Blackburne House has extended its Black History Month to continue promoting the outstanding work of black women in Liverpool and Merseyside.
Running for over 35 years, Blackburne House on Hope Street is a women’s charity and social enterprise that offer business support and wellness sessions for the local community.
The popularity of this year’s Black History Month project ‘Black History’ has led to it continuing beyond November into December as an online exhibition that tells the stories of black women in the community to help promote awarness of diversity and equality.
Aida Narimani, events and marketing coordinator for Blackburne House, told JMU Journalism: “Blackburne House has a lot of black and minority women coming through our doors so I think it is always important for us to show we understand where they are coming from.”
The project aims for people to nominate black women working in their community and has received over 60 submissions. Robyn Bowyer, conference and events coordinator at the charity, said: “It’s a celebration of local women. Liverpool is so rich in history and the achievements of women in Merseyside is unreal, especially within the black community. It has been emotional seeing how people have felt really passionately about it.”
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The project’s community focus allows untold stories such as Michelle Cox who is an NHS nurse and Ann Lopez, who went back to school at the age of 40 to achieve her O and A Levels, to be shown alongside well known figures like Kim Johnson, Liverpool’s first black female MP.
Ms Bowyer said: “It was interesting to see how these influences have shaped Liverpool and what Liverpool is today.
“We hope that it is showcasing the voices of these women and how powerful it is when we all stand together as a community. We have seen that community element through the submissions.”
The exhibition will run until mid-December and may be extended again as Blackburne House continues to receive submissions of Merseyside’s incredible black women.