October 2022 was a vibrant, inquisitive and cultured month where members, staff and volunteers had a chance to learn about Black culture, and pioneers in history.
From the sporting late greats Kobi Bryant, Muhammad Ali, to business women entrepreneurs Madam C.J. Walker and current John Lewis CEO Sharon White.
Members were able to take inspiration from these amazing individuals who have truly made a difference in society and paved a way for future generations.
I recently read a blog about Madam C.J. Walker and her becoming a self-made millionaire with a revolutionary haircare business. She was able to also help lots of other charities and set up a beauty school so others could do well in life. If I become a millionaire I’d definitely want to help out others too so I think she’s very inspirational.
Sierra, Junior Club Member aged 10
Most of the activity spaces at Legacy dedicated their activities to a black hero and that included:
Library – Madam C.J. Walker (Entrepreneur)
Employability – Sharon White (first female and black CEO of John Lewis)
Enterprise – Marcus Garvey (Entrepreneur and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association)
Art – Althea McNish (first black British textile designer to gain an international reputation)
Sports Hall – Kobi Bryant (NBA Basketballer)
Boxing – Muhammad Ali (Boxer)
Muga – Pele (Footballer)
Training Kitchen – Zephyr Wright (Civil rights activist, & personal chef to President Lyndon Johnson)
Performing Arts – Ethel Waters (Broadway Singer & Actress)
Media – Marsai Martin (Actress, Writer & Producer)
Music – Nina Simone (Singer & activist)
Office – Katherine Johnson (mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights)
We also held a couple of workshops for members to take part in, including one in the Performing Arts studio which looked at inspirational figures in the black community. The workshop was led by our guest Bianca Hutton-Wood from Inspire New Creative Performing Arts, and included a combination of drama, singing, poetry, movement and looking at afro Caribbean print materials from the motherland. Members got to try on materials and create different types of clothing with the material.
Members also got creative in the recording studio as we looked at a series of hip hop and rnb mixes and young people wrote their own lyrics to songs.
