This special panel discussion brings together a range of voices from the creative industries: Jackie Hagan, Roshni Goyate, Kai Isiah Jamal, and Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante.
The discussion will consider experiences of tokenistic approaches and reflections on the policy making work of organisations around diversity. Panellists will also share perspectives on the ways in which companies can ‘make space’ and do better, asking how we can ensure that conversations around identity do not get marketed by brands just to facilitate a trend.
Launched in 2015, THIIIRD magazine has been a home for celebrating identity and diversity. The publication champions the voices of women, BME and LGBTQ+, migrant groups, and marginalised communities with a spirit of allyship.
Biographies
Jackie Hagan
Jackie Hagan is a multi award-winning poet, playwright, performer and activist. She is a working class, queer, dyslexic amputee with systemic sclerosis. In 2018 she became a Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellow and was nominated for a Women of the World award for effecting social change using spoken word. She has delivered over two thousand workshops in prisons, schools, hospitals and internationally.
Roshni Goyate
Roshni is co-founder of The Other box, an award-winning organisation empowering and educating people on how to work and live more inclusively. They run 'Know Your Bias' training courses with companies and have a community of creatives who identify as 'othered' by the mainstream narrative. She's also 1/4 of the poetry collective 4 BROWN GIRLS WHO WRITE.
Kai Isiah Jamal
Kai Isiah Jamal is a poet, activist and trans-man of colour who builds dialogue on the 'unspoken'. Kai’s work deals with ensuring that companies participating in discussions on diversity look through the framework of their existing policies and correct them in places where they are already excluding.
Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante
Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante is renowned producer, composer, singer, dancer and DJ. Mikey co-founded Boy Blue Entertainment with Kenrick ‘H20’ Sandy in 2001, playing a pivotal role in shaping the UK hip hop landscape and its representation in education.
Rhona Ezuma
Rhona Ezuma is a stylist, writer and creative director aiming to create space for narratives that explore community. Rhona curates work connected to her African heritage, black-Britishness and womxnhood. She is the Editor in Chief of THIIIRD magazine.
Daniela Hornskov Sun
Daniela Hornskov Sun is a producer, musician and writer. Her work covers mental health, philosophy, cultural insight and the arts. She is the producer of THIIIRD Intersect and THIIIRD Waves.