Podcast series : Covid Conversations, Black Perspective

source: Red Earth Collective
published: September 2020

Over the summer The Red Earth Collective produced a radio advertising campaign and a series of podcasts and interviews to support the wellbeing of Birmingham's African and Caribbean communities around the impacts of COVID-19. Catalyst Director Sandra Griffiths is the Founder and Company Director of The Red Earth Collective that uses the arts to stimulate conversations about mental health.

The campaign  funded by the Heart of England Community Foundation was broadcast through Newstyle Radio, which is Birmingham's main African and Caribbean community radio station, with weekly audiences of approximately 35,000 people.

The adverts  focused on the importance of taking care of yourself and taking simple steps to do so and emphasised that "by caring for yourself, you are better able to care for others". The Campaign  engaged with three well known figures from Birmingham's Black African and Caribbean communities to lead the campaign. Tony Kelly an ambassador for Diabetes UK and Lorna Laidlaw, Birmingham based actress, writer and dramatist who is currently starring in Coronation Street, voiced one of the radio adverts. Nikki Tapper Broadcaster, journalist and radio presenter on BBC WM, presented and produced a series of podcasts called 'Exploring the Impacts of COVID 19 on Black Communities in the Midlands'.

Nikki Tapper worked with The Red Earth Collective to produce six podcasts entitled 'Covid Conversations' where guests from Black communities across the Midlands explored the mental health  on African and Caribbean people.

The first podcast featured Tippa Naphtali, a Catalyst 4 Change Director, and Alicia Spence, CEO of African Caribbean Community Initiative reflecting on mental health services and campaign responses and the experiences of supporting black communities during COVID 19.

Covid Conversations was launched live on Newstyle Radio 98.7FM on Wednesday 26 August on the Mid Morning Conversation Show hosted by presenter LJ Hunter.



You can hear the latest episodes on New Style Radio each Wednesday afternoon between 12 and 1 on the Mid-Morning Conversation show until 30 September. You can also listen  to the podcast on Spotify : www.open.spotify.com/show/7CaQTmNg6wcRngqs2J9Gs6

For more information about the podcasts and The Red Earth Collective visit their website – redearthcollective.org or follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @RedEarthConnect