix to deliver two projects for ‘Roaming Dance’, one of six large-scale…
Rugby player from Moseley club writes book tackling mental health struggles in sport
A Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club player has written a book about tackling mental health struggles in relation to the national sport. Winger Aquile Smith has published ‘Rugby Insight: Mental Health to Mental Wealth’, which focuses on raising awareness and countering some of the stigma around mental health in sport and more specifically, rugby.
West Mids mayor Andy Street pledges to adopt new boardroom racial equality scheme
West Midlands mayor Andy Street has pledged to adopt a new scheme tackling boardroom inequality, following the decision by Birmingham City Council to embrace the same initiative to tackle racial prejudice in the workplace. The new scheme – named the RACE code – aims to encourage race equality in the boardroom and is being piloted by the West Midlands…
Wolverhampton woman raising domestic violence awareness through lived experience
An inspiring woman from Wolverhampton is hosting an online event to raise awareness about domestic violence, both towards women and men. Farisai Dzemwa, 48, who herself suffered years of abuse in her homeland, is hoping the virtual workshop will help those struggling with physical and psychological abuse from a spouse, partner or family member.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH | INTERVIEW: Sam Jordanne
Birmingham-based photographer Sam Jordanne has a passion for capturing images with a cinematic quality. Her imaginative and creative style is unique and aims to compliment her work as a videographer. Having captured stunning portraits of professional musicians and artists, she discusses her passion for photography and why representation is important.