From June – July 2025 in London, the Migrants Organise community came together to enjoy live music events, picnics, gardening, painting, art, creative writing sessions, storytelling, as well as doing the 10km London Legal Walk together.
This blog looks back at what we learnt from practising the annual Resilience Festival together.
“As we step into tomorrow, know this, that light will only grow stronger. Our future is not an echo of the past but a canvas awaiting new brilliance. We carry the wisdom of what was but we are defined by the boundless hope of what can be. It means there’s always hope on the road.” Member and volunteer Mulugeta
The Migrants Organise Resilience Festival is our annual summer festival, celebrating hope, community and solidarity. We see resilience as something we create together, in moments of connection and relationships.
From June – July in London we came together and practised resilience through 60 activities; together from live music events, picnics, gardening, painting, art, creative writing sessions, storytelling, as well as doing the 10km London Legal Walk together.
For us, resilience is a communal practice of care, rather than an individual capacity.
Here are 8 things we learnt along the way:
NATURE HEALS
The healing properties of nature are well documented. But, we know that racialised communities have less access to green spaces and areas of natural beauty.
This summer, we faced multiple heatwaves, many of our members who were living in small rooms in asylum accommodation or shelters struggled to stay cool.
We came together for trips to areas of beauty, such as a day with our Palestinian members to Kew Gardens and encouraged each other into green spaces together. Whilst our popular gardening group grew plants and food for us all to enjoy.
COMMUNITY IS A SUPERPOWER
‘Community is a Superpower’ was the theme of this year’s Refugee Week- which ran alongside the Resilience Festival.
Our community is a shared community of people who have moved here for a whole range of reasons – for safety and protection, to work, to study or for love. Our members build community alongside community organisers, volunteers and caseworkers who fight every day to make the world more welcoming.
As racist anti-migrant policies seek to divide us, our acts of bringing people together to build capacity and resources is an act of resistance!
DANCE IS FREE. DANCE IS RESISTANCE.
Nothing can stop the joy and laughter when music is played.
From ‘Bethan’s Big Boogie Beats’ group to ‘Thiru’s Movement Sessions’, we’re struck by how dance is a big part of life for our members. Throughout the festival we were struck by the joy dance and movement brought to us, as well as the musical contributions brought to us through members, such as Davood and his Tar.
Migrants Organise members have some rhythm, and we’re unstoppable!
Check out our brilliant dance group perform to Azonto by Fuse ODG a song about the joy of self-expression through the Ghanaian “azonto” dance.
BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER NOURISHES US
At Migrants Organise we’re enriched by incredible chefs from a global community. During the festival we enjoyed Onome’s West African Jollof, Ameera’s Palestinian Makloubeh to mention a few. Our Caseworker also enjoyed cooking Pasta Al Pesto when we hosted a family day- the kids were delighted.
We’re lucky enough to have a small kitchen in our offices, members who are living in hotel rooms in asylum accommodation do not have access to kitchens.
So having the space and a little freedom to join us, choose what to cook and make for others is a beautiful thing and one that everyone appreciates.
WE NEED TO GET LOUDER
Having access to well resourced and good quality legal aid is a lifeline for many of our members.
It’s astounding then that the legal aid system had not, until recently, seen a funding increase since 1996. Whilst we welcomed the news that this government would provide more funding to the legal aid system- in reality spending is still lower than it was in 2010! After 30 years of neglect we know this scale of the crisis requires a deeper commitment.
In June our members came together to demand action on legal aid. The legal aid crisis is driving people into homelessness, destitution, detention and deportation. We need urgent government action – not sticking plaster solutions. Check out our action at the London Legal Walk
FOOTBALL CAN CONNECTS US
Manchester City? Arsenal? Real Madrid? Nah! They can move over. We now have a grassroots team from Migrants Organise. Our members football team- with players from Gaza, Sudan and beyond- met every week during the festival.
Whilst we’re not quite a formal football club yet, we know that our squad have the determination and tenacity to win.
For our members who are stuck in small hotel rooms, with little control or information of how their asylum case is progressing and with distressing news coming from home; having a moment to connect over a much loved game of football is key to reclaiming power. Football, dance, art, music , food, these are all ways we connect to each other.
WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS
“Our community is built by those who came before us”
During the arts and storytelling session led by our member and volunteer Thiru, one of our members drew a shield with his ancestors on it to represent what community meant for him.
He explained that the stories and legacies of his ancestors formed part of who he is, and who he feels nourished by, today. This was a powerful reminder of where so much of our knowledge and power to resist injustice comes from – we stand on the shoulders of giants!
WE CAN’T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU
Resilience is a collective practice, and with your solidarity we can keep creating the survival resources and infrastructure needed for people to rebuild their lives here.
Please consider donating to our summer fundraiser – money goes directly to emergency situations e.g. for new arrivals who require toiletries, clothing, mobile phones or even to find short term accommodation in situations where someone finds themselves street homeless.
Every donation is appreciated.
We’re so grateful to have had this time with our community, to learn new things and laugh together. From storytelling, daily motivational whatsapp messages to family days we made some wonderful memories.
Our members said:
“I can’t thank you enough for being such an incredible support during this challenging time. Your encouragement has meant the world to me! I’m also super grateful for the amazing videos you shared—they’ve been a huge boost for my mental health, helped combat loneliness, and added some fun to my days! Thank you for everything!” Yohannes
“The artwork and the whole project gave me a warm and peaceful feeling. It shows how strong and creative people can be, even after difficult experiences.” Mikheil
Thank you to our members, staff, volunteers, funders and to you our supporters for helping us to make this happen. Solidarity!
Migrants Organise provides a platform for refugees and migrants to organise for power, dignity and justice. We combine advice and support for individuals subjected to hostile immigration policies with grassroots organising, advocacy, research and campaigning to dismantle structural racism. Read more.
