Telling Tales: Stories from the Descendants of the Windrush Generation

Join five free creative workshops led by Dr Nydia Swaby and Rianna Raymond-Williams every Wednesday in November to explore your connections to the Windrush generation.

This is a paid opportunity for young Black people aged 16-18 years old and participants will receive £100 for attending all workshops. Please note that places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

What is the story of the Windrush?

When SS Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks on 22 June 1948, it brought one of the largest groups of British Caribbean migrants to the United Kingdom.

A critical event in Britain’s history, reflective of its transformation from ‘de seat a de Empire’ to a nation undergoing ‘colonisation in reverse’ (Bennett, 1966), this ageing cargo vessel turned passenger ship now marks a symbolic moment in the making of ‘Black Britain’ and the social and cultural life of the descendants of the Windrush generation. 

Through different forms of storytelling – from family history to fiction, poetry, and spoken word – this five-week course aims to work with young descendants of the Windrush generation to connect with their histories and to share dialogue on themes such as migration, food, music, spirituality, identity, place, and belonging.

You will be encouraged to reflect on your histories as young descendants of Windrush and how these journeys have informed your current-day experiences as young Black Londoners, whilst also gaining an opportunity to better understand the art of creative storytelling and its impact within cultural institutions. 

Who is this course for?

This course is aimed at young people aged 16-18 who are Black (this includes Black African, Black Caribbean and Black Mixed Heritage). You might have an interest in storytelling, archiving and cultural production although this is not essential criteria.

What will you get out of the course?

• You will be able to work with the course facilitators to explore your own stories related to the Empire Windrush and develop a creative response to this
• You will be able to design a final event at the National Maritime Museum to present your creative responses to the project on 30 November
• You will develop skills in storytelling, communication, presentation and working with others
• You will form connections with other young people
• You will receive a participation fee of £100 if you are able to attend all sessions (£20 per session)
• You will receive certificates to mark your completion of the course

What is the course commitment? 

The course will run at the following times:

Dates	Time	Location
2 November	4pm-5.30pm	Online via Zoom
9 November	4pm-5.30pm	Online via Zoom
16 November	4pm-5.30pm	Online via Zoom
23 November	4pm-5.30pm	Online via Zoom
30 November	4pm-6pm	Onsite at the National Maritime Museum

You will receive a payment of £100 if you're able to attend all five workshops.

We ask that participants attend all five sessions, to get the most out of the experience and attend with an open mind and interest in sharing space and stories with others. 

The course will culminate in a final event at the National Maritime Museum where participants will share their creative responses.

How to sign up for the course

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please email cpaddock@rmg.co.uk to reserve your place on the course. 

Course leaders

Dr Nydia A Swaby

Dr Nydia A. Swaby is the inaugural Caird Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery and the National Maritime Museum.

Her practice engages archives, auto/ethnography, photography, the moving image, and the imagination to explore the gendered and diasporic dimensions of Black being and becoming. Nydia is an editor of Feminist Review and curator at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

She is currently writing a speculative biography about pan-African feminist Amy Ashwood Garvey that uses her archive, life, and activism to ask broader questions about Black feminist archives and archival research. 

Rianna Raymond Williams

Rianna Raymond Williams is a PhD student at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in London. Her research aims to explore how Black Caribbean women in the UK experience sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care.

Rianna has 10 years of experience working in sexual and reproductive healthcare. She is the founder and managing director of Shine ALOUD UK, which uses creative media and peer-led training to empower young people – and adults who work with young people – to make empowered sexual health choices.