Women's Equality Network (WEN) Wales

Do you have any plans for International Women’s Day 2023? The theme is #EmbraceEquity and the Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales needs your help!

With 5.8 million small businesses in the UK; collectively the small business community can have a hugely positive impact on society. But currently, only 2% of UK charities’ income comes from businesses, compared to 43% from individuals. We want to play a part in moving the needle on that 2% and are keen to increase our support from small businesses, to enable us to achieve our vision of a Wales free from gender discrimination.

Work for Good is an easy way for small businesses to donate to us through their sales! By pledging a donation via our Work for Good page, businesses can donate in a legal, simple and sustainable way that works for them.

We’re living in a world where people increasingly want to buy from and champion businesses that are led by their values and we’d really appreciate the opportunity to talk to any businesses who’d be interested in putting their purpose alongside profit.

So here’s where you can help: we’d love to hear from you if you own or work for a business that wants to donate a small % or £ amount of sales to WEN Wales for International Women’s Day. This can be for the whole month of March, the week of IWD (6^th March – 12^th March) or just for the day on 8^th March 2023 – your pledge is in your hands.

From altruistic accountants to compassionate crafters; we believe businesses can have a powerful, positive impact, whatever their size.

Please do get in touch if you can help at shannon@wenwales.org.uk or sign up directly via Work for Good and choose the Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales.

Thank you in advance for your support, which is greatly appreciated.

Cymraeg: https://wenwales.org.uk/cy/relive-wen-cafe-diversity-and-inclusion-in-the-arts/

On Wednesday 26^th October we came together at a WEN event in person for the first time since 2019 – this was the first hybrid WEN Cafe event, with an in-person panel at the Temple of Peace in Cardiff streamed online to attendees across Wales. We launched the WEN Cafe series of events during the pandemic, and to see the format make its way to a physical venue with the opportunity to interact with panellists and audiences face-to-face was a special moment for Team WEN. Thank you to all who joined us on the day, whether that was in person or over Zoom.

If you missed it, or simply would like to watch again, you can watch the panel on Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts via YouTube.

Panel Lineup

– Cara Walker, Creative Associate from theatre company Fio

– Ify Iwobi, musician and composer

– Jessica Dunrod, writer and author

– Nicole Bird, member of learning disabled drag troupe House of Deviant

Cara spoke about growing up as often the only, or one of the only, people of colour in arts environments and how that dynamic played out in casting for shows like Hairspray and Casualty. She began to think the arts were not a space for her and made a foray into science before realising she had to go back to her artistic roots. That’s when she met Creative Director of Fio Sita Thomas. Being a part of Fio meant having people of colour all around her as role models, for the first time in her life. The space enabled her to hone her creativity and bring her perspective as a young black woman in Wales to the fore as a Creative Associate at the company.

The support of a group was also a theme that came up for Nicole, performing as a drag queen as part of Wales’ first and only learning disabled drag troupe House of Deviant. The House of Deviant project is described as a vehicle to explore self-esteem and autonomy with adults with learning disabilities, and Nicole says that performing as her alter ego Flossie Sunshine makes her feel fabulous and happy. She would tell her past self to be brave.

Jessica, Wales’ first Black children’s author, spoke about the barriers she has faced to being published as a Black author and called for publishers and gatekeepers to do better and publish more Black authors. Looking back at her experiences at school, where she was the only Black pupil in the class, the institutional barriers and racism that she faced are much clearer to her now. She says she would explain to her 16-year-old self what George Floyd meant so that she would understand this at an earlier age.

When asked the same question of what advice she would give to her 16-year-old self, Ify spoke about the importance she places on putting yourself out there and paving the way for yourself. Cara agrees – she would tell herself to be the change she wants to see. She was dealing with a lot of anger and frustration during the re-emergence of Black Lives Matter, and it was a challenge to channel those emotions into something good – which she is now doing through her art. Jessica, through her experiences in the literary industry, has learned to trust in herself and her own expertise – the particular expertise that only she can bring to the table. She doesn’t feel that she’s overcome the barriers she’s faced, but she’s kept going.

In the record industry, Ify discussed the relative lack of local record labels distributing Black music and the struggle to get the support to be nurtured as an artist of colour. Again, support networks emerged as a key need in order to remain resilient in an industry where those support networks for minoritised people can be rare. For Cara, being resilient is about taking the barriers you face and using them as motivation, otherwise they will tear you apart. “I think that’s what a lot of art is – it’s about using the horrible things that have happened to you and turning them into something beautiful.”

Nicole has found resilience and pride as part of House of Deviant, as have the other members of the drag troupe – “We are proud of who we are!” House of Deviant’s next show is at the Riverfront Theatre in Newport, on Saturday 10^th December at 8pm – book your tickets here. Nicole also takes part in Gig Buddies Cymru, a befriending project that matches people with a learning disability with a volunteer who shares the same interests, so they can go to gigs and other events together. She explained that this scheme enables her to go out and have fun.

Looking to the future, panellists want to see more diverse faces in the media, particularly behind the scenes and at the top of the hierarchy. They want the routes into the arts to be easier for the generations that follow them – and they’re doing so much of the work that will make that possible.

To hear all this and much more from the panel, watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8-Qb35FF_A

An opportunity for Ukrainian women in Wales to connect with community organisations, Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt, and one another.

When: 21^st July at 12pm

Price: FREE

Where: Zoom

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wen-cafe-ukrainian-women-in-wales-tickets-371084251987

About this event:

This WEN Cafe is an opportunity to bring together Ukrainian women refugees in Wales - to discuss support needs, connect with community organisations, share experiences, and relay concerns to Deputy Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, who will be present. A Ukrainian interpreter will be present.

Mae’r Caffi RhCM hwn yn gyfle i ddod â ffoaduriaid benywaidd o Wcrain yng Nghymru ynghyd – i drafod anghenion cymorth, cysylltu â sefydliadau cymunedol, rhannu profiadau, a chyfleu pryderon i’r Dirprwy Weinidog dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, Jane Hutt, a fydd yn bresennol. Bydd cyfieithydd Wcreineg yn bresennol.