BREAK THE STIGMA: Threads of Truth, Your Story Matters
An Emotional Wellness, Storytelling and Creativity Experience
This powerful theme weaves together the imagery of threads, representing the small yet significant pieces of our lives with the affirmation that every story matters, no matter how tangled, messy, or incomplete it may feel.
The convention will explore how storytelling through art, textile traditions, writing and performance can transform silence into healing and reshape personal and collective identity.
Participants will learn to find strength and connection in their truths, to mend and celebrate the hidden and visible threads of their lives.
Objectives:
. Validate emotional and mental wellness journeys by providing a safe space to share and create
. Challenge the stigma surrounding grief, loss, and trauma through open dialogue and creative expression
. Empower individuals to find purpose and connection in their stories
. Use art and storytelling as tools for healing, advocacy, and transformation
. Strengthen community bonds and honour intergenerational resilience
Day 1: VIRTUAL SEMINAR
Days: Friday, October 24th, 2025 Time: 5 PM - 8 PM Venue: ZOOM
Day 2: STORYTELLING & CREATIVITY EXPERIENCE
Date: Saturday, October 25th, 2025 Time: 12 PM - 8 PM Venue: Leonardo Hotel Milton Keynes, 300 Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes MK9 2HP
Day 1 - 3:
3 - Day Textile Exhibition & Workshops Date: Friday 24th - Sunday 26th, October 2025 Time: 12pm - 6pm daily Venue: THE BOX ARTS CENTRAL, 20, Burners Lane, Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes MK11 3HB
TICKET OPTIONS
EARLY BIRD: £25 (SALE ENDS ON SEPTEMBER 30TH)
- Ticket Admits 1 into All Segments; Virtual Seminar, Conference, Gala & Creativity Night, Fashion Show segments, Exhibition & Workshops - Includes: Teas, coffee, & snacks - 3 course meal + drinks - Entry into Art & Textile Exhibition - Wellness Workshop - Creativity Resources - Entertainment Experience - Gift bag
TICKETS £30
- Ticket Admits 1 into All Segments; Virtual Seminar, Conference, Gala & Creativity Night, Fashion Show segments, Exhibition & Workshops - Includes: Teas, coffee, & snacks - 3 course meal + drinks - Entry into Art & Textile Exhibition - Wellness Workshop - Creativity Resources - Entertainment Experience - Gift bag
EARLY BIRD TABLE OF 10: £225 (SALE ENDS ON SEPTEMBER 30TH)
- Ticket Admits 10 into All Segments; Virtual Seminar, Conference, Gala & Creativity Night, Fashion Show segments, Exhibition & Workshops - Includes: Teas, coffee, & snacks - 3 course meal + drinks - Entry into Art & Textile Exhibition - Wellness Workshop - Creativity Resources - Entertainment Experience - Gift bag
TABLE OF 10 TICKETS: £300
- Ticket Admits 10 into All Segments; Virtual Seminar, Conference, Gala & Creativity Night, Fashion Show segments, Exhibition & Workshops - Includes: Teas, coffee, & snacks - 3 course meal + drinks - Entry into Art & Textile Exhibition - Wellness Workshop - Creativity Resources - Entertainment Experience - Gift bag
“Everyone’s story is a thread in a collective tapestry of resilience and hope”
What To Expect:
- Keynote Speeches
- Guest Speeches
- Panel Sessions
- Wellness Workshop
- Creativity Workshops
- Guest Performances
- 3-course Meals & Drinks
- Fashion Show
- Networking
- Art & Textile Exhibition
- Guest DJ
- Much More
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS:
VIRTUAL SEMINAR:
- Keynote Addresses and Guest Speeches by thought leaders and mental health professionals
- Panel Discussions on grief, stigma, trauma and the transformative power of storytelling
- Workshops in creative journaling, textile art, mosaic collage, spoken word poetry, and digital storytelling
CREATIVE EXPRESSION SESSIONS:
- Memory Box & Mosaic Workshops: Participants create personal memory boxes to honour their stories and loved ones
- Threads of Truth Textile Lab: Collaborative art installations using fabrics, threads, weaving and collage to symbolise healing
- Legacy Journals: Guided exercises to capture personal narratives and visions for the future via Creative Journaling
CONFERENCE AND CREATIVITY NIGHT
- A moving celebration of resilience through:
- AFRICA ON THE RUNWAY: Wearable Art Parade showcasing textile pieces, jewellery, headdresses, accessories and wearable tributes
- Performance Poetry & Storytelling – amplifying unheard voices
- Story Wall Installations – multimedia displays of participant art and reflections
- Cultural entertainment, Spoken word poetry and digital storytelling
TARGET AUDIENCE:
- Bereaved and trauma-impacted individuals
- African and diaspora communities
- Mental health and wellness professionals
- Artists, storytellers, and healers
- Allies and advocates for emotional wellness and stigma reduction
EXPECTED OUTCOME:
- Narrative Reclamation: Participants begin to rewrite their trauma stories from a place of strength, transforming pain into purpose and to reclaim ownership of their identity and future.
- Empowerment: Participants leave with practical tools for emotional healing and self-expression
- Community Connection: Stronger networks of support and shared understanding
- Reduced Stigma: Open conversations that challenge harmful beliefs and normalise vulnerability
- Creative Legacy: Collective art pieces and personal memory boxes as tangible affirmations of each story’s value.
Join us as we:
- Honour our scars as symbols of survival.
- Transform pain into power through creativity.
- Celebrate the beauty and significance of every story.
MEET OUR MAIN SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS
A BIT ABOUT AWWORG:
African Wonder Women Organisation CIC, AWWOrg (Company No: 14204212) is a not-for-profit organisation registered and operating from the United Kingdom. Through our flagship programmes and wellness seminars, we support the bereaved, traumatised, and oppressed, particularly African widows, vulnerable women and young girls.
We provide a safe space where those who have been affected by traumatic experiences can express themselves, share their stories, and feel supported. We also empower those in need with knowledge and skills for emotional wellness, employability, and financial freedom, so they can become emotionally stable and valued members of their communities.
We aim to ‘Redefine Widowhood and Strengthen Relationships’ and do this mainly through 1:1 support, seminars, workshops, empowerment initiatives, and via our flagship programmes.
BACKGROUND:
Inspired by the personal journey of our convener, Princess Folaji Fasanya-Omoyeni, and other African widows, AWWOrgCIC is here to support the bereaved, especially those bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic, the traumatised and oppressed, particularly African widows, women, and young girls.
After losing her beloved husband to COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and with no reference points for this kind of loss, Princess Folaji Fasanya-Omoyeni, experienced unspeakable trauma, emotional distress and profound grief.
Furthermore, this loss exposed the real effects of bereavement, stigma, stereotype, negative traditions and biases associated with widowhood in the Nigerian culture and in many parts of Africa. African Wonder Women Organisation CIC (AWWOrgCOC) was born in her place of deep pain and trauma.
The experience of bereavement and life-changing trauma leaves individuals grappling with the fragments of memory, identity and emotional pain. In many communities, especially within African and diaspora cultures, stigma, shame, and silence often surround these experiences, making healing an even more isolated journey.
EVERY EMOTION IS VALID Convention emerges as a bold response to these experiences, and this year’s theme, “BREAK THE STIGMA: Threads of Truth, Your Story Still Matters,” is an immersive theme that centres on creativity, community, and the power of storytelling as emotional healing.
Rooted in the belief that every story matters and EVERY EMOTION IS VALID, this gathering offers a unique opportunity to honour our histories, transform our pain into art and amplify the collective voice of the bereaved, stigmatised, traumatised and oppressed.