Hosted by Shagufta K. Iqbal, we are joined by: 

Asmaa Jama is a Danish-born Somali poet, artist and co-founder of Dhaqan Collective. Asmaa's work has been published in print and online, in places like The Good Journal, Popshot, ANMLY, and Ambit. As an artist, Asmaa has been featured by Dark Yellow Dot and Kayd Somali Arts & Culture, and publicly exhibited by Rising Arts Agency and Tate Collective. Most recently, was an artist-in-residence at IBT's Creative Exchange Lab and writer-in-residence at Arnolfini, Bristol.

Safiya Kinshasa (who also performs under the alias Birdspeed) is a British-born Barbadian-raised artist of Barbadian and Jamaican descent. She has the ability to captivate audiences by effortlessly weaving poetry, storytelling, satirical humour and dance/movement. Her poetry (page & stage), which predominantly focuses on her Caribbean heritage, braids rhythm, science, dance and technology.

Safiya was recently announced a recipient of the Jerwood Arts| Apples & Snakes Performance in Poetry Programme and the winner of the 'New Voice in Poetry Prize' courtesy of Culture Recordings. This year she was shortlisted for the Outspoken Page Poetry Prize and Longlisted for the Film and Performance Prize.