Black History Month

October is Black History Month in Britain.

An appropriate time on a green political blog to praise the efforts of the excellent Donna Warren in the USA.

Here is Donna’s “Smart Voter” page for the November 7th election.

And here is Donna’s article in the Winter 2006 issue of Synthesis/Regeneration.


Back in Britain, here is an event this weekend at the Crossroads Women’s Centre in London.

Theatre Workshop
- Buried Pasts -
We are all asylum seekers
with internationally acclaimed playwright Kay Adshead

10am-4pm Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 October 2006
Crossroads Women’s Centre 230a Kentish Town Rd, NW5 2AB

** Entrance Caversham Rd ** Wheelchair accessible ** Nearest tube Kentish Town **

4pm Sunday 22 October street theatre @ Kentish Town tube

Led by Kay Adshead of Mamaquillo, a woman-led theatre company which spotlights human rights abuses and author of the award winning Bogus Woman, this two-day workshop will focus on writing and performing street theatre.

The workshop builds on over two years’ experience of the Welcome to Fortress Europe theatre project at the Crossroads Women’s Centre. Countering often hostile media coverage of asylum seekers lives, which aims to divide us and hide what we all have in common, the project publicises the experiences of the All African Women’s Group, a self-help group of women seeking asylum. Using a cast of those with and without papers the latest piece “Put Yourselves In Our Shoes” has been performed in schools, at public events and on the streets to great acclaim. Enthusiastic audience participation has been a hallmark of the performances with young people from eight year olds to sixth formers throwing themselves into roles that spoke to their experience or that of their family or mates.

The weekend workshop will draw on the memories and lives of all participants, asylum seekers and
non-asylum seekers and the ways in which we are all seeking asylum – that is trying to find protection and safety from harm. It will begin on Saturday with the performance of a new piece written by Kay Adshead and end with street theatre performed on Sunday 4pm at Kentish Town underground.


Sponsored by Camden Council for Black History Month

Kay Adshead's "Bones" is currently on at the Bush Theatre in Shepherds Bush.