5x15 x Fenwick: Living Authentically
Yomi Adegoke is a multi award-winning journalist and author. She writes about race, feminism, popular culture and how they intersect, as well as class and politics. She has worked at ITN, Channel 4 News and The Pool as a senior writer and freelanced for Vogue, The Guardian and The Independent amongst others. In 2018 she was listed as one of most influential people in London by the Evening Standard and was also named as a 'frontline pioneer' bringing the fight to 'a new generation', by the publication. She was awarded journalist of the year by the Woman In Africa awards, named a Marie Claire Future Shaper and was awarded the Groucho Maverick for her first book, written with co-author Elizabeth Uviebinene, SLAY IN YOUR LANE: The Black Girl Bible.
Dean Atta is an award-winning British author and poet, whose works have been praised by the likes of Bernardine Evaristo and Malorie Blackman. His novel in verse, The Black Flamingo, about a black, gay teen finding his voice through drag, performance and fashion, won the Stonewall Book Award and was shortlisted for numerous further prestigious awards. His poetry collection, There is (still) love here, explores acceptance, queer joy and the power of unapologetically being yourself and fully embracing who you are.
Michael Bond is a writer and consultant whose works explore psychology, human and social behaviour and how people interact with each other. Michael has written multiple highly praised books, as well as writing for The Observer, The Times and The New York Times, to name a few. His newest book Fans: A Journey Into the Psychology of Belonging, due for release in May 2023, is an investigation into worlds of obsession, belonging and human connection and explores the remarkable reasons why people come together in pursuit of their shared enthusiasms.
Harriet Gibsone is a former Guardian culture writer, who began her career as a runner for MTV, before becoming a music journalist in the 00s, writing for publications such as Q, NME, Time Out and Nylon. She spent eight years as a Guardian staff writer and editor and now has a column for its weekend magazine. Her highly anticipated book Is This OK? Becoming a Woman on the Internet, is a memoir of contemporary womanhood that explores Harriet’s own experience with insecurities in the age of the internet, and how her diagnoses of early menopause in her late twenties played a part in this.
Amy Zing is a Margate-based festival director, currently curating Margate Pride and POW! Thanet. With a background as a BBC radio producer, in 2008 Amy co-founded Sink The Pink. In 2016 Amy co-founded Margate Arts Club and Margate Pride (which has grown from 500 attendees to a much-loved community event attracting crowds of 10,000+) In 2016 she co-founded OUT Margate, an LGBTQ-friendly youth club, recognised by Amnesty International as an essential community support service. In 2019 she was appointed Artistic Director of POW! Thanet, an arts and culture festival and charity celebrating feminism, women and girls.