As Black History Month 2023 comes to a close, South & City College Birmingham reflects on a compelling month filled with resources, events, and opportunities for their learners to develop and challenge the stigmas attached to the current narratives surrounding black history.
Across October 2023, South & City College Birmingham hosted a wide range of open-door activities for its learners, focusing on amplifying and celebrating the voices of the black community across the globe. Supporting the UK’s national celebration, Black History Month aims to promote and celebrate black contributions to British society, and to foster an understanding of black history in general. Today Black History Month has become a staple date in the cultural calendar of many of the UK’s schools, colleges and local authorities. Over the years the focus of Black History Month has expanded to include the history of African, Asian and Caribbean people and their contribution in history.
As part of the college’s commitment to equality & diversity, a number of events were planned and hosted across several venues on eight different campus sites, including:
- Open Mics focusing on famous black artists
- World Food Wednesdays focusing on Caribbean, Jamaican and African food selections
- Presentations and displays across the month echoing black voices across history
- Cultural dress & street festival for students to celebrate and show what they do with their families outside of college
- Classroom based tutorials for students to create presentations around black history and how the world has changed as a result
- Drumming workshops for staff and students to get involved with and learn the basics of African drumming
One of the largest events that South & City College Birmingham hosted, was the Hair and Beauty catwalk – ‘Avant-garde’ – that took place on the 25th October at the Bournville (Longbridge) campus. Following on from its success last year, colleagues from the Hair, Beauty & Barbering departments at the college collaborated alongside several departments including Art & Design, Fashion and Hospitality & Catering to produce another memorable event. The brief to learners was to think out-of-the-box, push their imagination and produce something spectacular, using different formats to present their ideas, including makeup, clothing and hair.
During the interval stages of the event, Hospitality & Catering students; who have previously served and worked in the college’s on-site and public restaurant, Karibunis, cooked a variety of cuisines and dishes inspired by Afro-Caribbean delicacies. Across the month, a range of food was on offer to try and taste across the cafeterias at South & City College Birmingham, including:
- Cooked down chicken and rice
- Curried mutton and jollof rice
- Nigerian chicken stew
- Jerk drumsticks and chicken wraps
- Banana & coconut sponge served with custard
Despite these events only lasting the month, the College continues to amplify the number of black voices throughout its curriculum and enrichment activities such as the Youth Mini Summit for Racial Justice it has previously held with fellow West Midlands College BMet.
Prospective students and the community can find out more information about how the college is continuing to empower learners through its equality and diversity strategy can be found on the college website, alongside information about courses, how to apply, and why you should consider making South and City College Birmingham your right choice.