Korks Talks: Recent Episodes
Korks Talks
A podcast that evaluates introspections of self and State through the prism of politics, the economy, society, technology, law and the environment via the arts, academia and cultural commentary.
For all enquiries, please contact me at: korkstalks@gmail.com
My writing process, ASD, neurodivergence, trauma, PTSD, emotions, life currency, relationships, love and the lot.
Review of Queenie (Channel 4 show) using The Guardian critique as a launchpad. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/jun/04/queenie-review-channel-4-candice-carty-williams-novel-adaptation
Some spiel triggered by my thoughts - and subsequent mini review - of I'm Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya.
Review of the Dylan Thomas 2024 prize-winning novel Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah-Nelson.
Review: 'The Time Is Always Now' Exhibition at National Portrait Gallery Curated by Ekow Eshun and in conversation with Dorothy Price.
Review: Baby Reindeer on Netflix; the ethics of storytelling, anonymity in the digital age, the responsibility of writers and publishers.
Review: The Comeuppance at Almeida Theatre by US playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.
FT article: 'The myth of the second chance' by Janan Ganesh - 'https://www.ft.com/content/fa1a5780-b8ca-45ae-a09e-46e95737bda7
Autism Debrief: Part 1 - a series to document the summary of the symptoms I face regularly.
Review: 'Anansi's Gold' by Yepoka Yeebo
Yepoka's article: 'Ghana’s market women were once so powerful they were targeted by the military' -
https://theworld.org/stories/2016-01-05/ghana-s-market-women-were-once-so-powerful-they-were-targeted-coup
Review: 'Shifters' at Bush Theatre, written by Benedict Lombe, starring Heather Agyepong as 'Des' short for Destiny, and Tosin Cole as 'Dre' short for Dream
Review: 'Samuel Takes A Break' at Yard Theatre - Featuring Fode Simbo, Tori Allen-Martin, Stefan Asante-Boateng and Bola Akeju as cast members.
This review of 'On Rotation' by Shirlene Obuobi is the 2nd book I've read this year - following the story of a Ghanaian-American medical student Angela Appiah as she experiences a breakup, underscored by a daunting exam score. The story that follows is one of hope, enchantment, love and redemption, all muddled with the ups and downs that come with family, friends and work. A fun, delicious and wildly entertaining read - not for the faint-hearted and definitely softened the cynic nihilist in me.
Review: The Kitchen, directed by Daniel Kaluuya and Kibwe Tavares.
A directorial debut by Daniel Kaluuya, this dystopian, socio-political drama is available to watch on Netflix now. Highly recommend! 10/10
A review of 'Second Coming of Nkrumah' by Latif Abubakar which played at Accra International Conference Centre between 29th - 30th December 2023.
Featuring a cast of pan-African leaders, this play follows the futurist legacy of Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, and his influence on the subsequent African and pan-African leaders - including the likes of King Mohammed V, Queen Nzinga, Patrice Lumumba, Haile Selassie, Marcus Garvey, W.E.B Du Bois and many more.
This is my first book of the year that I've read!
A review of 'Penance' by Eliza Clark - one of Granta's Best Young Novelist who released this debut a few years ago. I gave this book a 4.5/5 reading on Goodreads and look forward to reading more from Clark.
In this episode I talk about RSD (rejection sensitive dysphoria), anxious attachment styles and radical optimism for a better world. Ii also talk about how cultural upbringing intersects with normative values of day-to-day maintenance and major mental and physical health issues.
In this episode I talk about my experience with autism and its most debilitating symptoms including anger rumination and RRBs.
Review of Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang - a clever, reverent read about the modern day ethics of adopting another person's story. It's a quick, fun, but most importantly, easy read that is excellently paced and traverses the role of race, ethnicity, absurdism and the differing politics of the publishing industry. The form of this story - an unlikely protagonist - elevates the story to a plane often unexplored. It is ironic and considered with just enough tact to establish a level debate into the morality of a writer without bemoaning or rebuking.
Review: The Effect at Lyttleton Theatre (National Theatre - Southbank Centre) featuring Tay Russell, Paapa Essiedu, Michele Austin and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.
Round up Review of multiple events I've attended in the past few months: Caleb Azumah Nelson in conversation with Paapa Essiedu for 'Small Worlds', 'Ballet Black' at Stratford East, Beneatha's Place at Old Vic theatre, Spiderverse at Empire cinema.
Review: The Heterogeneous Sound Ideal in African-American Music at the British Academy featuring George Lewis FBA and a mini review of Sheku-Kanneh Mason and the Philharmonic Orchestra at Southbank Centre.
Review: As You Like It at Soho Place featuring Leah Jarvey, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Alfred Enoch and many more.
Review: Félicité at the The Ministry by Redye productions featuring artist Juliana Kasumu.
Review of Hex at National Theatre at Southbank Centre and Frozen at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Review: Mo Gilligan and Friends - The Black British Takeover
Featuring Eddie Kadi, Michael Odewale, Kyrah Gray, Axel Blake, Angie Le Mar, Richard Blackwood and Mo Gilligan.
Review: Malorie Blackman in conversation with Jackie Kay at British Library (about her memoir - 'Just Sayin')
Review: 'The Silent Twins' and Q+A with Letitia Wright, Tamara Lawrance, Cobbie Yates and Akua Gyamfi.
Also a short review of Skepta's piece 'Mama Goes To The Market' at Sotheby's.
Review of 'Before Them, We' Poetry Reading chaired by Ruth Sutoyé featuring poets: Hodan Yusuf, Tania Nwachukwu, Clementine Burnley and Gboyega Odubanjo. Also a review of 'Saturn Returns' live dance and song choreopoem by Sonny Nwachukwu.
Review: Black and Female with Tsitsi Dangaremgba (with Irenosen Okojie) at Southbank Centre with English Pen.
Review of Picador's 50th anniversary event, with the Royal Society of Literature (200 Years), celebrating the re-publication of Jamaica Kincaid's works, hosted at the Black Cultural Archives (BCA).
Over the past week, I've watched 2 independent films: one at Southbank called My Old School which featured Alan Cumming; the other at Castle Cinema in Hackey featuring Nana Mensah who also wrote and directed the film. I also attended BrightLand Exhibition on Sunday afternoon. Here's my review!
Jam-packed review of 'Everything, Everywhere, All at Once' film; Ekow Eshun's curation of the 'In The Black Fantastic' at the Hayward Gallery at Southbank Centre; and Stuart Semple's 'Festival of Happiness' at Dulwich Picture/Art Gallery.
A review of the sold-out show "For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy" and is informed by the landmark 1976 theatre piece by Ntozake Shange "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf"
https://blackballad.co.uk/views-voices/playwright-director-ryan-calais-cameron-for-black-boys-who-have-considered-suicide-when-the-hue-gets-too-heavy?listIds=591b37f155fd6dc14e461ae7
A play written by babirye bukilwa and directed by Malakai Sargeant that evaluates themes of diet culture, antiBlackness, fatphobia and misogyny.
Podcast with Stratford East: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4tkQAJQHgRCsojYrpLhBEk?si=0bd115fbac47488f
Ruby Tandoh articles:
https://ruby-tandoh.medium.com/empire-of-seeds-ee4308a529c4
https://heated.medium.com/your-hands-are-your-greatest-kitchen-utensil-3246caaab79c
In this episode, I review the Waterstone Piccadilly event featuring Oliver Bullough in conversation with Serena Kutchinsky where he talks about his new book: 'Butler to the World: How Britain Became the Servant of Tycoons, Tax Dodgers, Kleptocrats and Criminals - drawing connections with the Suez Canal crisis as the origin of the financial industry which later came to become attractive for oligarchs to move their money.
Using Oliver's point as a launching pad, I talk about related news like trends in the wider finance industry, the Ukraine v Russia war, ex-Chelsea owner Abramovich, metaphors in popular culture (Ask Jeeves as a metaphor for Butlerism), the breakdown of Empire, the Middle East and offshore accounts.
This episode is a mixture and politlcs, hopscotching a variety of shows I've watched and articles and books I've read, including but not limited to:
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy - BBCTwo - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0bncnd5/stanley-tucci-searching-for-italy-series-1-1-naples-and-the-amalfi-coast
The Dropout - DisneyPlus - https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/series/the-dropout/5C0gjGwyRTeZ
Courttia Newland's talk about 'A River Called Time'
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/03/21/the-anti-elizabeth-holmes
https://blackballad.co.uk/views-voices/magic-system-premier-gaou-iconic-cross-cultural?listIds=591b37f155fd6dc14e461ae7
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/writing-controversial-opinions-journalism/627014/
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/cornel-west-sees-a-spiritual-decay-in-the-culture
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/04/21/474847921/the-arctic-suicides-its-not-the-dark-that-kills-you?t=1646960631186
Review of BBC drama: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/mar/01/mood-review-songs-sorrow-and-sex-work-in-nicole-leckys-bold-fresh-drama
This episode includes a mini-review of Stanley Tucci's new series: Searching For Italy https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bncl3n , engaging with different cultural views on death, the impact of cultural forces like Jamal Edwards, Andre Leon Talley and Virgil Abloh before they passed, and the role of mental health in the Black community.
Catapult Magazine extract by Eloghosa Osunde https://catapult.co/stories/rain-short-fiction-by-eloghosa-osunde
This episode includes a tribute to award-winning cultural entrepreneur and SB.TV founder Jamal Edwards who passed away at 31 last week. Around this tribute, I talk about the importance and cultural impact of entertainment and sport in the Black community. I also talk about education and learning - how changes to terms of student loans - in terms of entitlement and repayment, hinders young people's opportunities for growth, not just as graduates but as citizens.
https://www.netflix.com/title/81168503
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0014jmn/imagine-2022-2-labi-siffre-this-is-my-song
Review of Netflix show: https://www.netflix.com/title/81426972 , thoughts on service provisions as participants of capitalism, the alleviating effects of socialism in the professional services economy and how to make yourself happy.
Article mentioned: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/feb/13/too-close-for-comfort-the-pitfalls-of-parasocial-relationships
This episode explores love and its ramifications. Starting off with a review of the Netflix shows 'The Tindler Swindler' and 'Inventing Anna' which were about scamming on social media, I talk about how the failure to meet Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs leaves people vulnerable to exploitation - and how we must reframe our understanding of love into a framework for care.
A review of the 2 recently released miniseries 'Chloe' (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0b69pn6/chloe-series-1-episode-1) and 'This Is Going To Hurt' (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0b6k5gx) - both are dramas of which I talk about their form, storylines and cultural relevance. I also talk about how we navigate our lives with routines and finding purpose within and beyond our careers.
A review of some films and docu-series I watched and a link the "Posting for Posterity" article by Terry Nguyen that I really enjoyed: https://genyeet.substack.com/p/posting-for-posterity
We Are History is an exhibition at Somerset House curated by Ekow Eshun.
https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/we-are-history
This episode is a part 1 cultural review of Lubaina Himid's self-titled exhibition at the Tate Modern; exploring themes of migration, femininity, masculinity and the politics of survival. Part 2 is to follow in June or July.
https://www.oldvictheatre.com/whats-on/2022/watch-at-the-theatre/a-number
Featuring Paapa Essiedu and Lennie James.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLo5XMjIJD8
https://www.njlifehacks.com/the-war-of-art-steven-pressfield-summary/
https://news.sky.com/story/regina-king-tributes-as-ian-alexander-jr-dj-and-musician-son-of-oscar-winner-dies-aged-26-12523305
This episode includes a short review of new BBC show: Rules of the Game
Khadija Diskin's feature on https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tJURKkGKSSrRyEEJNS0Gb?si=14ee75fa13064d61
https://blackballad.co.uk/views-voices/identity-politics-was-never-meant-to-be-a-weapon?listIds=605397fbf24df005d63304ca
A political episode lamenting how money, status and nobility combine in our modern age to protect people from being held to account for harmful and/or criminal behaviours. I do this by observing Boris Johnson's performance in the House at the PMQ, the lawsuit against Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell's conviction as sex offender.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/10/opinion/boris-johnson-britain-bills.html
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jan/12/prince-andrew-the-lengthy-and-embarrassing-legal-ordeal-ahead
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59502787
This episode is a continued review of the film Encanto, a bit more commentary on Molly Mae, the discriminatory Nationality and Borders bill, and Netflix review of Stay Close.
This episode covers a variety of themes including the politics of repatriation for Black people living in the diaspora, Molly Mae's podcast comments, the metaverse and implications of wholly digital communities, the importance of recognizing culture as transient as opposed to fixed, the need to document history for future generations and the influence of capitalism on our approaches to our personal, political and professional lives.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/opinion/confederate-monuments-racism.html
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/16/right-culture-tories
https://www.netflix.com/title/80190588
A political episode about cultural values in art - ranging from the motifs we see in the UK vs USA and the inescapable politicisation of art content.
An episode about managing mental health, vices and building healthier long-term habits.
This will be my final episode of 2021 - I started this podcast with a desire to express and managed to compile many hours of expression that I'm so thankful to share.
Signing off wishing you all a Happy New Year.
This episode is about the apocalypses of all types, political and personal: analysed through a review of the new Netflix film: Don't Look Up.
In this episode, I talk about 3 very random shows/films I've watched to gear up for the festive season.
Have a listen!
This episode summarises a new Japanese anime series I binge-watched; it also covers themes of climate change, humanity, good vs evil and much more. I also talk about some other shows/films I've watched, including Netflix's The Unforgivable, and lament on the state of TV/film today.
A review of the new BBC Drama starring Samuel Adewunmi (The Last Tree) and Bukky Bakray (Rocks).
In this episode, I talk about being exclusively invited to watch Adele live at the London Palladium on Saturday 6th November; walking the red carpet, the privilege of watching Adele's performance live and in-person (later aired on ITV: https://www.itv.com/hub/an-audience-with/L0055a0007), the no-phone policy and how honoured I was to witness so much excellence (and celebrity fervour)! Dream come true!
In this episode, I talk about my difficulty finding cosmetic products that suit me: from haircare to skincare and hair removal, and how I go about navigating this as a dark-skinned Black woman.
In this episode, I talk about the themes I identified in the Eternals film - including religion, environmental (climate crisis), race and philosophy. Disclaimer: As a Marvel novice, I know nothing about the Marvel universe but I gave it a try!
This episode is about the importance of the impending ecological crisis (climate change) and the Black British perspective to it.
Can I Live? (12*) (AD) - Complicité / Fehinti Balogun: https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2021/event/complicite-fehinti-balogun-can-i-live Queeries: How can I stay hopeful as the world burns? by Aisha Mirza (Gal-Dem) https://gal-dem.com/queeries-eco-anxiety-ecological-grief/ Insulate Britain: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-59163068
This episode is a quick review of 2 events I attended and the takeaways I learned from both:
Check out the following for more:
Stafford Scott: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/stafford-scott
Rianna Jade Parker: http://riannajadeparker.com/
Jade LB: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/1443146/keisha-the-sket/9781529118919.html
In this episode, I explore the effects of capitalism and how it is shifting social and cultural norms: from poor work-life balance to declining health, both mental and physical. I also talk about the role of technology (particularly the internet) and its impact on us as a society; from individual self-care to communal healing. I also talk about the importance of perception: visibility, representation, and the institutional pressures that barricade us from redemption.
Links referenced:
https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/childcare-costs-system-overhaul-working-parents-spend-half-wages-1236865
https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/09/02/china-rules-996-work-culture-illegal-prevent-people-overworking
https://www.ft.com/content/683b4e41-9470-46ce-9c32-fe75214c4bf2
https://blackballad.co.uk/views-voices/what-does-it-mean-to-be-well-the-salt-eaters-wholeness-toni-cade-bambaras-legacy?listIds=590867cea8c0bab2039c3ac5
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58791333
https://www.netflix.com/title/80220334
https://www.ica.art/exhibitions/war-inna-babylon
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-54174794
https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/2021/10/10/strawberry-slavery/
For further reading on Black community, please engage with the works of the following: Lola Olufemi, Izin Akhabau, Nicolas Tyrell, Neef Ekpoudom, Jade Bentil, Kojo Koram, Nadine White, JJ Bola, Ruby Tandoh, Rianna Jade Parker.
Magazines: Black Ballad, Gal-Dem, Guernica Magazine,
This is a continuation of my series on abuse investigating how different forms of privilege: financial and monarchical, impact the ability of victims in their access to justice.
Trigger warning: abuse and r*pe
In this episode, I continue to outline the structure of abuse; sharing my views on carceral punishment, the criminal penal system, the ramifications of compensation for victims and alternative dispute resolution.
Recommended read: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/07/26/the-german-experiment-that-placed-foster-children-with-pedophiles
In this episode, I break down the metaphors of bread, feminism and consumption in Rachel Yoder's 'The Loaf' for Guernica Magazine (https://www.guernicamag.com/the-loaf/), coupled with my understanding of gratification and relationship with God.
Apologies for the hiatus all! I've been super busy. But please find below a host of articles I mention in the episode today (which is mostly about sustainability and self-care)
Recommended:
https://azmagazine.co.uk/is-this-character-quirky-or-is-she-just-autistic/
https://www.stylist.co.uk/fashion/fashion-rental-industry-social-media/543270
https://catapult.co/stories/rain-short-fiction-by-eloghosa-osunde
My article:
https://azmagazine.co.uk/joy-oladokuns-label-debut-album-in-defense-of-my-own-happiness-complete-seeks-to-fulfil-her-names-prophecy-with-a-tenuous-exploration-of-self/
This episode is about the importance of detoxing social media (particularly Twitter) as a Black woman, due to harm, danger and doxxing.
Links:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2017/11/what-is-online-violence-and-abuse-against-women/
https://gal-dem.com/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-viral-essay-shows-transphobia/
In this episode I review a play that I watched: 'the sun, the moon, the stars' by Dipo Baruwa-Etti, and how it explored the familial/sibling love between Femi and Seun. Drawing on Yoruba-Nigerian cadence, the main character Femi (played by Kibong Tanji) poetically tells the story of her emotional and judicial quest after her brother Seun is murdered.
I also review the Serpentine Gallery's exhibition 'A Retrospective' by James Barnor and how phenomenal and important his photography was for Brits and Ghanaians.
I also share my thoughts on Lupin Season 2 on Netflix and the archetye of Assane Diop.
Links:
https://www.stratfordeast.com/whats-on/all-shows/the-sun-the-moon-and-the-stars
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-57286417
In this episode, I talk about my dogged experience with my natural hair and how we all need to be more sensitive to the coping mechanisms our elders take for assimilation, the inevitability of mortality and death, the cost of convenience.
(Excuse my nasal voice, I caught the flu!)
Links:
https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2021/06/08/chronology-of-a-body/
In this episode I talk about my new and improved approach to life (and death), some amazing tips to improve my morning routine and how I've started re-negotiating boundaries in my life.
In this episode, I talk about the need for community amongst Black people, and how our hyper-individualism is akin to the theory of the bootstrap and infects the progression of the community as a whole. Starting from the exclusionary nature of mainstream institutions (in school) and how this discrimination affects the ability of Black people to escape poverty and achieve milestones like property ownership that affect the Black community. I also talk about the failures in the semantic understanding of 'pro-blackness' as a copout from real collective change.
Links mentioned:
Black Ballad article: School to Prison pipeline article by Mel Green: https://blackballad.co.uk/views-voices/school-to-prison-pipeline?listIds=598b26616409a286334e51bc&referrerType=article&referrerSource=related
BBC Documentary: 'Subnormal: A British Scandal' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000w81h
Data on remittances: https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/migrant-remittances-to-and-from-the-uk/#:~:text=The%20UK%20not%20only%20sends,to%200.2%25%20of%20its%20GDP.
Boris Johnson's fund for education: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-57320450
In this episode, I navigate a contractual and capitalistic approach to life: questioning social contracts, our appetite for ownership and citizenship of land and people, the capital that is our culture and challenging the universal norms and policies that dictate our existence.
I do this by talking about the information I've consumed lately (see below):
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/28/africa/germany-recognizes-colonial-genocide-namibia-intl/index.html
https://www.modernghana.com/news/1078504/a-quick-note-to-the-owners-of-electrochem-ghana.html
Netflix: High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81034518
In this episode, I speak about a documentary I watched about hoarding, my experience with ghosting (both as victim and perpetrator) and share my thoughts on latest BBC Three doc: 'Race, Pop & Power' hosted by Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCzPCq-1MrI&t=1664s
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09fy1qy
This episode talks about my newfound inspiration which I located at the Tate Britain exhibition 'Fly In The League With Night' by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. I talk about how Yiadom-Boakye's interpretation and depiction of Black people, in particular, has refuelled me into being a more intentional artist.
Sone links I mention include my own blog: https://doublethekor.wordpress.com/category/art/
And a link to the Tate exhibition: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/lynette-yiadom-boakye
This episode traverses through my understanding of happiness (or rather Eudaimonia which is a Greek term for fulfillment) - from the chemicals involved to how happiness can become imbalanced. In light of the world's many atrocities: from the apartheid between Israel and Palestine, to the genocide of Hazara Shias and ethnic cleansing of Uyghur Muslims, it feels selfish to even recognise the concept of happiness. My hope is that this episode serves as a guiding light for those who feel helpless in how to be effective activists in a time like this - away from the moral posturing we often see online, I hope to explain practically how we as people can get involved in supporting the causes that matter to us - online and offline, socially and independently.
Links:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1N0QVjXCWWKlJVXXVyYf58f/learn-how-to-hack-your-happy-hormones
https://www.thecut.com/2021/05/tarana-burke-me-too.html
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0740770X.2013.825428?journalCode=rwap20
Links to conflicts mentioned:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/features/uighurs/
https://www.ajplus.net/stories/israels-system-is-nothing-less-than-apartheid
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/dozens-of-afghan-girls-killed-in-blasts-targeting-kabul-school/2233798
Good news galore!
This episode is a personal one, traversing the trials and tribulations I've faced this week; why I'm committing myself to a life of joy, improving my self-esteem, accepting the fact that I deserve great things, trusting God's guide, and maximising what I have to make way for my potential.
This episode talks about body image in a variety of contexts: from the rise in surgical procedures (Brazilian Butt Lifts), to the popularity of the unlicensed sale of Apetamin syrup, and how they disproportionately harm Black women. By sharing facts and statistics, I hope to encourage listeners to rethink their approach to body modification/enhancement without judging.
Politically, I speak about the role of the Black woman as a consumer, and how often markets fail in regulating the procedures and products we disproportionately experience and consume; from minor blips like poor hairdressing to full-blown maternal mortality - and how this directly links to the tenuous access to citizenship the Black community is privy to.
On a tangent, I also explain the unconscious centralisation of whiteness in our desire for European luxury and cuisine (as opposed to Black) In mentioning this example, I juxtapose the Black physical form with the Black external form - seeking the listener to question their purchases.
Links:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p09cw4vb/dangerous-curves-get-thicc-get-sick
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/brazilian-butt-lift-buttock-plastic-surgery-cost-price-deadly-health-risks-a8575246.html
https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/10/risk-cancer-increases-45-black-women-dye-hair-12036031/
Off the back of Daniel Kaluuya's Oscar win for 'Judas and The Black Messiah', I thought I'd rave about some more shows featuring Black Brits and Black Europeans (Afropeans) as lead, part of the main ensemble or supporting lead, that I think we should all watch, these range from but are not limited to: Michaela Coel's 'I May Destroy You,' Adjani Salmon's 'Dreaming Whilst Black,' 'Lupin' featuring Omar Sy, 'The Last Tree' by Shola Amoo, 'Rocks', Too Close', 'Generation Revolution' by Cassie Quarless and Usayd Younis, 'Trigonometry', 'Industry,' Netflix's 'Zero' (featuring Daniela Scattolin), 'Luther,' 'Yardie', 'Small Axe', 'Viewpoint.' A few I didn't mention but should have included: 'Sex Education' featuring Ncuti Gatwa, 'Line of Duty's' (1st series). I also shoutout Little Miss Jocelyn featuring Jocelyn Jee Esien.
In this episode, I talk about the presentation of Black Brits away from the traumatic narrative: the exploration of single Black characters in their late 20s and early 30s, divestment from the nuclear family structure previous Black family shows, dark-skinned Black women as love interests and more creative, supernatural and comedic approaches to Black life that go beyond dramatised crime and traditional romance and instead tackle social and political dynamics that focus on friendship and sexuality (including LGBTQIA+).
Links:
https://news.sky.com/story/luthers-lack-of-black-friends-doesnt-feel-authentic-bbc-diversity-chief-says-12275442
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/20/magazine/harry-uzoka-murder-george-koh.html
This episode revolves around the topic of environmental racism, tapping into a few examples of global injustice of Black people living in areas that are subject to exploitative practices of extraction (like mining) or excessive levels of pollution (the Ella Kissi-Debrah case in the UK). I mention, in this respect, the Songor lagoon and Atewa Forest both natural reserves in Ghana, subject to mining on instruction from the government. I link this to the global phenom of climate change as stressed in Swedish activist Greta Thunberg's book "Nobody Is Too Young To Make A Difference" and challenge the findings of Netflix documentary "Fishsparacy" by arguing the onus is firmly on governments and multinational corporations, not ordinary citizens. To take this further, I mention the environmental effect on agriculture before circling back to talk about the double standard of Ghana's social laws on morality by challenging its oppression of LGBTQI people and women (in the Akuapem Poloo case).
(Just to sweeten the episode a bit, I start off by talking about my Ghanaian Dangme/Adangbe heritage, and why this topic means a lot to me).
Links:
https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Ada-communities-embark-on-demonstration-for-revocation-of-McDan-ElectroChem-license-1167871
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-55330945
https://www.alcircle.com/news/hollywood-superstar-leonardo-dicaprio-calls-on-ghana-to-save-atewa-forest-govt-plans-to-mine-bauxite-62527
https://citinewsroom.com/2021/04/akuapem-poloo-jailed-three-months/
https://gal-dem.com/queer-in-ghana-lgbtqia-lgbt-centre/
This episode talks about the limitations of psychiatry and psychology in diagnosing mental conditions and disorders in marginalised communities - particularly Black people. Including commentary on limited access to healthcare, medicalisation and disparate diagnoses as a result of the context of behavioural classifications (racial, cultural, gendered and classed), I draw on statistics to explain why we need to rethink the mind biologically, socially and pathologically.
Links:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGQ78cJiMcJhMbpKhjunAxg
https://twitter.com/flotuk
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0891243218801523
In this episode, I address what I believe to be an inadequate healthcare system - the NHS. Drawing on information from the inquest of Evan Nathan Smith, a 21-year-old man who died in 2019 due to complications related to sickle cell, I talk about how lack of research and awareness into the disease that predominantly affects the African and Caribbean community, led to what I believe to his, and many other people's, preventable deaths.
Piggy-backing off of this Black Ballad article: https://blackballad.co.uk/views-voices/sickle-cell-trait-dating-having-children?listIds=595c23e15a0862ed58fed19b&referrerType=article&referrerSource=related , I talk about how not only medical institutions, but society also have a duty to challenge our preconceptions of illness. With the recent deaths of celebrities like DMX and Nikki Grahame being characterised by addiction and disorder, I talk about the need for a more ethical approach to treating those with illnesses, physical and mental.
Furthermore, I also talk about the lack of accountability from institutions and State actors in treating Black people as human - referencing in particular Mikai McDermott's newsletter: https://shoutout.wix.com/so/b6NYYda2t?languageTag=en&cid=c8146540-0dda-4b83-9bed-1915fd795656#/main , and how this needs to be modified in order for Black people to receive their due care in all aspects.
This episode deep-dives into the pedestalling of romantic love by inviting viewers to consider alternative forms. By introducing the multiple forms of love - from parental to sibling to friend to neighborly - I challenge what I consider to be a hyper fixation on romantic love that does not appreciate the breadth and complexity of desire or appetite for love. I then link this to the nuclear family and why I think we must abandon this construct of the family of 4 - considering alternative structures that extend beyond the traditional - one man, one woman, one daughter, one son.
Happy Easter!
In this episode, I collaborate with my sister, biomed and finance grad, Stacey as we talk about attitudes to learning - ranging from the workplace to everyday life. I draw upon my experience in mentorship and as an ambassador to an educational charity, and she draws upon her experience working in a leading educational management company and voluntary tutoring, to reframe what we think education is and should be. We also touch on the difference in how we perceive mass media and the information it propagates and the can-do and critical approaches we adopt to developing ourselves personally and professionally. I also mention a poignant excerpt from Emma Dabiri's book "What White People Should Do Next" and discuss the need to separate individualism from collectivism. To end, we talk about goal-setting, positive reinforcement, reward systems and achieving your dreams interspersed with general chit-chat and banter and how they inform our present.
A continuation of the previous episode which focuses on the unfair criticisms of the Afro-Caribbean population, providing context as to their provenance by mentioning the effects of the Windrush scandal, sub-par treatment by the State in terms of education and other overt racism.
In this episode, I talk about the plight of missing Black people in Britain, naming present and historical cases including Joy Morgan, Richard Okorogheye, Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman and Joyce Carol Vincent, and how the media coverage of them differed to Sarah Everard who was found murdered this March of 2021. I also talk about today's publication of "The report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities" by the government, how it propagates the model minority myth of meritocracy, and undermines the material disadvantages black people experience at the hands of the state which often lead to death.
Examples of overt racism include but are not limited to the poor access to healthcare many Black people experience (maternal death rates for black women being 5x the rate of white women) to natural hair ban policies in a South London school Pimlico academy. I go on further to talk about the types of activism we can partake in to challenge the institutional and state violence black people face. In sharing my views on how degradation and discrimination works, I hypothesise that black people's invisibility, routine dehumanisation (via loss of citizenship), displacement and humiliation contributes to our lack of sympathy and normalisation of Black death.
Links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-report-of-the-commission-on-race-and-ethnic-disparities
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/there-s-an-epidemic-of-missing-children-of-colour-who-aren-t-photogenic-enough-to-find-a6989666.html
Trigger warning: sexual abuse, domestic violence and financial abuse
A continuation of the previous episode, I share my review of Tina Turner's documentary 'Tina,' assessing how her trauma, and that of many other black women, informs their artistry. Briefly talking about Cicely Tyson's book 'Just As I Am', I go on to speak about the importance of black women telling their own stories from their own perspectives, peaks, pitfalls and all.
Trigger warning: sexual abuse
Inspired by Audre Lorde's "Eye to Eye: Black Women, Hatred and Anger," I'm sharing my thoughts on the typecasting of black women in terms of hypersexuality, trauma and abuse and attempting to contextualise it in history and theory; I am also trying to explain the unconscious lack of grace we offer to black women. Examples include but are not limited to: Nina Simone, Billie Halliday, Maya Angelou, Whitney Houston and Cicely Tyson. In recording this, I hope to humanise these women but also acknowledge how integral these elements of their lives were to their upbringing. I also attempt to explain the space between what it means to be *Black versus what it means to encapsulate blackness.
This episode deconstructs everybody's favourite topic: love.
For just under 50 minutes, I traverse through the 4 different types of love: familial, storge, eros, unconditional, made popular by the Greeks. Comparing a few dichotomies, I compare a few models of love: from individualist vs kinship, to pro-black vs interracial. I speak about role modelling (using examples of Quavo and Saweetie), the convolution of abuse and love, the extent to which we compromise ourselves socially and biologically and the dating market for black women. Throwing in examples from the arts (books, films and music), I propose that our perception of love is warped and that we need to learn and study it rather than expect it to be intrinsic to us.
A short stream of consciousness as to how I'm feeling on a Thursday evening when I have deadlines looming and thoughts rail my mind.
This episode questions the idea of ownership - centring around the kente cloth which is a symbolic piece of clothing worn by the Akan and Ewe people in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo. Using my fascination with visual artist Toyin Ojih Odutola as a springboard, I traverse through the connection between culture, art, and identity; how we redeem ourselves as diasporans looking for belonging and why it's time to protect the origins of who we are without being discriminatory.
Links for further information for anyone interested:
https://theconversation.com/ghanas-politics-has-strong-ties-with-performing-arts-this-is-how-it-started-148940
https://thevinylfactory.com/label-news/peter-adjaye-soundscape-toyin-ojih-odutola-a-countervailing-theory-ceremonies-within/
In this episode I speak about navigating the wins and losses of adulthood, debate the constructs and conventions of womanhood and decide different ways to practise self-care in the social media age - from drawing on radical collective politics to the simple practice of journalling. Briefly touching on some of the literature I've read - from Audre Lorde's "Use of the erotic", to Avna Doshi's "burnt sugar" and Tsitsi Dangarembga's "This mournable body", I talk about the duality of identity and how it is a fluid space I am constantly floating upon.
This episode touches on Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah, the connotations of colourism, the institutional racism and white supremacy of the Royal Family and why we need a republic.
A short introduction into my thoughts and feelings of the concept of self and the topics I will be evaluating in further episodes.