Celebrating our Sisters Through Song. For Black History Month and this year’s theme is ‘Celebrating our Sisters’!    

The Community Team would like to commemorate Black History Month with an event featuring performances by the women who participate in the Women’s Centre singing activities. Music has been a source of healing, creativity, and storytelling throughout Black history and continues to be an outlet of expression for many of the women involved at Hibiscus. It was also a lovely opportunity for some of the women, partners and funders to meet our new CEO, Baljit Banga.

The event included a presentation on the importance of music throughout Black history and the positive impact it has on the women at Hibiscus, followed by a setlist of songs composed, performed, and/or inspired by Black women, and closed with complementary snacks and beverages.

Alessia’s words on her time with the women, how she spent time training them and how was her experience:

“I’ve been collaborating with Hibiscus and running a singing workshop at the women’s center for 5 years now. My workshop is called The healing power of music: it was designed and created as a tool to empower vulnerable people, especially to overcome an abuse.

Many of the women attending are regulars and others have joined only recently. It’s for me an amazing opportunity of watching the transformation happening: music is transformative, it has a healing power that can affect your experience as a human being. Singing with others have positive effects on mood, musicality, coordination and empathy.

I’ve noticed they often get to the session looking discouraged or just sad and they leave with a smile on their face. They’re very committed and focused, particularly when there is an event coming up, they get very excited and motivated.

They’ve worked hard for the Black History Month event at Hibiscus. We had a chat about what songs to perform for the event and some of them suggested new songs. We put down a set list for the event. I checked the songs out and quickly taught them in a short amount of time. They work well under (my) pressure and are able to contain their anxiety and put their problems aside when they’re at the singing sessions, or performing in front of an audience.”

We thank Alessia and everyone who was part of the success of this event.