Community Arts North West, CivicLeicester and Manchester Poetry Library presents the Manchester launch of Black Lives Matter: Poems for a New World anthology as part of The Festival of Libraries

People across the globe are rallying against the killing of Black people by the police and against racism, racialised inequality, discrimination, violence and oppression. Artists continue to speak out, through their work, about these injustices and their work is a profound reflection on our society and a powerful call to action.

Hosted by the writer, poet and performer, Yusra Warsama, the online event features powerful readings and performances from poets included in the anthology alongside creative responses from four Manchester poets – Gabriel, Jade Williams, Jova, and Medulla, offering a powerful and dynamic, poetic dialogue.

A panel including Ambrose Musiyiwa, Shirley May (Director of Young Identity and Honourary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature) Cheryl Martin (Co-Artistic Director of Commonword, Manchester‘s Black-led literature organisation) and Becky Swain (Director of Manchester Poetry Library) will share their reflections on the importance of poetry, activism and the Black Lives Matter movement to Manchester.

Black Lives Matter: Poems for a New World, published in November 2020, presents poems and short prose from around the world responding to Black Lives Matter. The anthology was initiated by Ambrose Musiyiwa of Civic Leicester in July 2020.

About the organisers

CivicLeicester is an indy publisher that uses events, video, photography, social media, print and digital media to highlight conversations. Books published include Black Lives Matter: Poems for a New World and Per terra e per mare: Poesie per chi è in cerca di rifugio (translated by Pietro Deandrea).

Community Arts North West is a Manchester-based arts organisation working with urban communities across Greater Manchester to develop innovative creative projects with people whose voices are not normally heard in the mainstream.

Manchester Poetry Library is a public poetry library that welcomes all. As part of Manchester Metropolitan University, we host a collection of poetry and a year-round programme of events, and will be opening on Oxford Road in 2021.