I discuss the intersection between white privilege and climate justice with lawyer & activist  Melanie Nazareth and multi-disciplinary artist and producer Amber Ruth Watson, who is part of Bristol’s Rising Arts Agency. 

Coach & Facilitator, Will James and I had a moving discussion on uncomfortable conversations, the experience of being mixed race, the redistribution of opportunity and creating the safety in our culture needed for deep change. 

For the first episode in the ‘Lights Go Out’ mini-series, join myself and Hip-Hop artist, poet & rapper Joshua Luke Smith for a discussion on what it means to be a white male in 2021. We chat privilege, checking your blind spot and giving up your seat at the table.

You can stream ‘Lights Go Out’ here: https://ampl.ink/4o8Q6

As a kick-off to the second, more autumnal, season of Let’s Hear it from the Underside I am taking part in a pod-march and featuring an incredible podcast made by David Benjamin Blower & Tim Nash called Everybody Now, about the climate crisis. 

It features the voices of XR co-founder, Gail Bradbrook, climate scientist Kevin Anderson, theologian & poet Rowan Williams, community organiser Damaris Albuquerque, theologian Hannah Malcolm, ecologists & activist Alastair Mcintosh and poet Pádraig Ó Tuama and more. 

When I listened and was so moved by how the contributors talked so bravely and vulnerably about the global crisis we face and about grief, hope, faith and action. 

I was also struck by how they talked about how their spirituality helped them find hope by turning toward the crisis and staring down the barrel of it, rather than use trite religion to deny and thus exacerbate it; something we see so much of from some the loudest shouting folk in that world. 

It is mature, beautiful, soothing and stirring. 

In part two I catch up with creator, David Benjamin Blower, to ask him my questions and discuss our shared experiences and the overlapping themes of Everybody Now and Let’s Hear it from the Underside. 

Please do make space and have a listen. 

Episode 3: Uncertainty 

The last episode of this series features the themes of uncertainty, risk, hope and courage. This episode was again recorded in the park amidst bird song, children playing and a man talking loudly. Myself and Rebecca Jackson discuss experiences of uncertainty in Covid and in life, and how self-compassion and community help us navigate it.  

I tracked down the creator of Everybody Now; poet, musician and podcaster David Benjamin Blower and posed him all my questions about the overlapping themes of Everybody Now and Let’s Hear it from the Underside. 

We talked about the unique time we are in and how we might exist, resists and be fully alive. We covered activism, race, power and what it means to be prophetic as we make sense of our place and responsibility at this moment. 

I love what he has to say. I found peace in talking to him and I hope you find peace in listening. Check out his music at: https://davidbenjaminblower.com

Meet Rebecca Jackson, my friend who I actually wrote the song for at a particularly difficult time in her on-going healing journey from CPTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder) to encourage her to keep sharing her experiences.

Now a counsellor, budding author and Masters student in psychotherapy, we recorded this podcast together live at my artists Q&A before the ‘Underside’ single launch at Rough Trade, in collaboration with Time to Change, a national campaign to de-stigmatise talking about our mental health. It discusses honesty, vulnerability, community, mental health, friendship, hope and the joy of letting your mask down.

Since the last episode, a global pandemic has occurred and we were plunged into lockdown & social distancing. As soon as the restrictions allowed, myself, Rebecca Jackson and Temba the Cockapoo, got together again in the park to discuss Covid meltdowns, kindness, grief and gratitude.