At Women for Refugee Women, we support women seeking safety from all across the world, many of whom are Black women. 

So, when October came, we celebrated Black History Month! 

Redefining Black Communities Through Labels 

In our Drama class, we explored labels: how society has historically attached certain labels to Black communities and how these prejudices have shaped the way Black people are seen and understood. 

While acknowledging this history, we invited women to redefine their communities in their own words. Together, they explored the qualities that lie at the heart of their communities and celebrated values that deserve recognition. 

Through creative activities, our drama members handcrafted their own labels, giving shape to the communities they hold dear.  

Their words spoke volumes: 

‘Our community has empathy.’ 

‘My community has a common hub for coming together as one.’ 

‘Our community is a pillar to our mental health.’ 

Each label carries the weight of what community means to the women themselves: a place of connection, understanding and mutual support, shedding light on the resilience, courage and unity found within each refugee woman we support. 

Reconnecting with Queer African Heritage  

In Rainbow Sisters, our queer solidarity group for LGBTQ+ women seeking safety, we explored the rich and diverse histories of LGBTQIA+ people across the African continent. 

Looking beyond modern stereotypes, we learned about African cultures and histories in which diverse gender expressions, same-sex relationships, and people who did not conform to conventional gender roles were recognised, respected and embraced.  

Taking it further, we also explored how colonial rules imposed laws and social norms that criminalised and penalised queerness, reinforced binary gender norms and compulsory heterosexuality across Africa. 

For many queer women seeking safety because of their sexuality, this represents an important step in their journey of reconciliation: recognising that queerness is neither foreign to nor in conflict with their heritage. Instead, their sexuality and heritage are integral, coherent parts of who they are. 

One of our Rainbow Sisters, Olubunmi, wrote a beautiful reflection on Black History Month, which you can read below.

Black History Month by Olubunmi  

For me, Black History Month is not just about the past. It is about who we are right now. 

As a Black woman, I have learned strength, resilience, and grace from those who came before me. 

As a bisexual woman, I have learned courage – the courage to live openly, to love openly, and to be true to myself even when the world does not always understand. 

And as a member of Rainbow Sisters, I have learned the power of sisterhood. We are African, Caribbean, from all over the world, bisexual, lesbian, queer – we are many stories, but one family. 

Our history is not only in books. Our history is in this Rainbow sisters group.  Every time we support each other, every time we care for our community, every time we refuse to be invisible – we are making Black history. 

My sisters, you belong. Your story matters. Your colour is beautiful, your love is valid, and your voice is needed. 

Thank you. 

Happy Black History Month. 

Our Stories, Our History 

From redefining labels to reconnecting with queer African heritage, these activities created space for women to explore their heritage, reclaim their identities and celebrate their communities. 

Olubunmi’s words capture the spirit of Black History Month: Black history is not only something we look back on from afar, but something we continue to create through our everyday actions.  

For Black women seeking safety, it is about owning their stories and refusing to be invisible. 

Happy Black History Month from all at Women for Refugee Women!