We can never forget the events that drove us all out of our homes and back into the streets and public spaces: the global protests in response to the murder of George Floyd. The cry of Black Lives Matter began in digital spaces and platforms until it burst into the streets and resonated across the globe. For Black people and others who have lived experience of racism the BLM protests became about more than political activism; they generated a sense of belonging, of visibility and of community. The visibility and platforming of Black and minoritized voices and experiences is inherently political. Protests can be a platform for us to claim visibility and to share our experiences, to commemorate and call for change. But we also need platforms to celebrate Black and minoritized voices, arts and culture. So what do events mean for us?
“WHEN I WENT TO THE PROTESTS I REALISED - WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF SOLDIERS, THERE’S SO MANY OF US!”; “PROTESTS IN WALES HAVE CREATED A SENSE OF UNITY”; “DURING THE BLM PROTESTS THIS SENSE OF COMMUNITY EMERGED ORGANICALLY, WHY DID IT TAKE SOMETHING SO NEGATIVE TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HOW CAN THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY FLOURISH?”
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