Taking place this Sunday, 28 January, Be Kind Bristol is day of creativity celebrating the lives and talents of Bristol’s refugee and asylum seeker community. Co-curated by a steering group of creative individuals from the community, Bristol Beacon will be filled with music, dance, poetry, puppetry and crafts from 12-4pm.
Within the Be Kind steering group no fewer than 12 different languages are spoken. The event’s theme and title, Be Kind, was put forward by the group as a call to action to all, to be open hearted and non-judgemental when they encounter people who seek sanctuary. The group have planned the event to give a platform to the rich tapestry of diverse refugee and migrant identities that make up the fabric of Bristol.
Ahead of the event, meet the members of the group and their experience working on Be Kind Bristol.
Image above: Left to right – Be Kind Steering group member Gibrilla Kamara, Bristol Beacon Creative Producer Lu Bristow, Be Kind Steering group member Sevilay Kaya & Steering group facilitator MoYah
Sevilay Kaya
“I am Sevilay, a Bristol-based graphic designer/illustrator. I migrated from Turkey to the UK about three years ago. I studied law in Turkey and worked as a lawyer for about five years. However, since I did not feel happy in this field, I also took graphic design training in 2018 and tried to improve myself. When I first came to the UK, I established my company to provide legal consultancy services. A year later, believing I could create job opportunities, I added graphic design as a business line. And as a migrant, I care about working on projects that support migrants and refugees.
I was very excited when I first heard about Bristol Beacon’s ‘Be Kind Bristol’ event. I am delighted to be a part of the steering group and design the artwork for the event.
“Bristol has always embraced different cultures and has a friendly approach, which is why I love being here. I hope ‘Be Kind Bristol’ will be a pioneer in celebrating diversity and will have a wonderful impact.”
Maria Faiomy
Maria is an Artist and workshop facilitator. “I’m an active member of BRAC (Bristol Refugee Artists Collective). I have participated in many art exhibitions around Bristol. I love making art and using fabrics material and creating embroidery, crochet, and felting projects. I’m a small business owner selling crochet products for under my page on Instagram @Mariah_craftart.
Part of my joy is conducting Art workshops for adults and kids. I’ve had the honour to work with many organisations in Bristol.”
“Being part if the Be Kind festival steering group gave me the opportunity to share my ideas and thoughts in a creative way”
Sherien Elsheikh
Sherien Elsheikh is multimedia artist. She is a sociable person who enjoys collaborating with others. She was born in Libya and raised in Sudan. She has studied graphic design, interior design, and photography. She is working for a few charities and organisations and is a member of BRAC.
Sherien is delivering art for a wellbeing workshop (facilitating and coordinating). Her art showcases the vibrancy of these cultures through the use of strong colours, which she uses to express herself. It’s inspiring to see how her art is a reflection of her life experiences and cultural background.
Sherien has been associated with BRAC for more than five years, even before it rebranded itself as BRAC. Working alongside individuals from various backgrounds and ethnicities is highly satisfying for her.
Her art pieces are expressions of her connection to her community and her deep sense of compassion. She showcases her love for the place she lives in and the people around her through her works. The majority of her work she is exhibiting at Be Kind Bristol is on fabric and wet/dry felting, and she has created a few watercolour paintings on canvas with stitching.
“It’s nice to have the opportunity for asylum seekers and refugees to celebrate together at Bristol Beacon. I love how the main building in Bristol opens its doors to other communities and makes them feel welcome. Bristol is a great place to live because you never feel alone, you always feel like you belong.”
Gibrilla Kamara
“I am Gibrilla Kamara (Gbo), 33 years old, from Sierra Leone, West Africa. Following the conflict, I spent 7 years living on the streets of Freetown, navigating a challenging environment to discover my true self and envision my future.
In 2011, I took a significant step in my journey by joining Irean organisation that provided free training to disadvantaged youth. During this period, I immersed myself in learning filmmaking, photography, and audio engineering. I serve as a music studio engineer, collaborating and supporting other youth who face limited prospects for their future and other community projects. Additionally, I work within the prison system, producing music and teaching incarcerated youth, teaching them music production, mixing, and mastering.
Music and arts have given my life purpose and meaning again. I was once a lost soul, a deeply traumatized youth in my community, with hope nobody sees. Coming from a community with violence, bullying, and a high poverty rate, I witnessed many unemployed youth, drugs, depression, and trauma.
Navigating through these challenges was a formidable battle. However, doing sound, visual arts, and photography transformed my perspective on the issues plaguing my community. Formerly harbouring anger, I have redirected my energy towards using the arts to assist others, treating every individual with dignity, respect, and compassion, regardless of their background.
Coming to Bristol Beacon has greatly improved my experience. Being part of the steering group has allowed me to contribute to organizing events and showcasing my work. It has enabled me to connect with people in the arts community – valuable relationships that enrich my artistic journey.
In the midst of adversity, I have found purpose and meaning, and my journey serves as a testament to the transformative power of creativity and empathy.
“The staff and the team [at Bristol Beacon] are incredibly encouraging and helpful, providing me with valuable support. This environment not only boosts my confidence but also give me hope for the future.”
Junainah
“I’m Junainah, a final-year Law student at the University of Bristol. I am actively involved in Student Action for Refugees (STAR), a nationwide network of students dedicated to fostering understanding and acceptance within society to create welcoming environments for refugees to thrive in. As a member of the Bristol chapter, I collaborate with local organisations to organize impactful events and deepen our knowledge about refugee rights, protection, and opportunities in Bristol.
In my dual role within STAR, I lead the Conversation Club sessions held every Thursday at the Central Library; these sessions provide a platform for engaging discussions with a diverse group of learners. Additionally, I am involved in constructing and coordinating both internal events, such as information evenings, and external events like Be Kind Bristol.
I am honoured to be part of the Steering Group at Bristol Beacon for the upcoming Be Kind Bristol event. I am optimistic that the event will be a source of joy and meaningful for all involved.”
“Over the past few months, witnessing the evolution of this initiative—from a summer brainstorming session to the creation of advertisements in autumn and meticulous planning for the event day—has been an enthralling experience.”
MoYah
MoYah is an artist, events programmer and workshop facilitator who has been working with the steering group on this project.
An Afro-fusion artist hailing from war-torn Mozambique, stands as a testament to resilience and creativity. Forced to flee his homeland amidst a 16-year conflict, he found solace in the diverse musical palette provided by his parents and the impactful world of Rap while living in Lisbon. Influenced by the realisation that music could transcend entertainment, MoYah transformed his experiences into a powerful tool for self-exploration and social expression. As a child of the African Diaspora, his music reflects the struggles, faith, and strength born from war and displacement.
“As a person from a refugee lived experience it’s been really impactful to me to not only see the voices of other refugees included, but right at the centre of the project, leading and putting forward valuable ideas in the steering group sessions we held, and sharing their vision of how they felt they would like to be represented throughout the project. The group has responded extremely positively to the brief of the event and are excited to see their vision come to life.”
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