Celebrating Black History Month

October 2026

WAY’s Cultural Diversity Working Group, consisting of member volunteers from different cultural backgrounds and heritage, support WAY in ensuring that WAY’s diverse membership is seen and represented.

For the past few years, the Working Group has marked Black History Month in October within WAY through a range of different activities – from book discussions and quizzes to cook-alongs and online meet ups.

This year – with the theme of Honouring our Communities – the group offered the whole WAY community the chance to take part in a quiz, a writing workshop and a Zoom gathering.

On Thursday, 8 October, WAY members came together to honour their different communities through a series of short activities. It was a really lovely chance to stop and reflect.

WAY Ambassador Selina commented: “I took the opportunity to reflect on the power of my childhood community, surrounded by the strong Black women who have shaped the strong Black woman I am today.”

The session culminated in a short piece of group writing, which reflected on the power of community in grief.

Honouring our Grieving Community

Community – the language that grief learned to speak

A witness for all we bear

Carrying the pain together, sharing the weight

Acceptance and warmth await us there
A safe place to unmask, to cry and laugh

Relief to find others who understand

Hope offered from those further ahead

On this grieving trajectory

A sense of belonging, connection

Kindness and empathy like a warm hug

A cocoon, a shelter from those who don’t know

A space to let go – a no-judgement zone

Grieving together even when it feels so alone.

A lifeline of nodding heads; a quiet declaration

“I see you, I know”

WAY members came together again the following week on a Black History Month Social Zoom to talk, to connect and to support one another, helping to build community and break the sense of isolation that so often comes from young widowhood.

This year’s quiz celebrated Black communities through history and the everyday people who have made a difference to the lives of Black communities in the UK and around the world.