Telling Our Stories features 11 poems by contemporary black British poets curated by writer Indigo Williams. From Zimbabwe to Nigeria to London, the poems cover themes of ethnicity, family, home, and what it means to be a black British person.
Each poem presents a distinct voice that shares stories of the past, present and future that have influenced who they are and how they see themselves.
The collection will be displayed across the campus throughout October, with poems situated in bus stop shelters, stairwells, Student Village noticeboards and common areas, as well as on digital screens.
It also features the work of current º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ student Ada Ughanwa, a recipient of the 2018/19 Arts Scholarship in Creative Writing.
Tara Nadi, Chair of LSU’s Ethnic Minorities Network commented: “I’m so happy to see the poems displayed around campus, as I feel they help give Black History Month at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ a real voice.
“These poems have all been written by Black poets, and it’s an honour to support their work. I hope that everyone who comes across the poems will take a few seconds to read them, as each of them explains an aspect of Black life and history in a talented way.”
The collection features the following:
- Toni Giselle – Stuart
- Ioney Smallhorne – Etymology
- Indigo Williams – The Organist
- Yomi Sode – The Outing
- Keith Jarrett – Skank v. (t)
- Belinda Zhawi – South of South East
- Tania Nwachukwu – Grip-Release-Grip
- Inua Ellams – Ghetto van Gogh
- Rayond Antrobus – Maybe my most important identity is being a son
- Theresa Lola – Portrait Of Us As Snow White
- Ada Ughanwa – Shackles
Indigo Williams is a British-Nigerian poet, writer and spoken word educator from Brixton. She is passionate about the ways in which art can transform how we perceive the world and its ability to facilitate critical consciousness.
This project is part of a series of events and activities taking place to raise awareness of Black History Month. º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, in partnership with º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Students' Union, is proud to celebrate Black History Month throughout October.
The full events programme aims to honour the contributions, achievements and histories of black people among our staff, students and wider community. More information can be found here.