Young Greenwich for Anti-racism

EEA believes #blacklivesmatter and we thought it was important for us to work with the young people of Greenwich to understand and explore anti-racism. All our Creative Activism programmes raise social awareness and try to give people the confidence to make real changes through investigating global and social issues – after the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and activism around racism both on and offline, we wanted to see how we can make a difference – together.

We explored what anti-racism is and looked at current activists using their art to create change – like Dave, John Boyega, Jackie Aina and Munroe Bergdorf. The online sessions gave the young people a space to express their feelings safely guided by our artists and learn more about activism in order to create their own creative online campaigns about anti-racism.

Through discussion and activities the young people found that humour was an effective tool for education and used it for a number of the memes they created to be displayed online as well as their own protest signs. But the activism didn't stop there! Participants of the sessions went on to create their own surveys around representation in the media and to write letters to their headteachers, chair of governors, local MPs and members of Cabinet to demand more be done around race equality. Students at Newhaven School in Greenwich will also be chalking the pavements 'to try to get more people involved in the conversation as it will make a change to the National Front graffiti that still gets daubed on fences in Eltham' where the school is located.

The programme was inspiring for the young people but even more so for EEA and the artists involved, to see the next generation be so passionate about an issue that affects us all.