Local women get together again to make a difference 

Royston Wardieburn Community Centre-based Womens International Group (WIG) held a successful follow-up to their June ‘Getting Together, Making A Difference‘ event last month. Here’s the conference report:

Background

The first Getting Together Making a Difference event took place on 18 June 2015.  A new exhibition created by the Women’s International Group was launched at the event.  The exhibition celebrated the achievements of local women through the decades who individually and collectively have made a huge contribution to the community of North Edinburgh.

The event also included the screening of 2 short films  on the theme of home created by a local women’s group  from North Edinburgh and a group of women from Maryhill who were refugees and asylum seekers.  Below is an extract of the comments made by participants during the discussion after the film:

• Very strong films
• All of us should work together to stop this kind of thing happening in this community (dawn raids, immigration vans driving around the area, people being sent back to dangerous situations)
• We need to reach out to people and stand with them but there needs to be trust for this to happen
• Together we have a big voice to change things
• The film makes you realise how fortunate we are – many people have nothing – not even a home
• It’s amazing to know that there are people out there who are prepared to help
• it would be good to show publicly how much of what we hear is myths. There needs to be education for young and old about this. 

The following decisions came out the meeting: 

• Organise a follow-up meeting
• Screen the other Making it Home films
• Screen the Glasgow Girls – shows people coming together to fight these issues
• Challenge the myths
• Publicise the Making it Home project 

Aims of second Getting Together Making a Difference event

• To raise awareness about the issues facing different groups within the community
• To build links/solidarity between different groups
• To develop ideas for tackling poverty and discrimination
• To increase the involvement of different groups in all aspects of the community.   

GETTING TOGETHER MAKING A DIFFERENCE

(SECOND EVENT)

Session 1: Home

Following the screening of the Making It Home films, participants were asked to pair up with another person to discuss what home meant to them.  The following comments were made during the feedback session: 

Home is:

• Where you feel safe and secure
• Where you can sleep safely and warm
• Where your family is, whoever they are
• Where you feel you belong
• Where you have memories
• Where you can be part of the community
• Where you are valued and respected
• A safe environment to bring up children
• Where you can invite friends for gathering
• My room
• A place to sleep
• Where’s there’s love
• A bit of a hell hole
• Where you learn things and hear different opinions
• Where there’s fun and laughter
• A place of protection where your needs are met.
• Where you meet each other and are recognised by others
• Where you don’t have to live in fear
• Where you can be yourself without being judged
• A place where people can learn from each other and politics doesn’t get in the way of relationships
• A place where you share food and be with other people
• Being part of a group / community.

It was pointed out by a number of participants that a lot of homes and communities  aren’t safe and supportive and that this situation has a huge impact on people’s everyday lives.

We took time to reflect on the fact that ‘home’ is not a safe place for many people around the world at the moment.  In Syria, for example, 11 million people have had to leave their homes and their communities over the last 4 years to escape war and persecution.  Over 4 million of those displaced by the conflict have been forced to leave their homeland  in search of a safer future in a different country.  Sadly, many thousands of those seeking refuge have died on those treacherous journeys hundreds of miles from home.

Siobhan Glean, an inspirational black woman, who has made North Edinburgh her home, recited an extract from a powerful poem by Maya Angelou.  The words were chosen because they resonate with the experience of refugees and asylum seekers facing hostility, racism and inhumane  treatment in many parts of Europe today:

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may tread me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

We were then led by the  Timebank Temptations  in a song  which reflected support and compassion  for our fellow humans caught up in the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War:

What is peace to you

We are calling compassion for all

Everybody has the right to a safe home.

Part 2:  Getting Together. Making a Difference

We were inspired by a film made in 1993 by Muirhouse Anti-Racism Campaign.  The film and the testimonies of those involved in the campaign  highlighted  the importance of showing solidarity with people who are being discriminated against and how much can be achieved  when a few committed people join together.

We are reminded about the dangers of racism by the following quote by Willie Adams, one of the founder members of MARC: 

“Most white people don’t understand that racism of this sort affects them as well.  Quite apart from the fact that racism is wrong, they don’t see how easy it is for prejudice to divide the community.  Racism is not a solution, it’s a way of distracting people’s attention from the real issues.”

Part 3:  Where do we go from here?

Those present expressed their wish  to build a stronger and more supportive community. The following suggestions were put forward with regard to how this might be achieved: 

Action Points:

• Challenge myths about immigration / refugees. Education is essential.  We  need to  arm ourselves with the facts.

• Use  positive terminology/positive language when referring to people

• Involve young people from various backgrounds in youth groups. There also needs to be more black and minority ethnic youth workers

• Examine the causes of immigration what causes people to flee their countries

• Come up with ways of reaching isolated people

• Celebrate different cultures ie the international night being held in Granton Primary school

• Build links and trust between different groups

• Get involved in political campaigning

• Establish a buddy system for people who are new to the area/ chum people to different activities

• Establish a group to take these ideas forward. 

Conclusion 

It was agreed to organise a meeting  in the next few weeks  for people who are interested in forming a group to  take forward these ideas.

Anna Hutchison who chaired the event then recited the following poem which she wrote in response to the plight of refugees around the world.

Hands Across the Water

Hands across the water

Hands beyond the seas

People living together

In perfect harmony

People helping others

Joining hands together

Sisters and brothers sharing, caring for you and me.

The event  concluded on a high note with a song.  The lyrics remind of us of our moral responsibility  to stand up not only for our own rights but also for the rights of others.

‘Something Inside So Strong’ – Labi Siffre

The higher you build your barriers
The taller I become
The farther you take my rights away
The faster I will run
You can deny me
You can decide to turn your face away
No matter, cos there’s….

Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
Tho’ you’re doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong

The more you refuse to hear my voice
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time
You squander wealth that’s mine
My light will shine so brightly
It will blind you
Cos there’s …

Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
Tho’ you’re doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong

Brothers and sisters
When they insist we’re just not good enough
When we know better
Just look ’em in the eyes and say
I’m gonna do it anyway
I’m gonna do it anyway

Something inside so strong
And I know that I can make it
Tho’ you’re doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong

Brothers and sisters
When they insist we’re just good not enough
When we know better
Just look ’em in the eyes and say
I’m gonna do it anyway
I’m gonna do it anyway
I’m gonna do it anyway
I’m gonna do it anyway

Because there’s something inside so strong
And I know that I can make it
Tho’ you’re doing me, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong

getting together 2 report