Julz Davis, in his own words is “a creativist, a carnivalist, a champion of new talent, constantly curious about creative new ideas that ignite imagination for positive change.”
He is the External Relationships Manager for Ujima Radio and one of the organisers of the St Paul’s Carnival. His family heritage is Jamaica and Guyana and he grew up in the Knowle West area of Bristol.
His current passion is the Black to Nature event. This has developed out of the Green and Black project, which he dreamed up “over a cup of Fairtrade coffee” with the now Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees.
As part of Bristol’s status as European Green Capital 2015, the Green and Black project’s aim was to give Black Asian Minority-Ethnic (BAME) people in Bristol opportunities to be inspired by and to engage with green issues.
Julz and the Green and Black ambassadors have been asked by the WWT (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) at Slimbridge to run an event – Black to Nature – to help WWT understand how they can attract more BAME people to Slimbridge. They want inclusion to be at the heart of everything they do.
Passionate about the countryside, Julz says: “Wherever you are, nature is beautiful, wonderful and wild. Being in it is enriching and we all deserve it.
“Tens of thousands of birds fly into Slimbridge over the year and many of them come from parts of the world some readers might call home.”
“I want everyone to feel they can go there and enjoy everything it has to offer.”
The Black to Nature event will ask a wide range of participants to look at how Slimbridge communicates with the public and what it could change to become more attractive to BAME people. Julz suggests that language, images, cultural heritage of staff and who they communicate with, will all play a part.
He wants language to be less off-putting or patronising.
Concepts such as ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ is something black people have always done, he says. “We call it living. We have always had to live with less; going as far back even to the days of slavery, we’ve managed on the scraps we were given.
“It’s also important to remember that the countryside shouldn’t feel alien to black people. Our heritage is mostly a rural, farming one. We are used to being there, being in nature. We just don’t call it that; we call it home.
“Also, we will tune out if we don’t see ourselves reflected in the images used in websites, leaflets etc. If all we see are white people, then we won’t feel it’s for us.”
These are challenges that many rurally-based organisations face, but Julz is also adamant that the black community needs to join in more. He says: “I am often the only black person in the room and that can feel uncomfortable, however we need to participate if things are to change.
“Anyone who would like to come along will be very, very welcome.”
Black to Nature event details.
Transport is available for both sessions and on January 19th, participants will receive a fee of £25 per person as well as lunch.
19th Jan. 10am – 4pm Research workshop at St Werburgh’s City Farm
21st Jan. 11am – 4pm a tour of Slimbridge Wetlands Centre.
How to attend the event
Email Julz projects@ujimaradio.com putting ‘nature’ in the subject line. Deadline for booking is Jan 12th2017.
Text Julz on 07719869562
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