Panel: To Whose Voices Should We Be Listening?

Kamaljit has worked in as a leader in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) for over 20 years across many sectors including local authorities in Bristol and Camden, the Civil Service in the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Cabinet Office, as well as heading up the ED&I unit at the University of Southampton.  

Yasir is an experienced inclusion and diversity leader, journalist, and coach has worked with a wide range of organisations around the world. He is currently Head of Inclusion & Diversity at Channel 4, and the former Head of Diversity at Guardian News & Media from 2009-2015, a period which saw the Guardian diversify its workforce and editorial content. There he devised and ran a global marginalised voices citizen journalism programme in India, Brazil, and South Africa, Australia, and the US. 

Stacey Olika is a graphic designer, creative producer and curator. She has recently co curated Why Are We Not Here for Testspace at Spike Open Studios; addressing issues regarding the lack of representation in arts institutions. Stacey is a featured artist at Rising Arts Agency and has recently facilitated the new publication ‘Conversations About Race’ to generate much needed conversations in the city. She is the founder of Agents of Change; a programme to shine light on underrepresent and emerging creatives. Stacey was also named one of Bristol’s Most Influential Creatives under 24 by Rife Mag.

Singer, author and choreographer, Dorothée Munyaneza has been part of the international contemporary scene since the early 2000s. Dorothée composed and performed on the 2004 original soundtrack Hotel Rwanda (Terry George) and sang on Afro Celt Sound System’s album Anatomic. In 2010, she released her first solo album produced by Martin Russell and collaborated on James Brett’s album Earth Songs in 2012. In 2013, she started her company, Kadidi, and created Samedi Détente at the Théâtre de Nîmes.

Dorothée will be performing UNWANTED as part of the In Between Time Summit on 11 & 12 October.

Jo believes that ‘different’ is delicious not divergent, embedding the belief that diversity adds texture, turning policy into real action.

Jo is currently the senior producer for Unlimited – the world’s largest commissions programme for disabled artists, working to get work seen, discussed and embedded within the cultural fabric of the UK with partners such as ACE, Creative Scotland, Southbank Centre, Spirit of 2012 and the British Council. Since 2013, Unlimited has provided nearly £4 million to 280 disabled artists through commissions, awards and support, making it the largest supporter of disabled artists worldwide.

Working with Sarah Pickthall, she runs SYNC, examining the interplay between disability and leadership in the cultural sector, having run programmes to date in: England, Australia, Korea, Singapore.

Jo has won Cosmopolitan’s woman of achievement award, is a Clore fellow, is on the board of the Global Disability Innovation Hub and the Northern ACE advisory panel. She also makes award winning jam.