EquianoPod The Equiano Project

Public event recording.

In recent years, and especially since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, American discourse seems to increasingly drive global conversations and shape political alignments. How relevant are American arguments to the British context? And do we lose anything locally - in politics, culture, and society - when we import American themes?

Event co-hosted by Persuasion and the Equiano Project.

Panellists
Tomiwa Owolade - Writer, critic and author of This is Not America: Why Black Lives in Britain Matter. He has written columns, essays and book reviews for many publications, including the Times, the Spectator, the FT, UnHerd, the Evening Standard and Literary Review and is a contributing writer at the New Statesman. Tomiwa’s interests include identity politics, liberalism, social protest movements, and religion.

James Bloodworth - English writer and the author of two books, The Myth of Meritocracy and Hired: Six Months Undercover in Low-Wage Britain. His work has appeared in the Times, the Guardian, the New York Review of Books, the New Statesman and elsewhere.

Sonia Sodha - Chief Leader Writer and a columnist for the Observer. She is a former head of public services and consumer rights policy at Which?, the Consumers’ Association, where she led their work on public services.

Moderator
Inaya Folarin Iman - Journalist, campaigner and the founder and director of the Equiano Project. She has written for The Telegraph, The Daily Mail, The Times, The Sun, The Spectator, Spiked and several other publications.

Learn more about Persuasion - https://www.persuasion.community/
Learn more about The Equiano Project - https://www.theequianoproject.com/

Watch the full video on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNVyO9jqzws

How should we navigate issues of race and identity in 2024?


Join Inaya Folarin Iman, Ayishat Akanbi, Patience Xina, and Ada Akpala as they reflect on key "racial" incidents that occurred in 2023 and discuss their predictions for the race discourse in 2024.


They discussed the incidents involving Ngozi Fulani and Lady Hussey, the "Peckham hair" scenario, media coverage of the Nottinghill Carnival, and the controversy surrounding Tyla not identifying as "black."

Reflecting on these incidents prompted discussions on the following:


Why asking someone where they are from is considered offensive.
Whether Asian people have monopolised the "black economy".
How race is perceived and treated differently in various countries.
Online discourse and criticisms faced by successful black individuals.
Violence in subsections of the "Black community."
The importance of having honest conversations about knife crime in London.

And much more.


Ayishat Akanbi is a writer, cultural commentator, stylist and artist.
https://twitter.com/Ayishat_Akanbi
https://www.instagram.com/ayishat_akanbi
https://www.youtube.com/@theequianoproject


Patience Xina is a YouTuber and social commentator that discusses a variety of topics related to modern Western culture.
https://www.youtube.com/@PatienceXina
https://www.instagram.com/patiencexina

Ada Akpala is a social commentator, writer and Content Manager for The Equiano Project
https://twitter.com/ada_akpala
https://www.instagram.com/ada_akpala

Inaya Folarin Iman is a Broadcast journalist, writer and Director, Equiano Project
https://twitter.com/inayafolarin
https://www.instagram.com/inayafolariniman

About The Equiano Project: The Equiano Project, founded in August 2020 by Inaya Folarin Iman, is a debate, discussion, and ideas forum. We facilitate conversations about and promote the values of freedom, common humanity, and universalism.

Learn more about our work - https://www.theequianoproject.com/

Connect with us:
https://twitter.com/EquianoProject
https://www.facebook.com/TheEquianoProject
https://www.instagram.com/theequianoproject

Subscribe to our SUBSTACK
https://theequianoproject.substack.com/

Today's discussion with Inaya Folain Iman revolves around the question of whether Britain owes reparations for its historical role in slavery. Advocates argue that reparations can address historical injustices and contribute to global equity, while critics contend that determining responsibility and calculating reparations pose complex challenges.


One such critic is today's guest, Rasheed Griffith. Rasheed is the Executive Director of the Caribbean Progress Studies Institute. He has previously worked in the finance industry in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Griffith studied Mandarin Chinese in Beijing and has written several pieces on the triangular relationship of the US-Caribbean-China for publications including The Diplomat and Lawfare. His policy research focuses on China’s geoeconomic and financial engagement with the Caribbean.

Rasheed's blog on reparations can be accessed HERE.

You can also watch the discussion on YouTube.

Tackling the Rise of Antisemitism in the UK

Why is it that in a culture that invests some ethnic identities with high moral value, that Jewish identity doesn’t seem to have a place within today’s hierarchy of identity politics? And why is a war over 3,000 miles away provoking such intense reactions among people in Britain who have little direct connection with, or often knowledge of, the Middle East?

Don't Divide Us and The Equiano Project co-hosted a public event on 11th December 2023, featuring a panel of esteemed speakers and thinkers. The event focused on a crucial discussion about antisemitism and the factors contributing to its increase in the UK.

Panellists:


Stephen Pollard: Author and Editor at Large of the Jewish Chronicle.


Prof Frank Furedi: Sociologist and Executive Director of the think-tank MCC Brussels.


Khadija Khan: Journalist and writer, focusing on human rights, primarily women’s rights, as well as minorities and extremism.


Daniel Ben-Ami: Author and journalist; his books include "Ferraris For All" (2010)



Moderated by Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, Director of Don’t Divide Us

You can also watch the event on YouTube.

Magatte Wade is an entrepreneur, speaker, and visionary leader in the fields of African entrepreneurship and innovation. She joins Inaya Folarin Iman on Equianopod to discuss the real reason that Africa struggles today.

Magatte has been named a Forbes “20 Youngest Power Women in Africa,” a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum at Davos, a TED Global Africa Fellow, and “Leading Woman in Wellness” award winner by the Global Wellness Summit.

In this episode, Magatte explains that the solution to poverty is prosperity, and entrepreneurs play a crucial role in creating economic growth. She challenges the common belief that corruption is the main cause of Africa's poverty, pointing out that poverty itself enables corrupt practices.



Books: The Heart of a Cheetah (2023) - Find out more HERE.




You can also watch the conversation in full on The Equiano Project YouTube channel.

V V Brown, a British indie pop singer-songwriter, producer, and activist, joins Inaya Folarin Iman in this episode of Equianopod. She candidly discusses her experiences with racism and reflects on her upbringing in a rural area in the UK. Additionally, she explores the evolution of her music, incorporating more political messaging, and shares her thoughts on Britishness and its current relationship with the black community.


https://youtu.be/IR28dNrcjsk


Connect with us:
https://twitter.com/EquianoProject
https://www.facebook.com/TheEquianoProject
https://www.instagram.com/theequianoproject

Subscribe to our SUBSTACK
https://theequianoproject.substack.com/