Identity, Diversity and Activism Cuba
In July Professors Norma Rita Guillard Limonta and Rosaida Ochoa Soto ran a 3 day programme with young people to look at issues of Identity, diversity and activism in Havana, Cuba.
There were 15 primary and secondary school girls and medical specialists, psychologists, specialists in sociocultural studies, social activists, doctors/students from the Congo, and entrepreneurs.
At the outset, to create a safe space for discussion the participants were asked to set ground rules for the course and express their expectations.
They requested to learn more about:
- Learn coping mechanisms about racism.
- Challenges of cultural expressions that they have to face.
- Know the actions that can be taken to combat racism.
- Delve into the history of racism.
- Increase knowledge about racial roots.
- Desire to form a network that empowers and spreads the activities and the program.
Over the course of the 3 days they discussed some of the challenges they face personally and in their community. They studied examples of activism and students were encouraged to think of how they might mobilise their own communities. Below are some of the ideas which will they will work on.
- In the education of children where violence does not mediate. Focus on SAYING NO TO Child Abuse.
- Combating Drug Addiction in adolescence and any age in his community.
- Work to empower the women of her community in the development of craft skills that allow her to develop entrepreneurship as a source of livelihood, development of self-esteem and personal independence.
- Develop an activism focused on Afro-descendant culture and identity both nationally and internationally.
- Develop knowledge of sexual orientation since there is a lot of discrimination and little knowledge about it.
- Maintaining African culture and traditions.
- Cultural Education also teaching the history of roots and traditions.
- Focus on self-esteem and self-care aspects aimed at improving health
- Raise awareness of reproductive health in adolescents.
- Creating a culture of Environmental Health in childhood stages in order to care for the environment from an early age.
The course leaders told us “We learned as much from the young people as they learned from us. They are all inspiring and we will be following their progress with enthusiasm!”
Steve Sinnott • October 15, 2022
This week while out and about in Hertfordshire and we visited the British Schools Museum. We discovered the first school opened by Joseph Lancaster, was known as the ‘Poor Childs Friend”, was in 1810. It was his lifelong mission that all children regardless of their circumstances, should benefit from an education. Apparently, Joseph heard a small girl say, “Oh that I could read!” and this inspired him to create a simple education system that eventually would benefit children across the world. Joseph was the tenth son of a poor man himself from South London. His aim was to offer free education for everyone. However, it would be 93 years before the U.K. government finally made education free for all. There are still many countries today where education is still not free to access and it is certainly not compulsory for primary and secondary age pupils. Joseph’s mission really resonates with that of the Foundation, to support access to education for all. We enjoyed our visit and appreciated the tour given by two of the Museum’s volunteers, Angela and Clare. They described some of the challenges faced in the early years of formal education and shared some of the rules that teachers and students had to abide by with us.
Sparks Bristol is a collaborative community project initially envisioned by The Global Goals Centre, (GGC) more of which below. A few years ago, GGC took over an empty Marks and Spencer store and that’s how Sparks was born. Sparks is a department store with a difference, co-created by Global Goals Centre and Artspace Lifespace. On the ground floor is a huge range of shops, installations, events and more. Upstairs is a hub for local artists, it offers affordable studios as well as rehearsal and performance space. The Global Goals Centre is a Bristol-based educational charity inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals. (SDGs). GGC believe the SDG’s or Global Goals as they are sometimes known, can be reached, with imaginative solutions and widespread education and engagement. They work with partners to promote creative solutions and deliver ground breaking projects that work towards these ambitious goals. The Steve Sinnott Foundation supported the Global Goals Centre with seed funding when it first started over 5 years ago. This month we went to visit them to see how they are getting on and we were taken aback by the volume of work they have achieved since they started. It is amazing to see how though working together with other local community groups it has grown into the vibrant centre it is today. All of the creative projects they host are linked to the SDGs. They cover topics that tackle poverty, education, climate change, fashion recycling and upcycling, to name a few.
Spring is definitely here, daffodils, blossom and crocuses are all basking in the bright sunshine. There is still a chill in the air in the shade but it's happening and all the seeds that were sown over the last few months are coming to fruition. At the Foundation, we have been planning the year ahead and our Positive Periods and Prevention of Gender Based Violence programmes got underway this weekend in Haiti and Ghana. These projects will have a long-lasting effect on the lives of the women and girls who take part: tackling the root causes of gender-based violence and enabling girls to attend school every day when they have their period, to feel safe at school and know how to take action when they are faced with violence. These are the first of many projects planned for the year ahead as we continue to work towards Education for All children everywhere.
