Black History Month: As told by WSA member African Community Centre
The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) is delighted to support and celebrate Black History Month by recognising the vital work that a variety of our member organisations, like the African Community Centre, do to promote and develop an inclusive environment where everyone is valued and made to feel comfortable.
Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect and recognise the barriers that many ethnic minority groups face while also celebrating the triumphs and invaluable contributions that individuals and groups from those communi8ties have made to society.
As one the many WSA members to undertake essential work in taking down barriers and uniting communities, the WSA marked Black History Month this year by talking to the African Community Centre.
We talked to the organisation’s Acting Manager Saheed Bashir to find out what Black History Month means to them and how they celebrated…
How important is Black History Month for the African Community Centre?
“Black history month is of paramount importance for African and Caribbean communities. As a minority group in the UK, it gives us the opportunity to celebrate and honour our heritage in a grand way while we promote the rich and diverse contributions of the black and ethnic minority individuals in our collective histories that are not mainstream or general knowledge.
“Black history month also provides a platform to educate, reflect and unify the wider communities while fostering a sense of pride and cultural identity among the community. It serves as a medium to encourage conversation about equity, inclusion and justice which helps the larger community work towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all.”
What work does the African Community Centre do to promote inclusivity and to celebrate the different cultures we have?
“The African Community centre is a beacon of inclusivity; not only does it serve black and African community members, but we pride ourselves on having an open-door policy that caters to all ethnic minority groups.
“The ACC hosts a series of events and activities and offer services ranging from ESOL classes for new members of the communities to break language barriers to counselling, as wellbeing is an integral part of our service.
“We also hot a series of sessions with focus on fitness and sports as we believe these are universal mediums that bring people together regardless of their background to achieve a shared goal. Our strapline is “breaking barriers and promoting community cohesion”, as such all our engagements include participants from diverse groups.”
How did you celebrate Black History Month?
“To celebrate Black History Month, we collaborated with an organisation that focuses on healthcare as we felt post-covid revelations; we needed to mark black history by not only celebrating what it means to be black, but also highlighting some of the barriers Black and Ethnic minorities face, especially in accessing health services.
“The event showcased African drumming, poetry and spoken word, music and food for people the community to celebrate.”
What is the power of Black History Month in sport and leisure?
“Sport and leisure play a powerful and often underestimated role in bridging gaps and promoting unity within communities that do not necessarily share the same culture, heritage or identity.
“Sport, as often said, is a universal language and as such provides the platform for effective communication between diverse communities in a fun way. Black History Month, as a designated period of highlighting the contributions of Black individuals, helps provide the platform to showcase black excellence from athletes in sports and individuals that have immensely contributed to the global rich culture in art, music, dance, and more. It also allows us to acknowledge the historical struggles black individuals have had to overcome and the triumphs they’ve achieved which also encourages the future generations to strive for greatness in all their endeavours.”
How do sport, leisure, and physical activity come into the work of the African Community Centre?
“The African community centre engages the communities it serves using sporting activities and community engagement events that have grown over the years.
“We are proud to have a football team that plays in a local league and youth team that trains in football regularly. We also have weekly table tennis sessions at the grand multicultural where our office is primarily based, and also hold women’s-only fitness and Zumba classes.
“Our family fun day activities usually involve recreational initiatives that bring people from all backgrounds together.
“To celebrate Black History month through sports, we held taster sessions for young people to take part in other sporting activities to improve the variety of activities we offer to keep physically active!”
