Beats, rhymes, bass lines and revolutionary rhythms

Description

Join Roger Griffith as he talks about the history of black music and it's continued influence on the music we all love to listen to today. This is a launch event for Black History Month.

Dr Roger Griffith MBE is a writer, social activist and consultant and CEO of his community consultancy Creative Connex.

Kim Samuels (Director of the UWE Gospel Choir) joins us for interactive fun activities led by members of the UWE Gospel Choir. Organised in association with the Centre for Music.

About

Roger has a passion for sharing cultural stories, global observations and insights on race, culture and social inequality. He has worked to promote diversity for over 30 years. He cites his lived and learned experience as being central to his career rising from years of unemployment during the turbulent 1980s, to becoming a senior housing manager for Bristol City Council.

He is the former Chair of Ujima Radio and broadcaster known as The G-Man at the award-winning community radio station. He was awarded the 2018 Lord Mayor's Medal for his community and voluntary work on race equality and received an MBE for his work in Diversity and Arts in 2019. He has a broad and diverse career, including lecturing at UWE Bristol. He is also a creative producer and sits on the Arts Council England South-West board.

In 2022, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in Arts by UWE Bristol. Roger is currently working on several writing projects including his first novel and debut play.