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Black Barcelona Encuentro


Black Barcelona Gathering was founded in 2016 by Deborah Ekoka and Silvia Albert Sopale and is part of the Hibiscus Association of Afro-Spanish and Afro-descendants also constituted in 2016, in order to put the ‘ Afro’ in the center

Black Barcelona Gathering is a space for the visibility, recognition and gathering of the African community, African and allies, our intention is to bring the African culture closer in order to deconstruct the stereotypes and ignorance that exists about it, and show us in all our diversity. Putting on the table the culture that emerges from the union of the two cultures to which we belong, through the different artistic disciplines, literature, theater, debates, talks, music, gastronomy and children’s games, with the intention of being a meeting point that serves as a platform to transform the vision that is held towards the African and Afrodescendant population, and to raise awareness to the fact that there are already several generations of afrodescendants born in Spain, and therefore we claim that we also belong to this territory in order to create our position at the identity level, through the social and cultural contributions made by the Afro community both in the past and at present.

The reason why?

Despite the fact that, according to the High Council of the Black Community in Spain (ACCNE), there are more than two million Spanish people of African descent, to which we should add the thousands of black immigrants living in the country, this is a reality unknown to many, excluding the televised phenomenon of migration. Beyond the general ignorance, there are enormous gaps in the education of our children and young people, which do not attend to deconstruction of the usual racist imaginaries.

Considering the lack of visibility and social participation which affects the African and Afro-descendant community, it is necessary to create cultural, artistic and social activities that promote it and strengthen the link between the Afro community itself and the increasingly multi-ethnic Catalan society.

The Black Barcelona Gathering is a reinforcement for the awareness of the afrodescendant community of the need to open new spaces, it is necessary to have an annual space for the performance of diversity, self-management, creativity and promotion of entrepreneurs; a space where through the different disciplines a diverse and empowering environment is consolidated, social art is the vital conduit through which the expressions of peoples are revealed more faithfully, manifesting their historical evolution, as well as the global heritage that leaves its traces in the world and of which we are all beneficiaries

 

Silvia Albert Sopale: co-founder and co-organizer  of Black Barcelona.. Actress and playwright, creator of the play No es país para Negras and Blackface y otras vergüenzas ; It’s not a country for blacks and Blackface and other disgraces.Co-founder of Tinta Negra, collective of actresses, actors and artists of the black diaspora in Catalonia. President of Hibiscus, association of Afro-Spanish and Afro-descendants and partner of t.i.c.t.a.c. Critical transfeminist workshop anti-racist combative.

 

Deborah Ekoka: co-founder and co-organizer of Black Barcelona. Cultural manager of the bookstore and cultural space United Minds in Valencia, , a cultural space specializing in African literature and the diaspora. Co-founder of Conciencia Afro, festival and space located in Matadero Madrid. Publisher of the book Metamba Miago. Stories and knowledge of Afro-Spanish women, a compilation of texts. She is also fpart of the group Crearte Educaacción Comunitaria where he teaches workshops in the community education field.

 

Karel Mena:  Co-organzier of Black Barcelona. She has worked as a producer for independent theatre companies and for alternative venues. She has been manager of the Association of Dance Professionals of Catalonia and the Association of Stage Creators Projecte Vaca. She worked as area counselor for the Barcelona City Council. hHe currently manages the company No es pais para negras and the economic management of Hibiscus, Association of Afro-Spanish and Afro-descendants

 

Maisa Sally-anna Perk: Co-organiser of Black Barcelona  She is a founding member of the Hibiscus Afro-Spanish and Afro-Descendants Association and of  Tinta Negra, a group of actresses, actors and artists of the Black Diaspora in Catalonia.Founder of  the artistic platform  ExpresArte Un escenario abierto founded in 2009 which nowadays organizes Poetry Jam events with as goal to deconstruct rumors; stereotypes and prejudism throught spokenword. Actress, creator and playwriter of the plays Black woman’s Word, The sky has no limit a children and theatrical tale A little black girl’.