Research project launches into experience of ethnic minorities

The research is being carried out during her role as New Talent Immersion Fellow for South West Creative Technology Network, and Louisa hopes to explore how it feels to be visibly different to the wider community in rural areas such as the west country.

Louisa is hoping people will share their stories through text, images and audio, which will be showcased on a new blog: www.whereareyourreallyfrom.co.uk

She will also be creating a new series of Podcasts exploring the issues black and minority ethnic people can face in rural areas. She will be holding several recording days to gather audio for the Podcasts across December 2018 and January 2019, the first of which will be in Dorchester on December 16.

Louisa, who is of English and Ghanaian heritage, has written extensively on the experiences of black and minority people in the area. She says, ‘To be black or brown in the south west is a very unusual experience. Although it has become more diverse here, we are still very mono-cultural compared to other areas of the UK. My aim is to showcase some of these stories so that the white community can begin to understand some of the difficulties we face. It’s not always about overt racism, although that happens, but the daily subtle discrimination, often from people who have no idea they are being racist and don’t intend to be, can really affect your sense of self.’

The first audio recording day will be held on Sunday, December 16, at Borough Gardens House, Dorchester, between 10am and 3pm. Refreshments will be provided, and the venue is full accessible.

To book an interview slot at this event, for further information, or to discuss other ways you can take part in the project, please email Louisa: louisaparker3@hotmail.com, or contact her via her website www.louisaadjoaparker.com

To find out more about the South West Creative Technology Network and their other research fellowships, visit www.swctn.org.uk