Diversity Resource International receives Heritage Fund grant for Black History Month 2023 project
Diversity Resource International (DRI) recently received a £10,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to launch an exciting heritage project kicking-off in Black History Month.
This project focuses on celebrating the cultural diversity in Sussex and addressing inequalities faced by ethnic minorities. It seeks to raise awareness and facilitate conversations on how to advance progress among citizens of all cultures in the UK to become a more inclusive, tolerant and open society.
Thanks to the generous support of National Lottery players, this project launched at Lewes Depot on October 27th. Notable guest speakers, Nozzi Graham, from Twerk4Fitness Africa, and Maria Urassa, a local spoken word artist, shared empowering stories about their experiences living in the UK. Following their talks, the speakers invited the audience to join a short twerking class and enjoy a powerful poem.
Nozzi enthusiastically remarked:
“It’s really great to have a safe space where we can express our experience and stories. We need to have more events like this in the community”.
A subsequent event on October 30th featured speakers Mary Frances and Jean Obungu. Mary shared her experiences advocating for women’s rights in Kenya and Jean discussed her upbringing and her commitment to individual self-empowerment, expressed through poetry. We were also joined by local poet Sophia, who happily shared her poetry and her own experiences of moving from London to Lewes.
Hannah, a community member who attended the event, shared her thoughts:
“My friend suggested I look at what was happening on the Depot website because I like going to independent cinemas. I came across your event, and it looked interesting to join. I really enjoyed the talks we had.”
The project also involves a short film, ‘Shades of Sussex,’ which narrates the inspiring journeys of Sussex community members who migrated to the UK, overcoming a wide range of challenges unique to ethnic minorities living in a foreign country. Supported by the Heritage Fund, an extended version of the film will include the experiences of young Lewes residents within the education system, with screenings in local schools, community groups, and the Lewes library.
DRI is a non-profit social enterprise passionately committed to assisting ethnically diverse and migrant communities in Sussex. The organisation firmly believes in the transformative potential of community and its positive impact on individuals and society at large. The Black History Month 2023 is a clear representation of the dedicated efforts that DRI continuously makes to be true to its purpose.