Yams & Yuca

Today, Heather and Kamara celebrate 1 year of Yams & Yuca highlighting special moments with our guests and answering questions from our listeners. Thank you to all the guests, listeners and supporters from across the globe who have joined us in creating a beautiful tapestry. Cheers to the first year and many more to come! 

Connect with Heather @dancinstarburst and with Kamara @kaydances_ and @artistryyouthdance

This week we catch up with the talented Sarudazayi Marufu, the Founder & Executive Producer of Film and Theatre Production Company Euras Films LTD. Euras Films is a female-led film & theatre production company dedicated to innovative storytelling that showcases authentic representation. We speak to Saru about what having a 'seat at the table' means for her, and how trusting the movement of collective leadership can foster meaningful change.

Connect with Sarudzayi at: @sarudzayi, @eurasfilms, and www.eurasfilms.com

Welcome to season 2 of Yams & Yuca! We begin by reflecting on our cycles of creativity especially in light of the "new normal". This week Kor Kase of Afro Van Connect shares how he remains present in his creative practice whilst providing safe spaces for Black creatives to come together.   

Connect with Kor @osmoses and @Afrovanconnect

Writer, activist and creative entrepreneur Nick Makoha sits with us at the Yams & Yuca table to share his passion for food and poetry. This week we explore what it takes to cultivate confidence and belief within especially when navigating the peaks and valleys of being an artist.   

Connect with Nick @mrmakoha and via his website

Learn more about Obsidian @obsidianfoundation 

Our special guest for this week is co-host, Heather Benson. Heather shares her story of experiencing full circle moments in her life, and how they have contributed to her being able to continue the art of storytelling through her artistic and creative work.

Connect with Heather at: @dancinstarburst and www.heatherstarbenson.com

This week we welcome Pawlet Brookes, Founder, CEO and Artistic Director of Serendipity - the diversity-led arts organisation in Leicester. An experienced and highly respected senior manager and producer, Pawlet has been at the forefront of the development of Black arts in the UK. 

Connect with Pawlet and Serendipity @serendipityleicester 

Be sure to check out the latest events on the Serendipity website. 

We kick off the second half of Season 1 with a feature on our very own Kamara Gray. This week we learn about the nurturing experiences that inspired her to invest in young Black dancers and provide them with opportunities to train, perform and achieve their dreams. 

Connect with Kamara @artistryyouthdance 

For more information and to register for AYD100 visit ayd100.eventbrite.com

Welcome to our Bonus Episode! Joining us at the table is Tahlia Gray, who shares her incredible journey that spans across the globe. She discusses why she feels it's so important to be seen, and how she came to create her international hosiery brand, Sheer Chemistry, that empowers women to feel confident and gorgeous in their own skin.

Connect with Tahlia at: www.sheerchemistry.com, @sheerchemistry_tights, and @tahliagray

This week, our podcast guest is the wonderful Maxine Beneba Clarke, a widely published Australian writer of Afro-Caribbean descent. The award winning writer joins us at the table, and we talk about the power of representation through her characters, and its importance throughout her work.  ⁠ 

Connect with Maxine at: @maxinebeneba

Textile and performance artist, Enam Gbewonyo, embodies and honours her heritage through her artistry. She along with Heather and Kamara explore what it means to connect with and celebrate our ancestors.   

Connect with Enam @enamgd