A local collection for a global community: how can we ensure our global communities are reflected in archive, museum and gallery collections?

This Keep Connected session homes in on how the contents of local archives, museum and gallery collections seldom represent multi-cultural communities like ours.

It will be led by Maya Sharma, local resident and Collections Engagement Officer at the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre & Education Trust. Maya will talk about how the RACE Centre & Education Trust works with global majority communities (global majority is a term that encompasses people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern descent, and recognises that together we form around 80% of the global population) in Greater Manchester to document, explore and share their histories, heritage and experiences.

Sibia Akhtar, from local organisation Ananna (Manchester Bangladeshi Women’s Organisation) will share how Ananna works with women to explore their rich cultural identity and heritage.

Maya will invite you to share your thoughts on questions such as:

Whose heritage and experiences are included in our local archives and collections? How do they find their way there? Where are the gaps, and why are there gaps?

During the session we will be using breakout rooms for discussion. If you are from the Global Majority we invite you to bring something to the session that you feel, in whatever way, speaks of your heritage and identity. This can be something tangible or intangible.

Please note: this session focus on global majority culture, traditions and heritage. We welcome participants from all communities, but discussions will centre the voices and experiences of people of the global majority. If you don’t feel included in this but are interested – please come along! There will be room for your thoughts and questions.

Platt Hall Keep Connected: A local collection for a global community.