In spring 2023, Making Sense commissioned four young artists to create new work inspired by themes of inclusion and anti-racism.
Ella Soni, Esme Wedderburn, Jordan Minga and Christine Bramwell have made several new works for the Making Sense Digital Platform.
‘MEMORY OF A CRADLE’ BY JORDAN MINGA
In trouble, they find me
In calm waters
In slow seas
I drift for days
Not starving, not afraid
Let the wind guide me
Let the wind rush across the world
and lift me with a small sale
I sail through waters unending.
Let life be a river to me
Let life rock and push guide
What I think is my purpose
I am not purposeful with all my actions
But there is a purpose for every single thing I do
In small acts in big moves
I take in and look at the world
Like grand ideas, it is all forming
I’m just making sure I’m present to see it
When it concludes
I grew up in a small cradle
As I grow, my cradle breaks
As I grow, my arms begin to hurt
My legs begin to…
Kicking baby boy
How have you grown here?
Kicking baby boy
How have you grown here?
ABOUT JORDAN MINGA
Jordan Minga, b. 2001 (he/they) is an artist, poet, tinkerer. Minga grew up Black British African in London. He is from Peckham in south London and is a first generation Ugandan in the UK. Minga’s poetry reflects his lived experience; he was diagnosed with Autism when he was 9 years old and never felt like he fit in; until now. He struggled a lot in his early years and didn’t do well in school but does not let that define him. He wants his creative work to help people define themselves; he is introspective, and that nature goes into all my work.
Minga is youth board member and an advisor to the trustees for London Youth and Crafts Council. Taking on the role of a youth worker at Spotlight, a youth service for Tower Hamlets and the wider area, gave him a greater understanding of what could be done to support the next generation. Minga also studied as part of the first cohort of the London Screen Academy in 2021 and is now studying at Ravensbourne University pursuing a degree in Broadcast Engineering.
ABOUT MAKING SENSE
Making Sense brings young people, educators and researchers together to explore themes of inclusion and anti-racism, through youth-led creative collectives, teacher training, conversation and resources.
The programme works in schools to offer creative learning opportunities for young people and development opportunities for teachers. These learnings are shared online through an evolving, interactive and informative digital platform. The platform is a space for building resources and sharing experiences that show how better understandings of our shared histories can improve experiences of school life.
Making Sense explores topics such as the impacts of Covid-19, experiences of racial inequality, questions around delivering a more inclusive curriculum, mental health and the possibilities that come from increasing community, agency and amplifying the voices of young people.
We hope that through Making Sense together we can create a learning framework that empowers us to identify and challenge inequalities in schools, that captures and champions the complexity of our shared journey and emboldens us to be the change we want to see.
Making Sense is supported by A New Direction, University of the Arts London CCW, Hauser & Wirth, The RSA, and Mercedes Zobel.