A Bring and Share heritage event held was at the Library at Willesden Green on the 9th September 2017. A wide age group attended, including children and while the majority of attendees were from the Black Muslim communities, as the event had intended, there was also a mixture of ethnicities.

The three-hour event was to inform and garner interest from the black Muslim communities in Brent for the ‘Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project’. It was also a chance for the community to share their stories and memories with us. This was done primarily through the ‘Memory Lane’ map, where individuals could write down, locate and indicate specific spaces and places that were important in the story of the different African, Afro-Caribbean and black Muslim communities in Brent. The activity proved popular and we managed to locate ten different spaces, including cafes, private houses, and sports grounds, for example, used by the communities in the past.

Several attendees brought in family memorabilia, with one attendee bringing in a medal and certificate awarded to his father in 1981 for services to the Sierra Leone High Commission in London. All items were scanned and will form part of the project’s archival collection.

There were spoken word performances from Hodan Yusuf, Mohamed Mohamed, Ali Kamara and Ahmed Ikhlas. Hodan Yusuf performed two poems written especially for the occasion focusing on identity and heritage. One poem in particular resulted in a spontaneous and emotive debate regarding the experiences of the different communities in London and the hardships that were faced by individuals not only in the past but also in the present day.

Spoken Word Performances:

Mohamed Mohamed – ‘First Day at Dugsi’

Mohamed Mohamed aka Mohamed Writes is a poet and founder of Muslims Poets UK Network. Here he performs the poem ‘First Day at Dugsi’ at the Everyday Muslim Bring and Share Event at Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project.

Mohamed Mohamed – ‘One of Those’

Mohamed Mohamed aka Mohamed Writes is a poet and founder of Muslims Poets UK Network. Here he performs the poem ‘One of Those’ at the Everyday Muslim Bring and Share Event at Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project.

Mohamed Mohamed – ‘Hoarder’

Mohamed Mohamed aka Mohamed Writes is a poet and founder of Muslims Poets UK Network. Here he performs the poem ‘Hoarder’ at the Everyday Muslim Bring and Share Event at Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project

Hodan Yusuf – ‘I Am’

Hodan Yusuf is a writer, poet, multimedia freelance journalist, and photographer. Here she performs ‘I Am’ at the Everyday Muslim Bring and Share Event at Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project.

Hodan Yusuf – ‘Racism, Rights and Resistance’

Hodan Yusuf is a writer, poet, multimedia freelance journalist, and photographer. Here she performs ‘Racism, Rights and Resistance’ at the Everyday Muslim Bring and Share Event at Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project.

Hodan Yusuf – ‘Heritage’

Hodan Yusuf is a writer, poet, multimedia freelance journalist, and photographer. Here she performs Heritage – a poem written especially for our Bring and Share Event at Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project.

Ahmad Ikhlas – Black Gold

Ahmad Ikhlas is a British born Jamaican convert to Islam who uses expresses his heritage, identity and faith through music and poetry. Here he performs Black Gold at Everyday Muslim’s Bring and Share Event in Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project.

Ahmad Ikhlas

Ahmad Ikhlas is a British born Jamaican convert to Islam who uses expresses his heritage, identity and faith through music and poetry. Here he performs at Everyday Muslim’s Bring and Share Event in Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project.

Ali Kamara – Free World

Writer and nasheed artist Ali Kamara performs at Everyday Muslim’s Bring and Share Event in Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project.

Ali Kamara – One God

Writer and nasheed artist Ali Kamara performs at Everyday Muslim’s Bring and Share Event in Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project.

Ali Kamara – Ramadan

Writer and nasheed artist Ali Kamara performs at Everyday Muslim’s Bring and Share Event in Willesden Library as part of the launch of The Heritage Story of Black British Muslims in London Project