If you didnt make it on the night, here is the opening speech by founder Mryna Loy.
WELCOME EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO HELP US CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF BLACKBRIGHT WHICH WILL BRIGHTEN THE LIVES OF BMEs IN LUTON AND BENEFIT THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE PROCESS. AT LAST WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS RELEVANT TO US!
BLACKBRIGHT BECAME AN EMBRYO IN THE NEW YEAR WHEN I PONDERED ON WHAT TO DO FOR MY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION. IT HAD BEEN MY FIFTH YEAR BACK IN THE UK (AFTER SPENDING 12 YEARS IN AMERICA) AND ALREADY COMPLACENCY WAS SETTING IN. I LOOKED AROUND AND WONDERED WHAT IT WAS ABOUT THE BRITISH CULTURE THAT MADE MANY OF US SATISFIED WITH SIMPLY WORKING, WATCHING TV, SOCIALISING OCCASIONALLY AND MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS – I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING OVER AND ABOVE THE ROUTINE.
I WANTED TO FIND MENTORS WITHIN THE FAMILY OR COMMUNITY AND TO LOOK TO COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS FOR LEADERSHIP INSTEAD OF ASPIRING TO CELEBRITIES, OR LOOKING TO AMERICA FOR ROLE MODELS.
I CARRIED BACK WITH ME MANY OF AMERICA’S TRAIT SECRETS AND HARNESSED THEM TO BE USED IN BLACKBRIGHT, AND I AM HOPING THAT WITH THE RIGHT IMPETUS, STIMULUS, EDUCATION AND MOTIVATION, BLACKBRIGHT WILL HELP US LOOK TO OUR OWN FOR INSPIRATION AND DIRECTION.
SO HERE WE HAVE IT – THE FIRST EDITION OF BLACKBRIGHT NEWS. I BELIEVE BLACKBRIGHT WILL TAKE ITS OWN COURSE DEPENDING ON INPUT, CONTRIBUTIONS, SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. BLACKBRIGHT IS NOT A CLASS, GENDER OR AGE SPECIFIC PUBLICATION - EVERYONE IS INVITED TO WRITE SOMETHING THAT REPLICATES OUR KEY OBJECTIVES TO STIMULATE, EDUCATE MOTIVATE AND ELEVATE SO THAT THE MAGAZINE WILL HAVE OVERALL APPEAL (ALTHOUGH WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED SUBMISSIONS SO THE NEXT ISSUE IS NEARLY COMPLETE!)
FINALLY, MAKE SURE YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF YOUR FREE MAGAZINE. PLEASE WRITE YOUR NAME DOWN BEFORE YOU LEAVE IF YOU WANT FUTURE ISSUES AT ONLY £1.50 PER COPY – DIONNE (OUR PRESENTER) WILL BE OBTAINING DETAILS DURING THE BREAK FROM THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SUBSCRIBING, RESERVING COPIES OR WRITING FOR THE MAGAZINE - AND PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT SINCE THIS MAGAZINE IS SELF-FUNDED THAT EVEN IF 1% OF THE COMMUNITY SUBSCRIBE, THAT ALONE WILL GUARANTEE BLACKBRIGHT’S FUTURE.
TO THANK YOU FOR COMING ‘THE OTHER SIDE OF TOURISM’ IS ON SALE AT £5.00 FOR THIS EVENING ONLY AND THERE IS AN EXTRACT IN THE MAGAZINE CALLED ‘JAMAICA NEW CULTURE’ IF YOU NEED CONVINCING.
ENJOY THE ENTERTAINMENT AND THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING AND I CALL DIONNE JULES TO INTRODUCE OUR NEXT GUEST.
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