Souls Centred

Reflections on our latest FACE X RCA Summit. A soulful take by Independent Academic & Cultural Facilitator - Adrianne Arendse.

“There are parts of me that I only notice when they unwind. One of them only relaxes in the presence of Brown and Black people in community.”

Voices of the future rooted in the past. Image credit Aisha Seriki

There are parts of me that I only notice when they unwind. One of them only relaxes in the presence of Brown and Black people in community. 

I begin to feel taller, more grounded and forget myself in the best way. Words and smiles come easier. I don't have to devote so much of myself to withholding, silencing parts of myself, to having to explain and validate and argue for parts of my experience of the worlds I walk through and endure.

“I can be myself in ways that don't diminish me.”

And I open, not to read threats and resistance before they arrive, but to connection which does arrive.

I can be myself in ways that don't diminish me.

All of this and more happened when I walked into The Hangar at RCA's Battersea Design and Innovation campus for the FACE Summit.

The word, family, comes up a lot in formal and informal exchanges at FACE. And, like family, there is room for support and contention, imperfection and bliss, commiseration and celebration. I stood in a room and saw brothers and sisters and met one of my other selves.

Generational wisdom. Image credit Aisha Seriki

“FACE is so much more than an organisation.”

It was my first Summit experience and in many cases it was my first face-to-face meeting with people I have grown to respect and love over the few years I’ve been a member.

FACE is so much more than an organisation. Witnessing the flow of conversation in the chair village during and between sessions, hearing our stories, our laughter, giving and receiving so many hugs... what came to me is that the work we are doing may never know an end but whatever it is we wish to be we already are: a community.