The beating heart of the festival, this stage will showcase an exciting line up of performers throughout the day.

• 11am - 11.20am African Drumming led by The Pan-African Society to open the festival, followed by speeches from Qian Zephaniah, Andrew Jones (Vice-Chancellor and President) and Jess Cox (English and Creating Writing)

Followed by performances from

• 11.20am - 11.30am Daljit Nagra 
• 11.30am - 11.40am Jayce Joyce
• 11.40am - 11.50am Calum Brazzo
• 11.50am - 12pm David McDonald
• 12pm - 12.10pm Grace Quansah (Akuba)
• 12.10pm - 12.20pm Jane Carmichael 
• 12.20pm - 12.30pm DJKAT THAT KAT - A - LYST

Rebels and Pilgrims present a line up of local talent

• 12.30pm - 12.50pm - Laurie O'Garro
• 12.50pm - 1.10pm Haroon Khan 
• 1.10pm - 1.30pm Julianne Gazzingan 
• 1.30pm - 1.50pm Nicole Reid
• 1.50pm - 2.10pm Charnjit Gill
• 2.10pm - 2.30pm Nomadix Libaax

Followed by a special performance from

• 2.30pm - 2.45pm Royal Society of Literature, a performance of their workshop outputs

Brunel Collectives present a line up of student talent

• 2.45pm - 2.50pm Tamsyn Down
• 2.50pm - 2.55pm Mira Mookerjee
• 2.55pm - 3pm Smiriti Sarma
• 3pm - 3.05pm Rowan Reddington
• 3.05pm - 3.10pm Libby Rochester 
• 3.10pm - 3.15pm Helen Williams
• 3.15pm - 3.20pm Emma Lindsey
• 3.20pm - 3.25pm Neelam Sharma

The Phoneix Prison Trust performance

• 3.25pm - 3.35pm Lisa Newman will read In-hale Ex-hale 

Expect a mixture of poetry and music from:

• 3.40pm - 5pm Henry Stone, David Larbi, Danieal and Casey Bailey

The festival closes with performances from:

• 5pm - 6pm Hannah Lowe, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Michael Rosen. Michael Rosen will recite Benjamin's poem Leave the Trees, Please. Closing remarks from from Qian Zephaniah and Andrew Jones (Vice-Chancellor and President). The Pan-African Society will close the festival. 

Step into this space where connection is key. Try a Tai Chi demo, watch the Fire Choir and drummers, or have a chat with amazing groups like Lit in Colour and Animal Aid

• 12.30pm - 1pm Tai Chi Demo by Clive Spring - Black Dragon School of Martial Arts
• 1pm - 1.30pm Fire Choir
• 2.00pm - 3.00pm African Drumming session led by The Pan-African Society

Visit the marquee to speak to:

• Acorn's Children Hospice
• Amnesty International
• Animal Aid
• Creative Writing Department, Brunel University of London
• Penguin Random House: Lit in Colour
• Royal Society of Literature
• The Vegan Society
• This is Book Love, will be in the Lecture Centre selling books from our performers
• The Prison Phoenix Trust
• The Writers Mosaic
• United Families and Friends Campaign

 Explore your mind and be inspired by our community exhibition, a paint by numbers installation or one of our workshops.

• 11.30am - 4pm Community Exhibition, Arts Center Foyer 
• 11.30am - 4pm Paint by Numbers Installation, Outside the Arts Centre

Stories can start anywhere and in these one-hour workshops, you'll get the chance to explore your imagination, plant seeds of stories and learn how to use a few basic tools of writing craft. You'll use a variety of multi-sensory approaches to relax and have fun with creating.

• 11.30am - 12.45pm Brunel Collectives Masterclass Workshop (Shireland Academy Only)
• 12.30pm - 1.30pm Brunel Collectives Masterclass Workshop "Story beginnings - Fiction (Beginners Class)
• 1.30pm - 2.30pm Brunel Collectives Masterclass Workshop "Poetry & Power" (Ages 12 and above)

Dive into powerful panel talks, inspiring performances and thought-provoking film screenings. All activity will take place across different rooms in the Lecture Centre. 

Performances | Lecture Centre, Room 062 | These performances will be livestreamed

• 11.30am - 12.30pm Global Majority Writers (GMW) will host a poetry session with performance related poetry themes on: race, food, environment, Windrush and mental health. GMW Poets: Benjamin Passions. Performers: Abíọ́dún Abdul, Mbeke Waseme, Annette Pateman and Yvonne Howard
• 1pm - 2pm Black Writers Guild will host a session which will start with a five minute Rhythm & Books performance - a collaboration between the writer Lola Jaye & the singer Eckoes. This will be followed by Politics, Poetry & Prose: The Power of Benjamin Zephaniah with performersfrom Nelson Abbey and Busayo Twins
• 2pm - 3.30pm WritersMosaic will host a poetry session with performances and a Q&A panel. Performers: Raymond Antrobus, Nii Ayikwei Parkes and Sana Nassari. 
• 3.30pm - 4pm Rebels and Pilgrims present poetry performances from Nomadic Libaax and Charn Gill. 

Performances | Lecture Centre, Room 061

• 11.30am - 1pm Poetry performances and a panel Q&A - 'How do you like your truth?' | Using our voices for freedom - from Congo to Sudan to Palestine. Performers: Siana Bangura, Shareefa Energy and the Busayo Twins
• 1.45pm - 2.30pm The Prison Phoenix Trust will host a session sharing their work and the impact Benjamin Zephaniah had on the organisation. Former PPT Director Sandy Chubb joins Lisa Newman and Dennis, who were supported by the charity to practise yoga and meditation when they were in jail. They’ll share their journeys and the impact these practises had on their lives. Lisa will also read Benjamin Zephaniah’s poem In-exhale from Freeing The Spirit, a book inspiring thousands behind bars.
• 2.45pm – 3.45pm Reggae Uprising Podcast's Live Show hosted by Danieal with special guest Abíọ́dún Abdul. 

Film screenings | Lecture Centre, Room 067 and 068

• 11.30am - 12.30pm TO DO WID ME (2019) by by Pamela Robertson-Pearce
• 12.30pm - 2pm Three short films on rotation. No Shoes Inside (2024) by Sean Dendere, HOME (2024) by Leahscreations, The Hidden Sounds of South Acton (2024) by Emile Ebrahim Kelly and Bollo Brook Youth Centre 
• 2pm - 3pm Footsteps of the Emperor (1999) by Professor Shawn Hailemariam Sobers with an introduction by Professor Sobers and Ras Benji, Fairfield House Bath CIC 
• 3pm - 4pm A repeat of the three short films from 12.30pm - 2pm.

More about the films

TO DO WID ME by Pamela Robertson-Pearce |2019 | Duration: 103 minutes Is a selection of Poems and a film portrait of Benjamin Zephaniah by Pamela Robertson-Pearce drawing on both live performances and informal interviews. The film shows him performing his poetry for different audiences and talking about his work, life, beliefs and much else. You see him live on stage at Ledbury Poetry Festival, Newcastle's Live Theatre, Hexham's Queen's Hall and Brunel University, and engaging with school children at Keats House in London, where he was writer-in-residence. The poems are drawn from his three Bloodaxe collections, City Psalms (1992), Propa Propaganda (1996) and Too Black, Too Strong (2001), as well as from his earlier collection The Dread Affair (1985).

No Shoes Inside by Sean Dendere | 2024 | Duration: 03:52 This short film is a semi-autobiographical exploration of how Sean, a second-generation British-Zimbabwean raised in Peterborough, observes himself and others interacting with the ideas of home. It showcases how ancestral roots become intertwined with rituals and explores the colourful yet complex nuances of different places, things and people attached to the home label. However, as identities and experiences blur, the question arises—what truly represents home?

HOME by Leahscreations | 2024 | Duration: 04:30 HOME was created for Gunnersbury Park Museum’s exhibition, People’s Unite: How Southall Changed the Country. Through a dancer’s symbolic journey at Southall Station, the film explores the area’s history, activism, and cultural influence. Blending home footage, it highlights how Southall’s legacy shaped Leah’s family’s creativity and musical influences. The filmmaker hopes it inspires others to explore their roots, embrace their identity, and connect with their community.

The Hidden Sounds of South Acton by Emile Ebrahim Kelly and Bollo Brook Youth Centre | 2024 | Duration: 04:00 Winner of JGA’s West London Film Competition, this film showcases the work and talent created in the music studio at Bollo Brook Youth Centre. Attended by hundreds of young people from across London it highlights the importance of supportive creative spaces. The film itself was scripted, acted, shot, and edited by a team of young people, for some of which it was their first time using professional equipment. It features artists C4Truth, Idz and Ky Lewis, with cameos from studio engineer BlackStar and rapper V.A.L

Footsteps of the Emperor by Professor Shawn Hailemariam Sobers |1999 | 50 minutes.  This television documentary directed by Professor Shawn Hailemariam Sobers and presented by esteemed poet Professor Benjamin Zephaniah. It delves into the fascinating period when Emperor Haile Selassie I, a pivotal figure in both Ethiopian and world history, lived in exile in Bath, England. Haile Selassie I is not only remembered as Ethiopia’s Emperor but is also revered within the Rastafari spiritual movement.

Join one of our workshops across the Lecture Centre to see where words, art, and activism come together!

• 11.30am - 1pm WritersMosaic will host an Adult Creative Writing Masterclass Speaking Out with Sana Nassari. LC, Room 010 Places are limited, so please arrive early to secure your spot! 
• 11am - 12.30pm The workshops below have been designed for community groups and are not open to the public. They will be delivered by the Creative Writing Department at Brunel in partnership with the Royal Society of Literature (RSL). 
  • Translation Poetry Workshops with RSL Fellows (community groups only), LC, Room 008
  • Translation Poetry Workshops with RSL Fellows (community groups only), LC, Room 012
  • Translation Poetry Workshops with RSL Fellows (community groups only), LC,Room 014
• 11.30am - 12.30pm SPIN - Apples and Snakes Children's Workshop.  Join poets Francesca Beard, Zohab Zee Khan and John Hegley for a fun-filled spoken word poetry show.  This is an interactive show where we guarantee you’ll want to be up on your feet, dancing and singing along. The show is suitable for age 7+ and is one hour long, made up of short performances. LC, Room 009 & 005
• 11.30am - 1pm Children's Poetry Workshop for 6+ years. LC, Room 011 & 015. Turkey's DO Talk! (and Other Real Life Stuff). Listen to Benjamin’s popular poems, from Talking Turkeys with renowned storyteller Sandra Agard and Kadija Sesay. Children will also get the chance to write a poem. These are drop in sessions lasting 90 minutes and all children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
• 2.30pm - 3.10pm Acorns Children's Hospice Workshop. LC, Room 008. Join us for an enlightening and compassionate workshop aimed at dispelling common myths surrounding children's hospices. This session will provide valuable insights into the vital role hospices play in supporting children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families. Through interactive discussions, presentations, and personal stories, we will explore the true essence of children's hospices, highlighting their focus on care, comfort, and making precious memories for children with short lives.

Former Open University lecturer, British Museum facilitator, award-winning storyteller, poet, writer, editor, English/Sociology tutor, digital content producer, Libraries campaigner, and activist, Akuba (aka Grace Quansah) founded Writing, Acting and Publishing Project for Youngsters (WAPPY) in 2008 (www.wappy.org.uk). With the Art of Mindfulness, it co won the Young Ealing Foundation Mindfulness & Well Being award in 2022 for its `Lockdown Life ` online offering during the COVID-19 pandemic. Published in twenty-four collections, she co-edited, the Soul of a Child, with Maureen Roberts, (2011), and Mame Nwia Amah, by Esther Ackah, with Eric Huntley (2015), and edited WAPPY’s Arts Council-funded anthology, ‘Wonderful World of WAPPY’ , (2018); the late Benjammin Zephaniah contributed an introductory chapter. In 2021 she contributed a back-cover commentary for Seema Gill’s ‘Lockdown Poetry’. With an interest in Black History 365 Akuba has developed several Black Heritage projects and digital content for schools and heritage sites including my Marcus Garvey-inspired ‘Unpacking That Trunk’, ‘The Story of Fela Sowande’, and ‘Passing the Time on the Windrush’ (2013-2023). She was Race Equality Officer for Ealing Labour (2019-2022) and elected as Labour Councillor for Walpole ward in Ealing (May 2022), and served as Consort to the Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Hitesh Tailor (2022-2023). One of my most recent memorable highlights was co facilitating a children’s-centred workshop with artist Anjan Saha to celebrate the life and works of the late British writer, poet, actor, musician, activist and professor of creative writing, Benjamin Zephaniah: https://ealing.news/arts-culture/remembering-benjamin zephaniah/. I have been teaching a range of subjects for more than 30 years including ‘A’ Level & GCSE Sociology, Health & Social Care modules, Black/African History modules, and English (KS1,2,3 & 4). In recent years, since the pandemic I have tutored English (SATs, 11+ Common Entrance exams & GCSE) online and Sociology ‘A’ Level. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and writing.

 Abíọ́dún is a Yorùbá-Nigerian Writer and UNESCO Global Poetry Slam Winner 2022. Her expressive writing includes life essays, diasporic travel stories and upcoming memoir-polemic series ‘Stained Glass Eyes: Race, Family and Multiculturalism’encompassing her schooling across Yorùbá-Nigeria, the UK and Japan (achieved through a Japanese Government scholarship). Book 1 is nearing publication and Book 2 comprises her PhD research funded by a UoN Faculty of Arts scholarship. She also writes Yorùbá-centred short stories and poetry on social justice as well as topics celebrating our common humanity.

As an English Language Lecturer & Assessor across the globe, she conceived initiatives promoting intercultural intelligence - 「あなたの感覚は何色ですか」What Colour Are Your Senses? - and combatting prejudice - The Scottish Racism Project - and her event series focusing on cultural and social themes of Yorùbá/Nigeria/Africa/Diaspora: YNAD Talks. She has been published in anthologies; writes/podcasts for literary magazines; performs at literary festivals/events; delivers writing workshops; and presents at academic conferences. Instagram: @abiodunoa

Sandra A. Agard is a professional storyteller, author, poet, playwright, literature consultant and cultural historian. She has worked in educational, cultural institutions, organisations and libraries for over forty years and has performed at festivals and events throughout the UK and the US. Sandra’s first book, Harriet Tubman: A Journey to Freedom was published in 2019. Her latest book is The Drum Maker and the Aziza.  In July 2022, Sandra became an Honorary Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature, receiving the RSL’s Benson Medal for Services to Literature. Sandra is a Learning Facilitator for Schools at the British Library, where she co-curated the Malorie Blackman Exhibition – The Power of Stories.

Raymond Antrobus has published three poetry collections, The Perseverance (Penned in the Margins, 2018), All The Names Given (Picador, 2021) and Signs, Music (Picador, 2024), for which he has won the Ted Hughes, Somerset Maugham and Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Awards. He became the first ever poet to be awarded the Rathbone Folio Prize (2019) for best work of literature in any genre. His poetry is studied at GCSE in schools and colleges, and he is also author of two children’s picturebooks, Can Bears Ski? (Walker Books, 2022), the first story to be broadcast on the BBC entirely in British Sign Language, and Terrible Horses (Walker Books, 2024) which was shortlisted for an Inclusive Books for Children Award 2025. 

Antrobus is an advocate for several D/deaf charities, including DeafKidz International and the National Deaf Children’s Society. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2020 and appointed an MBE in 2021. 

Casey Bailey is an award winning writer, performer and educator, born and raised in Nechells, Birmingham, UK. Casey was the Birmingham Poet Laureate 2020 - 2022.  

Casey has had three poetry books published and had his poetry published in a number of anthologies and journals. As a playwright, Casey has brought plays to the stage in Birmingham, Coventry and London, including GrimeBoy which had a sold out run at the Birmingham Rep. In 2022 Casey won a Royal Television Society award for a film for his poem “Dear Brum”. 

A number of organisations have commissioned pieces from Casey, including the BBC and the Royal Shakespeare Company and he has performed his work internationally. Casey is a fellow at the University of Worcester, and in 2021 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education by Newman University.

Siana Bangura (pronounced ‘see-anna’) is a multi-award winning playwright, writer, producer, and creative practitioner proudly hailing from South East London, currently living, working and creating between London and the West Midlands.

 She is the founder and former editor of Black British Feminist platform, No Fly on the WALL; author of poetry collection, ‘Elephant’; and the producer of ‘1500 & Counting’, a documentary film investigating deaths in custody and police brutality in the UK. She is also the founder of Courageous Films; Siana Bangura Productions; and co-founder and co-curator of the Sierra Leone Arts & Culture Festival (SLACfest).

 As a playwright, Siana’s recent works include the play ‘Swim, Aunty, Swim!’, which was named Best New Play at the UK Theatre Awards and recognised at the Black British Theatre Awards 2024.

Her short films include ‘Denim’ (2017), a poetic exploration of the gentrification of South East London. In the podcasting world, Siana is co-host of ‘Behind the Curtains’ podcast, produced in partnership with English Touring Theatre (ETT) and host of 'People Not War' podcast, produced in partnership with Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), where she was formerly a campaigner and co-ordinator. 

 With three TED Talks to her name, and a body of work focusing on issues of race, class, gender and their intersections, Siana’s mission across her vast portfolio is to help move voices and experiences traditionally marginalised, from the margins, to the centre.

 More at: @sianaarrgh | www.sianabangura.com 

 

Callum is extremely passionate about autistic and otherwise neurodivergent people. His own journey has been very difficult, but he has had poetry and spoken word as his saviour.He is now able to think outside of himself and give back to the community through his autistic lens.He gives back by sharing his life through performance poetry and other artistic means, as much of his content has often reflected an authentic experience as a previously undiagnosed therefore unrecognised and severely unhappy individual. (not that being autistic is a miserable experience, but cutting a longer story short!)"If you don’t get me, then you don’t get me

 

Francesca Beard is an internationally acclaimed poet who has written and performed nationally and abroad. She trained as a spoken word educator through the Apples and Snakes ‘Poetry in Education’ programme and has facilitated workshops in many different spaces, including a Bangkok shopping mall, the Tower of London and a Colombian prison. Currently, she is touring Francesca Beard’s Post-Truth Apocalypse while developing a new show, working title, Confabulation, supported by Arts Council, England. Apples and Snakes produced her very first one woman show, Chinese Whispers in 2003 and continues to be a career-long source of practical help, inspiration and snacks.

Jane has penned poems all her life, but only recently found the drive to perform publicly. Cancer, menopause, military wife life, disabled parents, motherhood, feminist rage and above all humour feature in her pessimistically optimistic writing. 

Sandy Chubb is a British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) teacher and Zen Teacher with the Oxford Zen Centre. She served as the Director of the Prison Phoenix Trust from 2000 to 2010,  writing several books on yoga and meditation to help prisoners practice in their cells. It was during her leadership of the charity that Benjamin Zephaniah joined as Patron.

Danieal's nationwide and international tours not only cite MOBO Unsigned, ITV Studios, The Institute & The NIA, amongst performing and hosting an array of festivals but more importantly gave her the priceless experience of sharing stages with many influential peers, such as The Abyssinians.

Her Reggae/Soul releases helped to inspire the creation of Reggae Uprising Podcast; a weekly show that she hosts empowering the heritage of the African Diaspora unified through the high frequency of Reggae music.

Summer hailed the release of her self produced music, created in gratitude to the ethos of Mento music. In celebrating the genesis of Mento and it's founders that created something from what some might see as nothing; she created her own sound through 11 songs by combining vocal sounds, everyday objects and sounds from nature. These songs of love, heritage and inspiration are a celebration of freedom.

Expect the unexpected. Expect Genreless.

Website |  www.danieal.live

YouTube |  @daniealmedia

Podcast |  Reggae Uprising Podcast

Store |  www.dgarms.live

DJKat the Katalyst has always been a rebel, demonstrating this through her unique style of poetry to her music she plays as a DJ, with influence from Miss Lou, Mutaburuka, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Benjamin Zephaniah.

 Throughout the years she has showcased different ideas through her social media platforms. One being “I’m light Skin” created in 2019 this discusses her being mixed race and facing social ignorance from many communities and still occurs to this day. 

IM LIGHT SKIN (Poetry).mp4

DJKat has had an opportunity to perform at Verve Poetry where Linton Kwesi Johnson shared the stage.

DJKat noticed her love of communicating and in many ways not being with traditional English and joined a poetic community called “Poetic Unity” where poems can be published where we are also able to perform in front of George the poet.

DJKat has also featured on a well-loved poetry show based in Birmingham (Take a listen)

https://www.mixcloud.com/BrumRadio/brum-radio-poets-with-rick-sanders-april-2024-28042024/

DJKat has throughout the years been performing poetry and would like to share a link to showcase her poems and as of recent performed with a band to express her love and passion for Ethiopia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv_8ms6QSoM&list=PL5-T3tL-lCYpW2kJXHW3VZIjdH_pVLOOY&pp=gAQB

@djkat_ @poetrydjkat

Tamsyn Down is a creative writing undergraduate, a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, and an aspiring writer and poet. Previous published work includes satirical articles in the ‘Chatty Chimp’, under her pseudonym Lady Tamsyn Marie. As a mature student, life experiences inform her writing. Tamsyn is a proud Mum to three adult children and two black cats. She also enjoys keeping fit, reading and volunteering at Parkrun.

Shareefa Energy is a working-class South Asian award-winning poet, writer, producer, activist, community organiser and creative campaigner challenging British state violence, based in Leicester and London. She is the author of poetry collection Galaxy Walk, endorsed by the late Benjamin Zephaniah. Her poetry has featured on BBC The One Show, Channel 4 and ITV. She's facilitated creative writing, poetry, storytelling and performance workshops internationally, from Palestine to Sierra Leone with schools, universities, academics, in prisons and immigration detention centres, with survivors of domestic violence and with those impacted by state violence. She facilitates nature, poetry and wellbeing workshops too. She is a long-term supporter of the Palestinian struggle for liberation and justice. www.shareefaenergy.com 

Julianne Gazzingan is a Filipino writer, spoken word artist and musician from London. 
 
With a background in Politics and International Relations, her writings and research are heavily inspired by themes of diasporic identity and creative sites of anti-colonial resistance and agency. 
 She uses instrumentals and poetry to further explore her own heritage by incorporating indigenous Filipino traditions in her work - particularly, Ibanag songs, proverbs and poems. 

Kadija George Sesay, FRSA, Hon FRSL is a literary activist. She has (co)edited several anthologies, the latest one is Encounters with Baldwin: Celebrating 100 Years. She is the founder of the ‘International Black Speculative Writing Festival’, and the ‘AfriPoeTree’ app. and  co-Director of the Inscribe Writers Development programme for Peepal Tree Press. She has received a doctorate and awards for her work in the creative arts.  Kadija is working on   Black Radical: The Political Poetry of Black Britain an anthology which she was co-editing with Benjamin Zephaniah.

Charnjit Gill has an MA in Creative Writing and a BA in English Literature & Creative Writing. Her work has been published in 12 poetry journals. She was one of winners of the Art Fund Prize 2023 where her poem ‘Triggered’ was displayed on billboards throughout the UK.  Last year her debut play ‘Good Mourning’ was showcased with a 4-star review. She has performed at venues such as Somerset House, Rich Mix, the Desi Blitz festival in Birmingham and Leicester Museum.    She has published 3 poetry collections with Atmosphere Press- Impression, For the Moment and most recently Pray Tell.  Charnjit Gill work has been published in 12 poetry journals. She was one of winners of the Art Fund Prize 2023 where her poem ‘Triggered’ was displayed on billboards throughout the UK.  

 Yvonne Howard is a Yorkshire-Gambian writer. As a child, she sought refuge from the experience of racism, poverty, and marginalisation in reading and writing poetry about nature. Words were free, and plants, insects, and other animals helped make sense of the world and human nature. Yvonne is committed to social justice and effecting change through the transformational tools of art, nature, and poetry.

Yvonne left school at 15 with no qualifications, moved to east London, and later completed her degree. She received a British Academy scholarship to pursue her PhD on neighbourhood conflict and mediation. In 2020, she founded DiversiTree.Wales, blending poetry, art, and photography with a focus on environmental awareness, identity, and mental health. Yvonne has performed at the Senedd, City Hall Cardiff, the National Botanical Gardens of Wales, and at schools, as well as Windrush Elders’ and Women's Institute events. Yvonne will publish two poetry books in 2025.

Instagram: @yvonnehowardbunt 

Jayce Joyce BCyA is a 6-year-old highly gifted and talented British author from Birmingham, UK, who began showcasing his literary skills at a very young age. At just four years old, he published two books, A Beach with No Sea and Jayce’s Sweet Tooth, making him the youngest author in the world to publish a book series simultaneously. He further released a diverse learning gift box and his third publication, Jayce’s Alphabet Rules on World Book Day 2024.
His work reflects his experiences, imaginative storytelling, and a passion for language. Jayce is also a member of Mensa and has been recognized for his advanced abilities in reading and writing.
By five, he had received several accolades, including The British Citizen Youth Award Medal of Honour at The House of Lords for his outstanding contribution to society allowing him to use the post nominal BCyA, Promising Laureate of the Year Award at the House of Commons and shortlisted amongst the top ten for The Benjamin Future Writers Competition 2024.
His initiatives include engaging children through literacy workshops and promoting diversity and inclusion in storytelling. He has hosted Storytime sessions to large audiences at significant venues like the Library of Birmingham and raised funds to support education projects in the UK and Africa.
Jayce's creative journey inspires children to embrace writing and imagination, showing that age is no barrier to achieving greatness in literature and community engagement.

 Vismaya Vinaya Kumar, a designer and artist who loves playing with colors and creating cool things. Vismaya has worked on everything from brand designs to doodles, and I believe art should be fun, easy, and a little messy!

 She enjoys painting, drawing, and making things look awesome. When I’m not designing, you’ll find me trying new art styles or maybe just covered in paint!

With over 1.4 million followers on social media, author, creator and musician David Larbi has been cementing himself as one of the country’s most exciting creatives, with a flourishing online community built on introspection and emotional connection. David has a deep love for words, and wants anyone who comes across his work to leave feeling better for it. In his new book Frequently Happy, he shows readers how to see beauty in the everyday and build pockets of joy, inspiration, and calm into their lives. David has collaborated with numerous brands and has been featured on Radio 1, GQ, Dazed (named one of the five rising TikTokers changing the face of entertainment) and Forbes. He was picked as a presenter for TV series, 'No Wrong Answers', which was a Woo production on ITVX aimed at Gen-Z. David also has his own podcast: Mindful Moments with David Larbi.

Nomadic Libaax, which translate to Wondering Lion is a British Somali Rhythmic Assisted Poet, who uses the mediums of rhythm & rhyme to create cinematic experiences.  
 
His work is centred around questioning all the intricacies that shape life into what it is, trying to widen perspective to understand the direction of intention. 
 
He is an avid community activist facilitating workshops across London from empowering youth to find their voice to tell their stories, to leading projects to provide digital empowerment through upskill in areas such as emerging technology.  
 
Nomadic Libaax is a Creative Curator at heart, who promotes community empowerment.  

Emma Lindsey is an award-winning journalist (The Observer, The Guardian, Times and Daily Mirror) as well as an author and published poet. She loves travel but currently divides her time between caring responsibilities, writing, teaching and finding peace in nature.

She holds an MA in Creative writing (with Distinction) from Brunel University and lives with her partner, teenage son and her father in west London.

Scottish born poet David McDonald lives in South London where he has worked for 20 years as a teacher. His writings explore themes ranging from music and social justice to environmentalism and the experience and perception of time. Citing Benjamin Zephaniah, Gil Scott Heron and Saul Williams as influences, David passionately believes in the power of spoken work as a tool for social change and liberation.

Mira Mookerjee is one of the six editors who created and published Borderless. Her creative and journalistic writing has been published by the International Human Rights Arts Movement; S/He Speaks: Voices of Women and Trans Folx; WOWZINE; the Journal of Fair Trade; Azeema Magazine; Poetry and Audience, and more. Mira is currently working on her debut novel which made the shortlist for the #Merky Books New Writers Prize.

A British Iranian poet, translator and art historian based in London. Her writing includes a novel and collection of short stories These Two Roses (Exiled Writers Ink, 2020). Poetry collections include Departure published in Iran and O Delilah which was banned. Most recently, ten of her poems appear in the anthology of Afghan and Iranian women poets Songs of Freedom (Afsana Press, 2024). She has also translated novels by American writer Karen Joy Fowler and the Polish writer Marek Hłasko into Farsi. She is a contributing writer and critic for WritersMosaic. 

Laurie was born to Caribbean expats and was raised in High Wycombe by her West Indian village.  She is a conscious educator and thinker who has lived in Ealing since 1993. She describes herself as a 'low-key activist', using her position as a teacher to encourage her students to think deeply about life.  
 
Laurie has been writing poetry for over thirty years, with self-reflection as a recurring theme. Laurie recently returned to being a full-time German teacher and is on a mission to inspire a new generation of linguists.  
 
Laurie born to Caribbean expats and was raised in High Wycombe by her West Indian village. She has been writing poetry for over thirty years, with self-reflection as a recurring theme. 

Derek Owusu is an award-winning writer and poet from North London.  In 2019, Owusu collated, edited and contributed to SAFE: On Black British Men Reclaiming Space, an anthology exploring the experiences of Black men in Britain.  His first novel, That Reminds Me, and the first work of fiction to be published by Stormzy’s Merky Books imprint, won the Desmond Elliott Prize for best debut novel published in the UK and Ireland.  His second novel, Losing the Plot, was published in 2022 and in 2023 he was selected as one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists. 

Nii Ayikwei Parkes works in multiple genres across poetry, radio, fiction and children’s writing. Winner of multiple international awards – notably France's two major prizes for translated fiction, Prix Baudelaire and Prix Laure-Bataillon – he is the author of several novels including Tail of the Blue Bird (2009) and Azúcar (2023), poetry collections The Makings of You (2010) and The Geez (2020) and a children’s primer The Ga Picture Alphabet (2020). A laureate of Ghana’s national ACRAG award for literary advocacy, Nii has written for National Geographic, Financial Times, The Guardian, and Lonely Planet, and been the recipient of residencies and fellowships from Harvard University, the University of Southampton, the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, the V&A Museum, the Royal Literary Fund and the California State University, Los Angeles. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

 Annette is a British born and Canadian writer of African-Caribbean heritage. She grew up listening to African -Caribbean folklore told to her by her Jamaican parents. Annette is a qualified science teacher.

She was Writer in Residence at Thunder Bay Public library, Canada (2021) and her poetry featured at an outdoor installation on the Toronto Harbourfront (2021). Annette has been honoured as a Woman of History, for the City of Thunder Bay, for her advocacy work in race and gender (2021). She was featured in the short Indigenous Canadian film, Braided Together (2022).

 Annette completed an MA Creative Writing (2024) and plans to undertake a PhD. Annette has published a collection of poetry, Spectrum (2020), a book of short fiction and poetry, Lover Lines (2021)and three children’s picture books, based on the African-Caribbean folkloric character ‘Anansi’. Her books are available on Amazon. Instagram: @moseley.annette

Rowan Reddington is a poet and tree surgeon living in East London. His most recent publication is the short story ‘Beat Phase’, featured in the new adult anthology It’s Fine, I’m Fine (edited by Kat Gynn). It tells the story of a verbose and naive Ginsberg-fanatic’s move to London, that ‘cobbled, storied morgue where you can’t even yawn without swallowing ghosts’, and the subsequent anticlimax known as “adult life”.

Empowered storyteller & author, Nicole Reid, uplifts hearts through her words.  
 
Her work shines a light on lifes triumphs & struggles, inviting you to embrace authenticity & find strength in faith.  
 
She believes the power of our stories, in our voices, changes lives. 

Libby Rochester is a 24-year-old Theatre Graduate and Creative Writing Masters Graduate from Brunel University of London, that spends her time writing with the hopes of inspiring others. Most days she is either reading or buying more romance novels to add to her mounting ‘to be read’ list, her new obsession being sprayed edges. She is currently writing her debut romance novel ‘Just Friends’ and writes poetry based on her lived through experiences in her spare time.

Previous publications include:

• Borderless: A literary anthology – a poem in a collection in dedication to Benjamin Zephaniah.
• Body Dysmorphia – Guest blog on author Emily EK Murdoch’s website.
• Finding Family anthology – two poems and script writing in a collection from Free Writers program.
• Part Of My Person anthology – ‘Mistake I had to make’, a short story in a collection from a Free Writers program.

 

The Pan-African Society aims to foster unity, cultural awareness, and mutual support among African descendants and those interested in African culture and history.

The society serves as a platform for celebrating the rich diversity of African cultures while also addressing key issues faced by African communities globally from the Pan-African point of view.

Through activities such as drumming sessions, discussions, events, and educational programs, the society provides a space for learning, dialogue, art and culture, and community-building.

Busayo Twins is a political commentator and content creator specialising in providing critical analysis of key political and social phenomena by examining their systemic causes, intersectional impacts, and broader implications. She is the creator and host of the "Everything is Political" series on Instagram Reels, where she delves into the political dimensions of everyday topics, encouraging viewers to recognize the pervasive nature of politics in daily life. Busayo has a professional background in policy, advocacy and youth engagement aimed at improving the outcomes of marginalised communities across the U.K. She is also an alum of the London School of Economics (LSE) and was elected as the first Black General Secretary of its students' union. Alongside her writing and public speaking, Busayo continues to engage audiences with thought-provoking content that challenges perspectives and fosters meaningful conversations about society and politics.

Vijey Vadivel, a digital artist who loves making things look cool and creative. Vijay designs, and bring ideas to life with colors and fun shapes. Whether it’s making pictures, animations, or cool designs, I enjoy turning simple things into something amazing!

Mbeke was born in the UK, to Jamaican parents.  She has lived and worked in Jamaica, Ghana, Dubai the UK, and Malaysia.  She is an experienced poet and performer. In 2024, her poem Still living, was selected as a highly commended entry in the Black in White Poetry Competition. She has published 2 poetry anthologies, Exploring all of me and, And then it was 2020.  She has a series of articles and interviews in DiversityBusinessPromotes, Black Ballad and 72M. She has chapters in Black and Menopausal (2023),  This is Us: Black, British, and Female (2019), Trusted Black Girl,  edited Roianne Nedd (2018).  In 2020, she released the first recordings of my poems We Women who Travel and Hold Me with Xolo Spkg and both are on The Unravelling Soul – Part 1 by Xolo Spkg (2021). Instagram: @mbekewinternational

Helen Williams is a doctoral researcher in creative writing at Brunel University of London. Having spent many years as a motherhood journalist, poet and secondary school teacher, she has returned to academia where Benjamin Zephaniah, her MA dissertation supervisor, inspired her to be free and follow her dreams. Her most recently-published work can be found in The Brunel Literary Anthology, the Poetic Sexploration poetry anthology and the Hillingdon Herald, where she contributes book and television reviews.

Zohab Zee Khan is a Performance Poet and Wellness Coach. Zohab has conducted over a thousand poetry and self development workshops across the globe. His work seamlessly integrates Urdu and Punjabi as he paints poetic pictures of family, heritage, and a better world. His f irst poetry collection “I Write” reached best-seller status in Australia within months of its release. In 2014 he became the National Poetry Slam Champion of Australia and has performed his poetry at some of the world's premier writers' festivals. As a 4th generation Australian of Pakistani heritage, Zohab has channeled his distinct life experiences into stories with the intent to educate.