African Wonder Women Organisation, AWWOrg, an advocacy initiative targeted at widows, the bereaved and victims of trauma, is set to host the inaugural edition of her annual emotional wellness convention, Every Emotion is Valid, EEIV.

Themed ‘Break the Stigma: Spotlighting and Tackling Stigma in the Black and African Community’, this year’s edition, according to Princess Folaji Fasanya-Omoyeni, Convener,Every Emotion Is Valid, will highlight stigma-reduction efforts aimed at improving mental health.

“It will also begin the conversation to identify and address the strong lack of respect for people, which is affecting the Black and African community negatively.

“The Black African population is the fastest growing and largest black group in the UK. Hence, it is imperative that we address issues that affect our community within a collective, safe and progressive environment,” she reiterated.

She added that the Keynote Speaker for the event slated for October 21, 2023, in Milton Keynes, England, will be Chief (Mrs.)Nike Davies-Okundaye, (aka Mama Nike), an African icon, award-winning artist and social entrepreneur, who will be speaking on ‘Promoting Creativity as a Mental Wellness Tool for Combating Stigma’.

Speaking further on the rationale behind the initiative, Fasanya-Omoyeni elaborated: “Widowhood is a club no woman subscribed to and according to the United Nations, widows are referred to as ‘The Forgotten Community’.

“However, AWWOrg has been remembering, supporting and celebrating this phenomenal group of women and other bereaved people with virtual emotional wellness seminars since we launched in 2021.

“Due to popular demand, we decided to host our very first physical EEIV convention.”

She clarified that the convention will adopt a mental wellness, culture and creativity approach, and will seek unconventional ways to address societal issues aimed at helping attendees detox and leave refreshed, with renewed hope.

“It will also be packaged with lots of fun and engaging activities including panel discussions, workshops, entertainment, fashion show, and exhibition, to mention but few.

“As October is also ‘Black History Month’, we shall be celebrating ‘Blackness’ and incorporating cultural and creative entertainment,” she said.

Noting that the event will also be streamed live, Fasanya-Omoyeni urged well-meaning organisations and individuals with a shared vision to support the initiative.