Spirit of the Act at Ranelagh

‘BEN Okafor inspired me to think about slavery in the world today. I want to use my art to get a message across to others,’ said a year eleven student at Ranelagh Church of England Secondary School in Bracknell, the most recent venue to host the diocesan ‘Spirit of the Act’ (SOTA) project. A member of year ten said: ‘I gained so much last week. Ben gave me confidence to write about my feelings’.

Ben Okafor, singer, song-writer, poet and story-teller, is working as an artist in residence with SOTA, a joint project of the Diocesan Committee for Racial Justice and the Board for Social Responsibility. Taking the bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade as its starting point, and using the creative arts as a medium for activity and discussion, the project is working with schools, colleges, churches and community groups to explore the nature of slavery today. What is the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, and how can this be transformed? What are the forces that enslave us still, and how can we work to overcome them? At Ranelagh the students explored issues of war, racism and other forms of discrimination and injustice, but they also reflected on their own personal identities, and shared stories of many people, both famous and ordinary, who have been inspired to change the world.

Kathy Winrow, Headteacher, said, ‘It was a joy and inspiration to welcome Ben Okafor for three days at the start of December. We were delighted to have him in school – working with students from Year seven through to the Sixth Form in different subject areas. The youngsters were amazed by his own story – as a child soldier in Biafra and as a refugee in the midst of the Nigeria/Biafra war. They were inspired by his commitment, his creative energy, his interest in them as individuals and his affirmation of the values of Ranelagh. It was great to see students getting involved and being given the opportunity to perform alongside him at the evening concert. A fantastic three days.’

The SOTA project continues throughout 2008 in High Wycombe (January 15 to 18); Abingdon College (April 1 to 3); Christ the Cornerstone Milton Keynes (April 4 and 5), and other venues yet to be confirmed.

Further details are available from alison.webster@oxford.
anglican.org.

Alison Webster is the Social Responsibility Adviser for the diocese of Oxford.