Latest news with #blackheritage
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
'Why I celebrate the true meaning of carnival'
"Take care of those hats, they were expensive," says Joanne Alexander as she hands out costumes to her 115-strong dance mostly made up of children, is preparing to perform at Leicester's Caribbean Carnival, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year on year's event was called off with just weeks to go, with organisers citing significant financial risk and poor weather as factors behind the says the carnival, which she attended for the first time when she was eight, is "very important" to her. "It's just celebrating emancipation, freedom and celebrating the true meaning of what carnival is as black heritage people," the 47-year-old explains. The carnival has a different theme each year and this weekend's event will celebrate the "shared origins, experiences, struggles and triumphs of black communities in Leicester".As part of this, Joanne's troupe's performance will focus on the Jab Jab, a traditional and satirical form of masquerade that originated in Grenada."The back story of that is the slave masters would call black people 'devils' and basically the slaves were ridiculing them, which is why they dress up with horns and chains in black," says Joanne."They're taking the mick out of their slave masters."According to the Grenada National Trust, the tradition sometimes involves carrying chains or shackles and, at one point, even carrying serpents to make themselves look fierce, a practice that has now been banned on the Joanne, who also runs a dance and drama group called Can't Blame the Youth, taking part in the carnival is about more than just says: "We sit down and I tell them the whole back story of why we're doing carnival." The first carnival was held in 1985 and, although it is a landmark anniversary year, it has been cancelled on a handful of occasions, including during the Munroe, who is on the carnival committee and helping to organise this year's event, says the carnival was founded by Elvie Morton, who had the idea of "bringing us all together and to show that we are a community that just wants to have fun" after riots in Brixton riots took place at a time when racial tensions meant that many of Britain's inner cities were of police brutality against a black man resulted in angry crowds confronting officers for a few hours before the disturbances were an arrest the following night sparked off the rioting in earnest, first in London but then spreading to many other cities across the says: "So much was happening with police brutality and racism - and racism has risen too much in the last few years."We are so divided at the moment and I think carnival has a huge part to play in reducing that division and bringing us all together." This year's carnival will get under way with a "vibrant" opening ceremony featuring music, food stalls and children's activities at the African Caribbean Centre on Maidstone Road, where it started four decades ago, at 10:00 will gather there before a procession moves the celebrations to Victoria Park, where the main event will take parade will follow a new route designed to "increase visibility and community engagement".Setting off from the African Caribbean Centre, it will cross Swain Street Bridge and pass through the city centre before arriving at Victoria main stage line-up features a mix of DJs, dancers, live bands and other performers, with entertainment set to take place between 12:00 and 19: the opening ceremony and parade are free to attend and take part in, but the event at Victoria Park will be ticketed as it has been since Leicester City Council reduced its annual funding for the event from £100,000 to £60,000 in 2014. According to Tara, the carnival was once "one of the biggest in Europe" and she hopes it can return to its former glory."This year has been a massive learning curve, we've had a lot to overcome and to understand about how things work," she says."God willing, I will still be there next year and, moving forward, it needs to be as soon as carnival is done, give it a month and we're working towards the next one."I'm on the old team now. We need to bring these young people in and see how they want to make it move forward."
BBC News
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Green Lane Reunion event to celebrate Bradford's black culture
A celebration of Bradford's black heritage and culture will return to Manningham later for the first time in 12 of people gathered at Green Lane playing fields, off Lumb Lane, in summer 2013 to enjoy a taste of Caribbean music, food and and community activist Jerry Crawford said he had finally decided to bring back the Green Lane Reunion after being asked by fans "every single year".Mr Crawford said: "The whole idea of this is to make people happy, get them laughing, to come and meet some old friends and make some new ones." Mr Crawford has partnered with community and youth groups to organise this year's Reunion said: "This place brings back many memories and it has many stories for so many people within the area and out of the area."This was the hub where black people came to enjoy themselves and to meet friends." Green Lane School was a well-known venue for reggae dances between the 1970s and 1990s when Manningham had a much larger black with African Caribbean backgrounds who were living in Leeds, Sheffield, London and further afield travelled to Green Lane to take Crawford, now 64, said: "Well back in the day, as a black person, it was very hard to get places to put events on, so we just put them on anywhere we could."For me, I started putting on little events like house parties and then from there, outside parties."I got in trouble a few times with the police. But, at the end of the day, we are where we are." Mr Crawford, who is a father of five and grandfather of nine, is now back living on Green Lane where he grew approached the head teacher of Green Lane Primary School for permission to use the playing fields as the event also serves as a reunion for former pupils. He said: "The last Green Lane event we did was in 2013 in July and that was amazing."Since then people have been saying to me every single year, 'when are you going to do the next one?'"I got the inspiration to do it two weeks ago and we are going for it."The way people are talking about it you would think the King is coming to Bradford, so I'm happy about that." The Green Lane Reunion, running from 12:00 until 19:00 BST, includes food and clothes stalls, music, and is alcohol-free. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
News.com.au
19-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Jourdan Dunn donates blood and calls for more black heritage donors
Model Jourdan Dunn has highlighted the need for more black heritage donors to come forward to give blood – as she provided a blood donation herself. Dunn, known for appearing on the catwalks of London, Paris and New York, attended the capital's newest blood donation centre in Brixton, south London, to mark World Sickle Cell Day. Dunn's teenage son Riley is one of the country's 13,000 sickle cell patients who rely on blood transfusions from black heritage donors so they can live with the condition.
The Independent
19-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Jourdan Dunn donates blood and calls for more black heritage donors
Model Jourdan Dunn has highlighted the need for more black heritage donors to come forward to give blood – as she provided a blood donation herself. Dunn, known for appearing on the catwalks of London, Paris and New York, attended the capital's newest blood donation centre in Brixton, south London, to mark World Sickle Cell Day. Dunn's teenage son Riley is one of the country's 13,000 sickle cell patients who rely on blood transfusions from black heritage donors so they can live with the condition. Sickle cell is the country's fastest-growing inherited blood disorder that disproportionately affects black African and black Caribbean communities, according to the NHS. Around 250 babies are born with the condition in the UK each year. The service currently needs to recruit 16,000 new black heritage blood donors this year to meet the growing need. Regular blood transfusions form the first line of defence against the condition, with patients responding best to donations containing the Ro blood type, which is significantly more prevalent in donors of black heritage. More than half (56%) of donors of black heritage are likely to have the Ro blood type, compared with just 2.4% of other ethnicities. Dunn, 34, said: 'As a mother who has seen her child battle sickle cell, I am committed to doing all I can to help him, and the thousands of other people with the condition, have the best chance to live a full and healthy life. 'That's why I've come to Brixton to give blood and ask the black community to register to do the same. 'By giving an hour of your time three to four times a year, you can save up to 12 lives – that's an amazing power you have in your hands. 'I'm incredibly thankful to the record numbers of black donors who have given blood in Brixton and across the country, but as numbers of sickle cell patients increase, so too does the need for more donors to come forward. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) director of donor experience Mark Chambers said: 'We've seen a great response to our calls for more black heritage donors to sign up to become blood donors, but the need for more to register and become regular blood donors is growing. 'Blood transfusions to pre-empt sickle cell crises are helping more people live well with the condition, but on average we need 250 donations a year to help them, that's why it's vitally important we recruit more black heritage donors. 'Jourdan's support, both as an NHS ambassador and a donor, will hopefully encourage others to follow her lead and spare an hour of their time to make a lifesaving difference.' Sickle cell patient Calvin Campbell said: 'I owe my life to the generosity of black heritage donors. 'Every four weeks I need to have 10 to 12 units of blood transfused into my body to allow me to be relatively healthy. 'Without those blood donations I would have died years ago and not have the life I have now. 'I wouldn't have had children, grandchildren, and the ability to work.' Those wanting to donate blood can register via the NHSBT app, visit or call 0300 123 23 23.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Jourdan Dunn donates blood and calls for more black heritage donors
Model Jourdan Dunn has highlighted the need for more black heritage donors to come forward to give blood – as she provided a blood donation herself. Dunn, known for appearing on the catwalks of London, Paris and New York, attended the capital's newest blood donation centre in Brixton, south London, to mark World Sickle Cell Day. Dunn's teenage son Riley is one of the country's 13,000 sickle cell patients who rely on blood transfusions from black heritage donors so they can live with the condition. Sickle cell is the country's fastest-growing inherited blood disorder that disproportionately affects black African and black Caribbean communities, according to the NHS. Around 250 babies are born with the condition in the UK each year. The service currently needs to recruit 16,000 new black heritage blood donors this year to meet the growing need. Regular blood transfusions form the first line of defence against the condition, with patients responding best to donations containing the Ro blood type, which is significantly more prevalent in donors of black heritage. More than half (56%) of donors of black heritage are likely to have the Ro blood type, compared with just 2.4% of other ethnicities. Dunn, 34, said: 'As a mother who has seen her child battle sickle cell, I am committed to doing all I can to help him, and the thousands of other people with the condition, have the best chance to live a full and healthy life. 'That's why I've come to Brixton to give blood and ask the black community to register to do the same. 'By giving an hour of your time three to four times a year, you can save up to 12 lives – that's an amazing power you have in your hands. 'I'm incredibly thankful to the record numbers of black donors who have given blood in Brixton and across the country, but as numbers of sickle cell patients increase, so too does the need for more donors to come forward. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) director of donor experience Mark Chambers said: 'We've seen a great response to our calls for more black heritage donors to sign up to become blood donors, but the need for more to register and become regular blood donors is growing. 'Blood transfusions to pre-empt sickle cell crises are helping more people live well with the condition, but on average we need 250 donations a year to help them, that's why it's vitally important we recruit more black heritage donors. 'Jourdan's support, both as an NHS ambassador and a donor, will hopefully encourage others to follow her lead and spare an hour of their time to make a lifesaving difference.' Sickle cell patient Calvin Campbell said: 'I owe my life to the generosity of black heritage donors. 'Every four weeks I need to have 10 to 12 units of blood transfused into my body to allow me to be relatively healthy. 'Without those blood donations I would have died years ago and not have the life I have now. 'I wouldn't have had children, grandchildren, and the ability to work.' Those wanting to donate blood can register via the NHSBT app, visit or call 0300 123 23 23.
