Democracy From Where I Stand

Brenda has had a consistent and varied career as a Broadcaster and Journalist working across print, radio, and television. Commencing her journey in print, she went on to build her experience and reputation in television and radio broadcasting across a broad range of genre – from arts and entertainment, travel reporting, consumer broadcasting, current affairs, popular factual programmes, and fashion.

Her profile increased as one of the main presenters on the BBC’s flagship fashion and style programme, ‘The Clothes Show,’ following several years at independent production company Mentorn Films, working on arts and entertainment programmes for Channel 4.

Brenda also presented Sky’s consumer output – ‘Money Matters’ and ‘Healthy Holidays.’ Such broad experience led to numerous opportunities including presenting live events and extending her range of broadcasting across more television networks. She became a regular face on ITV’s ‘This Morning,’ with regular radio appearances including BBC Radio 2’s ‘The Early Show’ and entertainment slots on Choice FM.

Brenda has since established herself as a highly respected Arts, Culture and Entertainment Correspondent, working predominately for the BBC. She has reported on the nation’s arts and cultural scene for BBC London, Network and World news.

Brenda’s calling card is her versatility. Having spent a significant part of her career covering Art, Entertainment and Culture she is equally at home with A-list celebrities and high -profile individuals as she is with the public. Brenda has therefore been called upon to present both formal awards ceremonies and charity events as well as facilitate panel discussions, workshops, and retreats.

She has worked for a range of corporate organisations and institutions including the Royal Bank of Scotland, Ernst and Young, Deutsche Bank, the National Theatre, Frieze Art Fair, The Art Fund, Sadlers Wells, The London Mayor’s Office, The Folio Society, The Southbank Centre and PWC.

She has hosted an eclectic mix of shows and events from the Powerlist Excellence Awards, The Screen Nation Film and Television Awards, The Black British Business Awards, and several events for the Mayor of London’s office.

As well as the Arts, Brenda has a passion for supporting women. She has co-facilitated The One Retreat – a bi-annual support event for women in business; presented an Empowerment Evening for women with PR guru Lynne Franks, The Women of the World Festival, and was invited to facilitate workshops and mentor young women at the United Nations, Commission for the Status of women event in New York.

Throughout her career she has constantly mentored young people aspiring to a career in the media or business and is a committed Diversity and Inclusion champion. Her hobbies include travel, food, arts and culture and personal development

Lola Shoneyin is also an award-winning writer and a cultural activist and the current director of Book Buzz Foundation, Nigeria – a non-governmental organisation whose main aims are promoting literacy through the creation of reading programs for children, developing reading spaces and organising the Ake Arts and Book Festival. 

(C) Ayomide Oshunluyi

Aditi Mittal is an Indian stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. The Times of India named Mittal, one of the first women to perform stand-up comedy in India, among the top 10 stand-up comedians in the country. Mittal is a well-known comedian who received an invitation from the BBC to attend the prestigious 100 Women conference in London in 2013. She has been highlighted as one of India‘s trailblazers on BBC World and BBC America.

Rosie Holt is an actor and writer best known for her viral internet videos on twitter skewering the political landscape since the pandemic. Her videos have achieved more than 9 million views. She is the winner of the Chortle Social Media Award 2022 and is a BPG Emerging Creator Nominee.

Other credits include Ashley Blaker 6.5 children (Radio 4) The Russell Howard Hour (Sky Max) DMs are Open (Radio 4) and the critically acclaimed two hander theatre show The Crown- Live! (Seabright Productions), a parody of Netflix’s The Crown. She also hosts the satirical podcast, Noncensored with comedian Eshaan Akbar and actor/ improviser Brendan Murphy.

Dr Michelle Johansen is a social historian, passionate about sharing unexpected stories of past lives and communities with students of all ages and abilities. Michelle is the Learning and Outreach Manager at the Society of Antiquaries at Burlington House in London. Her award-winning research on British public librarians has been published in journals such as the London Journal and Cultural & Social History. Michelle is an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Historical Research, a team member of the Raphael Samuel History Centre, and a trustee of the Mass Observation Archive.

Fetuma Hassan, 17, is the Young Mayor of Tower Hamlets and the Tower Hamlets member for the London Youth Assembly. She is currently completing her A-Levels in Biology, Chemistry, and Maths, balancing her leadership roles with her academic ambitions. She has a love for sciences and politics and is enjoying the two very different worlds collide.

BAQUE LUAR: roof-raising all female percussion and vocal collective

Baque Luar is a London-based collective of female and non-binary vocalists and percussionists united by their love of Afro-Brazilian roots music. Drawing from the rich soundscapes and traditions of maracatu, coco and ciranda as well as sacred rhythms of Brazilian Candomblé, Baque Luar combines original multivocal compositions and arrangements with powerful percussive grooves. Meaning ’moonlit beat’, Baque Luar creates music which honours feminine power and creativity, acknowledges struggles against oppression and praises nature at this critical ecological moment. Through ongoing collaboration with the Afro-Brazilian communities who keep these traditions alive, they explore how these ancestral rhythms open space for us to feel deeply connected to nature, spirit, ancestors, each other and the earth, and how they can hold us in our search for rooted creative expression. With a unique mixture of intricate arrangements, vocal harmonies, dance and a spectacular array of DRUMS,

Baque Luar will rock you.

Osheen Siva is a multidisciplinary artist from Thiruvannamalai, currently based in Goa. Through the lens of surrealism, speculative fiction and science fiction and rooted in their Dalit and Tamil heritage, Siva imagines new worlds of decolonized dreamscapes, futuristic oasis with mutants and monsters and narratives of queer and feminine power. They work in a variety of mediums including immersive media, instillations, performance art, public art and digital illustration.

Past clients have included – National Geography, The New York Times, Adult Swim, Meta, Apple, Gucci, Adi Magazine, Absolut, Dr.Martens, Decolonize Fest among others. They were also an Illustration Jury member for the One Club for Creativity – ADC’s 100th Annual Awards in 2021.

One of the worlds’ most acclaimed and popular authors, Margaret Atwood is a Canadian novelist, essayist, poet and activist. Variously covering the themes and genres of feminist ideology, haunting dystopia, mythical re-working, speculative science fiction and witty, contemporary drama, Margaret’s work is diverse and startlingly original.

Lola Shoneyin is also an award-winning writer and a cultural activist and the current director of Book Buzz Foundation, Nigeria – a non-governmental organisation whose main aims are promoting literacy through the creation of reading programs for children, developing reading spaces and organising the Ake Arts and Book Festival. 

(C) Ayomide Oshunluyi

Elif Shafak is an award-winning British-Turkish novelist and the most widely read female author in Turkey. Her work has been translated into fifty languages. An advocate for women‘s rights, LGBTQ rights and freedom of speech, Shafak is an inspiring public speaker and twice a TED global speaker, each time receiving a standing ovation.

Aditi Mittal is an Indian stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. The Times of India named Mittal, one of the first women to perform stand-up comedy in India, among the top 10 stand-up comedians in the country. Mittal is a well-known comedian who received an invitation from the BBC to attend the prestigious 100 Women conference in London in 2013. She has been highlighted as one of India‘s trailblazers on BBC World and BBC America.

Juliet Riddell is head of new formats at the Financial Times. At the FT Juliet has produced and directed multiple award winning videos including a Webby, AIB, Rose d’OR and BAFTA nomination. Juliet leads on the FT Standpoint film series, collaborating with artists to explore current news stories.

Juliet was previously a multimedia Commissioning Editor at the Guardian, where she executive produced an award winning short drama, a new YouTube channel and arts, current affairs and documentary series.

Juliet has over 20 years experience as a TV producer, director and development executive; including producing two BAFTA winning arts series with Grayson Perry for C4 and prime time factual programmes for BBC, ITV and Sky Arts.