Welcome to Shutter Stories.
Every month, we will document our experience across writing and photography the previous month.
October was Black History Month and was chockful of events celebrating Black people around the world. Tagged Celebrating our Sisters, BHM2023 was committed to celebrating black women doing amazingly across their fields.
HSBC X NIYO Black History Month Founders Event
We are starting our report from behind, from our coverage work on October 30, 2023. At the HSBC headquarters in Birmingham, we covered the HSBC X NIYO Black History Month Founders event which celebrated black female founders in the region. There was a panel on what it means to be a black woman in business in the UK.
There was also a business pitch competition. Five businesses–eniye_beame (@meetbeame) of Beame, @ufeli_ani (of Gapeless / @gapeless), Ayanda Sibanda (Connxct_), Sola Efuwape (Nolla) and Pamela Aculey (Just like Me Books / @just_like_me_stories)–one winner. However, most of the business ideas are ideas that the world needs and will eventually find their place. Just give them time, they are all winners.
Andy Street, the Mayor of West Midlands (@andystreet_mayor) also had some encouraging words for the entrepreneurs in the region. The event was a good reminder that extraordinary Black women have always broken barriers, and shattered ceilings, and continue to rise. Catch all the tea on our Instagram.
Other events we covered in Birmingham were arts, research, and networking-related.
B Music Open Mic event featuring amazing poets from Birmingham on October 5. It was really nice to learn about the spoken word space in Birmingham. Capturing the moments within the Music space was quite a delight as well. Catch the highlights here.
The Reclaim Network research project at Digbeth Canals.
Friday, October 13, 2023, took us to the underbelly of Birmingham canals. Yes, the places many cities hide away from camera lenses. It was a delight to meet people interested in the canals; see the beauty of graffiti and small patches of land devoted to aquaculture around the Digbeth Canal. It was a rainy day in November so we did what we could. Pictures here.
Creative Circle to get our creative juices flowing. Thursday, October 26 was an early morning breakfast and networking session by Creative Alliance. Called Creative Circle, it is a networking session for creatives in the West Midlands. So, yes you can be grabbing a quick snack and chatting with your next client. Yes, that kind of setting. It was relaxing and fun. Shots here.
Until next time,
May your stories continue to click.
