PRESS RELEASE
A Cultural Evening Celebrating Young Windrush Generation Talent and Legacy
The Office of the Windrush Commissioner is proud to present We Are Windrush, a special cultural evening celebrating the talent, heritage and legacy of the young Windrush generation. The event takes place on Thursday 11 June 2026, 6pm–10pm at Legacy COE, Birmingham.
We Are Windrush brings together young creatives, performers, educators and storytellers to explore what the Windrush story means for a new generation, and what it means for them personally. Featuring inspiring panel conversations, live performances, personal reflections and delicious food, the evening is designed to be welcoming, celebratory and thought-provoking.
The event is part of the Commissioner’s ongoing programme of community engagement across the country, bringing the work of the office directly to communities and ensuring that young people with Caribbean or Commonwealth heritage know their rights, their history, and the support available to them.
Independent Windrush Commissioner, Reverend Clive Foster said:
“The Windrush generation came to Britain in good faith, worked hard, built communities, and helped shape this country into what it is today. Their descendants carry that legacy forward, and this evening is our opportunity to celebrate that, through conversation, creativity, and culture.
“But it is also a chance to ensure that young people with Caribbean or Commonwealth heritage know their history, understand their rights, and are aware that support may be available to them and their families. I am looking forward to a truly special evening and to hearing directly from the next generation about what Windrush means to them.”
Many young people are unaware that they may be eligible for compensation or confirmation of status through a wider family member’s connection to the Home Office Windrush Scandal. The We Are Windrush event is an opportunity to learn more in a relaxed setting, and to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of the Windrush generation to British life.
Confirmed guests include:
Hosting the evening:
- Rakeem Omar – award-winning investigative journalist, BBC Radio 1Xtra presenter and documentary filmmaker.
Panel: Identity, Heritage & Windrush:
- CASHH (artist and lived experience storyteller),
- Keecia Ellis (founder of Rekodi Music, formerly Universal Music Group, Sony and MTV).
Panel: Justice, Legacy & the Future:
- Ify Iwobi (pianist, composer and co-founder of Black Welsh Music Awards),
- Kayne Kawasaki (cultural theorist and UK Black history educator),
- Eden McKenzie-Goddard (author, SMALLIE, Penguin Viking 2026).
Performers:
- Casey Bailey (former Birmingham Poet Laureate),
- Priscilla Cameron (singer and songwriter, The Voice UK 2020),
- Janel Antoneshia (Jamaican-born singer and songwriter),
- Ify Iwobi and Wade (BBC Radio Wales A-List pianist and soulful vocalist duo),
- Jada Pink (London-based DJ and Caribbean sounds specialist).
The Office of the Windrush Commissioner is delighted that Sandie Okoro, Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, will also be joining us on the evening, reflecting the University’s commitment to celebrating diversity, heritage and the contributions of Caribbean and Commonwealth communities to British life.
Free tickets are available now at https://we-are-windrush.eventbrite.co.uk.