PEOPLE OF BCA: Meet BCA Learning Manager Ayshah Johnston
As part of our International Women's Day celebrations we've been speaking to some of the women who work behind the scenes at BCA. In this article we speak to Ayshah Johnston, BCA's Learning and Programming Manager.
What’s your role at the BCA?
I manage the learning programme. This includes structured workshops and talks, as well as more general public engagement, to all age groups, from infants to elders.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
I prepare for the school workshops, university seminars and other learning sessions that have been booked in. I also run them myself. Sometimes I brief volunteers who want to assist on the programme. I meet with individuals and organisations who want to partner with BCA on various projects. I conduct archival research to discover new material that will enable us to offer a broad range of learning opportunities catering to all interests.
How did you become a learning manager? I heard you’re completing a PhD, what is it about?
My career background is in publishing and adult education, and from there I went into museum education where I freelanced until this opportunity came up. My PhD is about the development of social assistance in the Caribbean, from emancipation to the labour unrest of 1938.
What are people most excited or surprised to learn about in workshops?
People are excited to uncover evidence of the long history of African peoples in Britain, and children most enjoy interacting with objects relating to life in the past.
Why did you join the BCA?
I believe in the ethos of the organisation. The work reflects my own personal interests, identity and experience. To be able to combine one’s career and personal interests is a rare opportunity.
What is your favourite part of your job?
Talking! I like sharing information about the history of BCA and the collections which I find inspiring. I like it when visitors are enthusiastic and find some personal connection to an item or topic that we have discussed, or that they have learnt about or seen at BCA.
What should people know about BCA that they don't already?
That we’re here to stay! That we aim to document and celebrate the histories of ALL African and African descended people in the UK. Not all people know about our archive and library, which they can make an appointment to visit. The archive and the valuable historical information it contains is at the heart of our organisation, but we also host exhibitions and get involved in numerous community events.
What’s your favourite piece in BCA’s collection?
Everything! You’ll have to come back to me on that one.
QUICK FIRE ROUND
What’s your favourite book, film and song?
Songs: I’m going through a bit of an 80s revival, so the song of the moment is ‘More than This’ by Roxy Music.
Films: Spaghetti Westerns like ‘For a Few Dollars More’, and the modern send up of the genre ‘The Quick and the Dead’.
Books: Absolutely any historical novel, regardless of time, location or quality. I enjoyed the series of Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s books.
What’s an annoying habit that you have?
I don’t know because it probably doesn’t annoy me. Best to ask one of my colleagues.
Which three people, dead or alive, would you invite over for dinner? What would you cook for them?
I would pick from among the ancients and prophets because to learn directly from them would be more worthwhile than anything else I could imagine. I’d cook vegetarian food and present it in a way that promotes sharing and informality.
You can find out more about our Learning offer in the Learning section of our website