Celebration is an important part of Synergi’s work, partly because there can be more emphasis placed on emotions of pain and fear when talking about being from a Black or person of colour (BPOC) background. We often hear a trauma narrative. However, those in this field know that the warmth we feel when connecting with our community are also central and critical to the work. We didn’t just inherit suffering from our ancestors, but resilience and joy.

Over the last 40 years the work of people from racialised communities with lived experience of mental health distress has been undocumented.

We want to recognise that we are building on this long history of liberation work by developing an archive and exhibition programme. It will demonstrate the importance of this lineage as an important site for understanding and addressing the intersection of mental health and racial inequalities.

We want to acknowledge, honour and celebrate what has come before, envisioning ‘remembrance as resistance’.

We also want to showcase current grassroots activism and plan to celebrate both past and current work together in various ways. We will be working on a zine on mental health and abolition, and will be inviting paid contributions from our network. We’ll end this cycle of the work with a celebratory in person event in 2024. Let’s come together in solidarity re-imagining a different future for our communities.

More information to follow.