To round off our inaugural issue, journalist and broadcaster Marverine Duffy picks five things to read, watch or listen to for whenever you’re feeling inspired to learn more.
Read
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The Good Immigrant, edited by Nikesh Shukla. Although four years old this collection of essays is still relevant
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Loud Black Girls: 20 Black Women Writers Ask: What’s Next? Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené, authors of the acclaimed Slay in Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible, invite the next generation of black women in Britain – authors, journalists, actors, activists and artists – to explore what it means to them to exist in these turbulent times. With a foreword by Bernardine Evaristo, the 20 essays offer funny, touching and ultimately insightful perspectives on the question of ‘What’s Next?’ (Fourth Estate, 2020)
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The Digital Lives of Black Women in Britain is a new book by Francesca Sobande from Cardiff University. Based on interviews and archival research, it explores accounts of 20th-century activism and television representations, to experiences of YouTube and Twitter. Sobande’s analysis traverses tensions between digital culture’s communal, counter-cultural and commercial qualities. (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020)
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‘Representations of British Chinese identities and British television drama: mapping the field’ is a 2019 article by Simone Knox from the University of Reading. Informed by an understanding of the complexity of the term ‘British Chinese’, it draws on a database that deploys a range of research, including archive research at the BFI Reuben Library, to map the presence of British Chinese actors in British television drama since 1945. (Journal of British Cinema and Television Vol. 16, Issue 2, 2019. Available online at euppublishing.com)
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Afropean – Notes from Black Europe by Johny Pitts. The television presenter, writer and photographer travels through Europe, exploring the experiences of the African diaspora. Winner of the 2020 Jhalak Prize. (Penguin, 2020)
Watch
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Steve McQueen’s highly anticipated Small Axe collection of five films hit our screens in Autumn 2020. Set in the late 60s through to the mid-80s amongst the West Indian communities of London, the films are a celebration of black joy, beauty, love, friendship, family, music and food. Watch on BBC iPlayer
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Mission: Accessible. Comedian Rosie Jones is on a mission to help disabled people plan fun-filled adventures. With her comedian pals in tow, Jones visits places across the UK to compile a guide to the accessible British vacation. Watch on All 4 or YouTube
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CripTales: Launching the series celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act, director and disabled actor Mat Fraser said: ‘Disabled voices have been shut out of mainstream TV drama for too long and this is a chance to showcase some of the wonderful, inventive, funny, dramatic, sexy and sobering potential available.’ Watch on BBC iPlayer
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Why just read about Charlene White’s attempt to tackle racism in children’s programming (see page 10) without watching the very show itself: IRL with Team Charlene on ITV Hub
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Rap Trip: Underground Scenes Uncovered is a BBC series looking at where rap music flourishes outside of London. There are episodes on ‘The rise of Asian Rap’, ‘Liverpool Rap, Drill and Trap’, and ‘The New Wave of Irish Rap’. Watch on iPlayer
Listen
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Unchained. Brenda Birungi, also known as Lady Unchained, is a poet and presenter for the Prison Radio Association. She was nominated in the Best New Voice category in the 2020 Audio Production Awards. The PRA made this documentary for Radio 4 which unlocks untold stories of women in prison, contains research from Women In Prison and is punctuated by Brenda’s powerful poetry. Listen on BBC Sounds
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BBC Asian Network is bringing back the hilarious podcast, But Where Are You Really From…? There’s the whole of series 1 to enjoy as well. Hosts Eshaan Akbar, Nim Odedra and Sunil Patel discover just how 'Desi' their guest are, through funny and revealing stories. Listen on BBC Sounds
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Chinese Chippy Girl is a podcast about growing up British born Chinese. Dive into some superb episodes discussing growing up. Listen on Spotify or your usual podcast app
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Dope Black Dads and Dope Black Mums podcast. Marvyn Harrison has created a beautiful thing. What he and his network do in terms of bypassing gatekeepers and creating their own content is indicative of how black, Asian and minority ethnic people are carving out spaces for their own authentic representation. Listen to Dope Black Dads and Dope Black Mums on Spotify or your usual podcast app
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Matilda Ibini, who describes herself as a bionic playwright, wrote one of the CripTales for the BBC, and in episode 9 of the Disability Arts Online and Graeae podcast she is interviewed about her work and storytelling. Listen on Spotify or your usual podcast app.