Authoring Our Own Stories: Year Four - Explores the trope of ‘The Strong Black Woman’ and Resilience, as experienced through the lens of young Black and Brown women
- Admin
- 3 days ago
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BRING YOUR AUNTY – Our London Stakeholders Event, Authoring Our Own Stories
Dance, food and music were all crucial cultural elements woven into the presentation of our research findings at BRING YOUR AUNTY our recent stakeholder event at Guildhall, City of London. Rachel Adjekukor, Anuoluwapo Fadairo, Emmanuella Mamah (aka Ella), Rumaisa Mulji and Emmanuela Kumi all gave compelling evidence from our research project this year as to why we need to unpack the narrative of ‘The Strong Black Woman’ and examine the expectations placed on young Black and Brown women and the impact on their emotional health. BRING YOUR AUNTY was a response to the recommendation in our research findings to have more intergenerational events; particularly when exploring issues related to emotional wellbeing and ‘mental health’. This is a topic that still carries a lot of stigmas in Black and Brown communities.
The group shared a physical copy of a magazine called ‘XBX’ (Experts by Experience) which has articles, poems and paintings produced by the young leaders and young women from The Zone; one of the groups we delivered sessions to this year.
Articles
Can we Have a Word with You? why it’s time to DITCH the term ‘mental health’ - Words by Rachel Adjekukor
Fitting In and Perfection as Young Black and Brown Women - Words by Emmanuella Mamah
Breaking The Glass Ceiling: When Empowerment Comes with Scars - Words by Emmanuela Kumi
We Won’t ‘Cool it Down’ Words by Rumaisa Mulji
Warrior Words by Anuoluwapo Fadairo
The Pressure of Perfection by Anuoluwapo Fadairo
We Carry by Anuoluwapo Fadairo
The magazine articles explore issues such as the pressure of perfectionism, breaking the glass ceiling, challenging role models and the need to expand the language we use to describe our emotional health. A digital version of the magazine, with user guide, will be shared in the New Year but readers can access PDF copies of the articles here.
2026 is the final year of Authoring Our Own Stories and we are focused on implementing the recommendations made by the young Black and Asian people who have contributed to this project – this will be our priority going forward.
Thanks to all the team!
For more information about Authoring Our Own Stories contact
Ilaria Di Fiore - Artist and Youth Worker
Sharon Long – Director, Partnership for Young London
Drew Sinclair - Graphic Designer
Caron Vacciana – Volunteer
Meaning of The River: A New Authoring Our Own Stories Resource
This video and User Guide provide insight and prompts for professionals to explore what additional strategies they can develop to support young people, whose identities are racialised, experience a greater sense of belonging. The content is based on data collected by young leaders who conducted research in 2023.
‘Kelly’s Story’: A New Resource by Young People of Black and Asian Heritage for Professionals
This year we will be developing our work on mental health. A group of young women of African, African-Caribbean and Dual Heritage will be exploring the concept of resilience. They will create a research project for their peers to identify how being strong is a source of empowerment for young Black and Brown women and where it can negatively impact mental health. We will also deliver a webinar session to share resources that peer researchers have been developing. These are tools, created to support professionals in their practice.
For more information, please email sandra.vacciana@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Young Leaders from Authoring Our Own Stories are inviting professionals to pilot the second in a series of resources they have created to explore mental health. Kelly’s Story follows the steps a young woman takes to support her emotional wellbeing. It creatively captures some of the key findings from young people of Black and Asian heritage who engaged in this research in 2024.
Can you trial it with young people in your organisations and tell Young Leaders what you think? One of the aims of Authoring Our Own Stories is to provide more tools and training for professionals to upskill the workforce and enable better access to services for young people from marginalised communities.
Resources:
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