Empowerment & Identity with Louis Byrne

Louis Byrne’s empowerment & identity movement named under the positive affirmation of I Can I Am and I Will (ICIAIW) joined forces with Vicky McClure’s sensational Dementia Choir on Monday 24th October, together they brought a heartening voice and positive identity message.

The community centre exhibition popped-up in the heart of Soho on the iconic Old Compton Street and, through empowerment & identity, was home to 18 hours of activities that touched hearts, minds and spirits.

Contagious positivity

The contagious positivity expressed itself through all the myriad moving parts for a seriously motivational Monday:

• A bespoke hairdressing atelier held appointments that were the heartland for this movement in the relationship between hairdresser and client and the positive effect of this upon both parties.
• The confessional booth – a place of private reflection leading to public pronouncement of a spoken manifestation of each part of I Can……I Am …… and I Will.
• There was a goggle box space to view the community voices heard in the confessional booth over the years, all played on a vintage TV VCR.
• A working studio workshop with photographer Liam Bundy capturing unique ICIAIW portraits.
• A projection exhibition showing artistically filmed clips of a few of the so-far thousands of participants who have shared their own personal stories, sorrows, joys, intentions and promises for the future. These were played on a huge 16ft screen that illuminated the room – a visual delight!
• The ICIAIW Journal was both on show and on sale, for those wanting to explore and document their own personal reflections and growth.

Louis commented, “This event was the culmination of my dream to bring wellness and hope to everyone. It was very specifically about meeting the need of those in the LBGTQIA+ communities too. Working with my great friend Vicky was the dream – to bring together all of our voices in a meaningful way.”

Inclusivity movement

The ICIAIW movement has cemented its place in the vast hairdressing industry and beyond. Louis brought it to life with his relentless and fervent belief in recovery and wholeness.

Louis founded ICIAIW four years ago. He and is fully open and accepting of his own story of trauma, addiction and living with an HIV diagnosis. His recovery journey is rooted in the very foundations of this ICIAIW movement. It now reaches into colleges, hairdressing and broader industry.

Vicky McClure’s Dementia Choir

The Old Compton Street space was flowing all day from the first appointment to the finest of musical finales. This was thanks to Vicky McClure’s Dementia Choir. They raised their voices and the hopes of the 170 gathered to raise awareness of this devastating condition. The evening closed with DJ sets by BBC Radio host Katie Owen and the fabulous Princess Julia.

Vicky McClure commented, “I’m very proud of my best friend Louis, of how far he has come. To see the choir performing bringing us together with the power of music was a night I shall treasure.”

If only all Mondays were so motivational.

To find out more about I Can I Am and I Will, visit the website HERE . To begin your journaling journey click HERE.