Please follow and like us:

By The Voice
London – A NEW web based initiative, aimed at helping women in the creative industries use technology was launched at City Hall last week.

The Digital Women website will teach women how to use technology and social networking to their professional advantage. Labour politician Jennette Arnold, GLA member for North East London who hosted the event, highlighted the significance of a digital platform particularly for women from culturally diverse backgrounds.

She said: “It’s been said that the creative world and the digital world is at the heart of the world economy.

“Women from the diaspora need access to this area, we need training…we need networks and some people are frightened about networking, [but] I say you cannot achieve anything in life without them.”

Founded by Joy Francis and Julie Tomlin of Words of Colour Productions – a social enterprise that has created programmes for writers since 2005 – the initiative has attracted support from high profile women such as Diane Abbott MP, cultural critic Bonnie Greer and children’s laureate Malorie Blackman.
Francis, executive director of Colour Productions said: “Amid swinging cuts to the arts, women creative practitioners are increasingly turning to social media to showcase their work.

“Women particularly from black and minority ethnic backgrounds want a central point of connection to share ideas, learn new skills and reach wider audiences. Digital Women UK will work with them to achieve that.”

ADVICE

The website offers creative practitioners advice and training on how to use social media as well as opinion, interviews and on line discussions and debates.

It has already carried out research on women’s perception of social media and will focus on improving the skills and confidence of social media users.

Minna Salami, a professional blogger, writer and commentator on African feminism, society and popular culture, runs the award-winning blog MsAfropolitan.

Recalling her own digital journey at the event she said: “When Joy and Julie got in touch with me to be involved in Digital Women UK I was truly excited because this to me is what is really important, the fact that with an on line presence you are able to create something which is so vibrant that the powers that be can’t really ignore us any more. I think for the first time in history women, especially women of colour
-The Voice

Please follow and like us:

Comments

comments