Runway to Feminist Justice

10 Questions with Feminist AcademicsIn this series we engage 10 feminist academics around 10 questions within and across their disciplines that are important for all to consider at this historical juncture. BioProf. Toni Haastrup is Chair in Global Politics at the University of Manchester since September2023. She holds a PhD in Politics from the University of Edinburgh.An award-winning teacher and researcher, she is a 2022 recipient of the Emma Goldman Award from the FLAX Foundation for contributions to feminist research and knowledge in Europe, and the Emma GoldmanFellowship of the Vienna Institute for Human Sciences. She is also a recipient of the ISRF Mid-Career Fellowship 2023-2024.Her research interrogates the manifestation of power hierarchies in global politics, with research interests encompassing a wide range of topics within internationalstudies, including peace and security in Africa, feminist, postcolonial and decolonial approaches to international relations, and regional and globalgovernance – she has published extensively in these areas.In addition to her academic work, Toni frequently works with government organs and international organisations, offering expertise on themes linked to the Women, Peace andSecurity (WPS) agenda and Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP). She provides occasional commentary to news media on current affairs related to Africa's international relations and Western foreign policies in Africa.CreditsProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeHost: Amrita DasGuptaSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln HydeMusic: Grateful by audiolibraryinfinite from Pixabay

10 Questions with Feminist AcademicsIn this series we engage 10 feminist academics around 10 questions within and across their disciplines that are important for all to consider at this historical juncture. BioS.M. Rodriguez is Assistant Professor of Gender, Rights and Human Rights in the Department of Gender Studies at LSE. They are the author of The Economies of Queer Inclusion: Transnational LGBTI Organizing in Uganda (2019), which used ethnography, interviews, and policy analysis to challenge the scholarly imagination of European and American human rights intervention in LGBTI politics in Africa as inherently helpful. They are the founder of Black Queer Movements, a knowledge exchange hub for activists and scholar-activists across the African continent and Diaspora, and of The Black Professors Pipeline, which addresses underrepresentation of faculty of African descent in the U.K. higher education.Dr Rodriguez’s research joins anti-carceral, Black, and queer feminist approaches to interrogate sexual politics, especially as related to criminal law and “correctional” practices. As such, their work explores various practices and philosophies of justice and transformative changemaking. CreditsProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeHost: Vasiliki VitaSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln HydeMusic: Grateful by audiolibraryinfinite from Pixabay

10 Questions with Feminist AcademicsIn this series we engage 10 feminist academics around 10 questions within and across their disciplines that are important for all to consider at this historical juncture. BioLucia Kula is an international lawyer and lecturer in Law and Gender at SOAS, University of London. Her research adopts an interdisciplinary approach to law, borders, gendered violence, and decolonisation. She is a former refugee from Angola and writes on law, violence, and forced displacement within the African context. Her work has a critical focus on women's lived experiences and gender expansive identities. She convenes the LLM and MA in Law and Gender, and she is part of the Leadership Team in the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice at SOAS. She also consults for other Higher Education institutions in the UK on Race Equity and Decolonising The Academy. CreditsProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeHost: Vasiliki VitaSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln HydeMusic: Grateful by audiolibraryinfinite from Pixabay

10 Questions with Feminist AcademicsIn this series we engage 10 feminist academics around 10 questions within and across their disciplines that are important for all to consider at this historical juncture. BioOdile Mackett is an associate professor in the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Anthropology and Development Studies. She is an economist by training and has an MCom in Applied Development Economics and a PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand. She also has a BA in International Studies (majoring Politics & Economics) and a BCom (Hons) in International Trade and Finance from the University of Johannesburg. She is a feminist labour economist and her research interests are related to the division, quality, and definition of both paid and unpaid work, how households and families are structured and formed around these types of work, and how the state interacts with households and the market to reinforce the gendered and racial division of work. She has broadly written on social security, poverty, and inequality, specifically as these factors relate to gender inequalities in society. She is an associate editor for the ⁠African Review of Economics and Finance⁠ and has a variety of resources for research students on her website and YouTube channel.CreditsProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeHost: Vasiliki VitaSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln HydeMusic: Grateful by audiolibraryinfinite from Pixabay

10 Questions with Feminist AcademicsIn this series we engage 10 feminist academics around 10 questions within and across their disciplines that are important for all to consider at this historical juncture. BioDr Eleanor Newbigin is a historian of imperialism and decolonisation in twentieth-century South Asia. Her research explores how the end of formal colonial rule reshaped governance, citizenship, family, and political economy in India, drawing on feminist and gender studies methodologies alongside rigorous archival work.She is the author of The Hindu Family and the Emergence of Modern India: Law, Citizenship and Community (Cambridge University Press, 2013), which examines how mid-twentieth-century reforms to Hindu family law reworked colonial hierarchies of gender, caste, and power in the postcolonial state. Her wider scholarship also addresses the history of economic thought in India and the colonial roots of contemporary ideas about wealth, poverty, and welfare.Alongside her historical research, Newbigin develops creative and participatory approaches to engaging with imperial legacies, including collaborative theatre projects, public history workshops, and digital storytelling. Her current work examines how memories of the 1947 Partition are shaped within the UK diaspora, and how new technologies can enable critical re-engagements with colonial pasts.CreditsProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeHost: Vasiliki VitaSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln HydeMusic: Grateful by audiolibraryinfinite from Pixabay

Spotlight on Feminist Movement Building SchoolIn this final episode of our Spotlight Series, Awino Okech, Director of the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice (FCRJ), and Shereen Essof, Executive Director of Just Associates (JASS) have a reflective conversation on the three-year partnership co-creating the Feminist Movement Builders Schools (FMBS). The schools, convened across Latin America and Eastern & Southern Africa, brought together 35 activists to strengthen feminist organising, political education, and collective power. BioShereen Essof is a Zimbabwean popular educator and organizer.  Her work is grounded in an engagement with movements, community-based organizations and cultural collectives. She strives to understand power inherent in the interlocking nature of oppressive systems and from that understanding, to imagine, organize and build towards liberated futures. Shereen has published widely including: Shemurenga: The Zimbabwean Women’s Movement. Weaver Press; My Dream is to be Bold: The Work to End Patriarchy. Pambazuka Press and Feminist Alternatives; Searching for South Africa: The New Calculus of Dignity. UNISA Press.  She currently serves as Executive Director of Just Associates (JASS), a global feminist movement strengthening organization that equips and strengthens the leadership and organizing capacity of women leaders and their organizations in Mesoamerica, Southeast Asia, and East and Southern Africa. CreditsProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, production: Samuel Oduor Music: Grateful by audiolibraryinfinite from Pixabay

Spotlight on Feminist Movement Building SchoolWe are in conversation with participants from our second Feminist Movement Builders School convened in partnership with Just Associates in from August 2024-August 2025.About the episodeIn this episode, we speak with Larisa W. Chikanya, a gender, peace and governance specialist from Zimbabwe whose work spans feminist leadership, inclusive peacebuilding, and social justice across Africa.Larisa reflects on what changemaking means in the current political moment, how feminist organising is shifting dynamics locally and transnationally, and how movements sustain themselves under repression. She also discusses the role of young women and queer organisers in reshaping leadership, and the importance of political education and feminist research in strengthening movement work.BioLarisa W Chikanya is a gender, peace and governance specialist from Zimbabwe, with over six years of experience advancing inclusive peacebuilding, feminist leadership, and social justice across Africa. Her work centres on African feminisms, amplifying marginalised voices, and integrating gender perspectives into governance, political participation, and conflict prevention and resolution .She has contributed to regional feminist initiatives, creating spaces for communities to strategise, organise, and take action for transformative change. Larisa brings a decolonial, intersectional lens to her work, bridging scholarship and activism to imagine futures where justice, inclusion, and equity guide leadership and social change.CreditsInterviewee: Larisa W. ChikanyaInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken by AudioWay, freesound.org.

Spotlight on Feminist Movement Building SchoolWe are in conversation with participants from our second Feminist Movement Builders School convened in partnership with Just Associates in from August 2024-August 2025.About the episode🎙️ Content note: this episode discusses LGBTQ+ rights and community organising in contexts of risk.In this episode, Nadia Asri speaks with Auma Maureen, a feminist organiser and artist, whose community-based project uses public art to archive queer life and resistance in rural Uganda.Through the Feminist Movement Builders School, Maureen led a year-long feminist action research process that culminated in a powerful community mural — a living, collective archive of queer stories, painted in dialogue with the people who inspired it.This conversation explores the power of art, storytelling, and imagination in contexts where visibility can be dangerous — and how creative practices become acts of care, resistance, and community-building.👉🏿 Explore Maureen’s mural, created as part of the Movement Builders School in Kenya, on our website.BioAuma Maureen is a rural feminist activist and Programmes Director at Twilight Support Initiative in Western Uganda. She advocates for structurally excluded people through grassroots organizing, access to justice, economic empowerment, health, and creative advocacy. Maureen believes in collective healing, storytelling, and transformative justice rooted in care and community resilience.CreditsInterviewee: Auma MaureenInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken by AudioWay, freesound.org.

Spotlight on Feminist Movement Building SchoolWe are in conversation with participants from our second Feminist Movement Builders School convened in partnership with Just Associates in from August 2024-August 2025.About the episode🎙️ Content warning: this episode contains discussion of sexual violence in conflictIn episode 26, host Nadia Asri speaks with Samrawit Assefa, a Gender-Based Violence specialist, working in and with communities in Tigray, where the ongoing conflict has been marked by unimaginable violence, including ethnic cleansing and the weaponisation of sexual violence.Samrawit shares her reflections on what it means to organise amid crisis — how women and girls have resisted, healed, and rebuilt through feminist solidarity and care.This is a conversation about courage, grief, and the power of collective action.BioSamrawit has more than fifteen years of experience in the areas of Gender Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence, both in development and conflict-affected humanitarian settings. She has worked with governmental, non-governmental, and community-based organizations and UN agencies to establish and improve GBV systems in various capacities to improve women’s and girls’ wellness. Samrawit has worked directly with refugees, Internally Displaced People (IDPs), and local communities and has experience working globally, providing direct case management and psychosocial support services, and coordinating with different agencies to establish systems to support survivors of GBV. As a GBV specialist in Emergencies with the World Health Organization (WHO), I have worked within the Health Sector to strengthen and institutionalize GBV services in health facilities by developing tools, guidance, and SOPs. Samrawit is part of the SASA! global technical advisers with Raising Voices, a proven and innovative GBV awareness-raising approach. She is trained in Sexual Abuse and Exploitation investigation and has established a Community-Based Complaints Mechanism (CBCM) in refugee camps in Ethiopia, along with other organizations. She is an expert in facilitating Forum Theatre on topics such as Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. She has conducted action research and contributed to the guidelines “Girl Shine” and “Traditions and Opportunities: A toolkit for GBV programs to engage community leaders in humanitarian settings”CreditsInterviewee: Samrawit AssefaInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken by AudioWay, freesound.org.

About the Legacy SeriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn the final episode of our Legacy Series with Françoise Vergès, we look forward to the politics of dreaming, imagining, and organising beyond the colonial systems of violence that shape our world, from the climate crisis to border regimes. We explore how decolonial feminism offers not just a critique, but a vision for environmental justice, collective liberation, and the right to breathe.BioFrançoise Vergès is a political theorist, curator and writerShe writes on the afterlife of slavery and colonisation, decolonial feminism, the museum, and climate disaster and regularly works with artists. For the 2025 Bannister Fletcher Fellowship, she is organizing workshops on “Imagining the Post-Museum,” with in London, the Whitechapel Gallery, Mosaic Room and the Sarah Parker Remond Center for the Study of Racism and Racialisation at UCL, and in Paris, Cité internationale des arts and ULIP.She is currently working on a film about struggles in Reunion Island and her parents’ personal archives. In 2024, she was, along with sociologist Fabien Truong, a curator and writer of the first edition of La Ville dansée in Paris.CreditsInterviewee: Françoise VergèsInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Mr. Trumpet by Ketsa, freemusicarchive.org

About the legacy seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn the second episode of our Legacy Series with Françoise Vergès, we move from memory to critique. Françoise unpacks her analyses of carceral feminism and the NGO-isation of justice work, asking what happens when feminist movements become professionalised or absorbed by the state.She challenges us to name the forms of violence legitimised in the name of safety, and invites us to imagine alternatives rooted in abolition, accountability, and disobedient archives.BioFrançoise Vergès is a political theorist, curator and writerShe writes on the afterlife of slavery and colonisation, decolonial feminism, the museum, and climate disaster and regularly works with artists. For the 2025 Bannister Fletcher Fellowship, she is organizing workshops on “Imagining the Post-Museum,” with in London, the Whitechapel Gallery, Mosaic Room and the Sarah Parker Remond Center for the Study of Racism and Racialisation at UCL, and in Paris, Cité internationale des arts and ULIP.She is currently working on a film about struggles in Reunion Island and her parents’ personal archives. In 2024, she was, along with sociologist Fabien Truong, a curator and writer of the first edition of La Ville dansée in Paris.CreditsInterviewee: Françoise VergèsInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Mr. Trumpet by Ketsa, freemusicarchive.org

About the legacy seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn this first episode of our Legacy Series with Françoise Vergès, we begin with formation: how place, memory, and the anti-colonial struggles of Réunion Island shaped Françoise’s early consciousness.Françoise reflects on growing up under French colonial rule, the figures who shaped her early political thinking, and the role of memory as a site of resistance. Together, we explore how the personal becomes political, and how remembering can become a radical act.BioFrançoise Vergès is a political theorist, curator and writerShe writes on the afterlife of slavery and colonisation, decolonial feminism, the museum, and climate disaster and regularly works with artists. For the 2025 Bannister Fletcher Fellowship, she is organizing workshops on “Imagining the Post-Museum,” with in London, the Whitechapel Gallery, Mosaic Room and the Sarah Parker Remond Center for the Study of Racism and Racialisation at UCL, and in Paris, Cité internationale des arts and ULIP.She is currently working on a film about struggles in Reunion Island and her parents’ personal archives. In 2024, she was, along with sociologist Fabien Truong, a curator and writer of the first edition of La Ville dansée in Paris.CreditsInterviewee: Françoise VergèsInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Mr. Trumpet by Ketsa, freemusicarchive.org

Spotlight on Feminist Movement Builders SchoolThese episodes are a conversation with participants from our second Feminist Movement Builders School convened in partnership with Just Associates in August 2024.About the episodeIn this episode of Runway to Feminist Justice, Nadia Asri speaks with Christie Banda, a feminist leader from Malawi. Christie reflects on her leadership journey, the power of collective feminist strategies, and the transformative potential of feminist Action Research.As part of FMBS, Christie is one of the participants leading a collaborative feminist action research project examining the prevalence of conversion practices experienced by LBQ women in Malawi. She discusses the political and practical challenges of designing and conducting research in this context, and why knowledge production is central to feminist resistance and movement building.This conversation speaks to the need to document community-based realities in ways that are participatory, strategic, and grounded in care.BioChristie Banda is a feminist gender justice leader, social policy strategist, and Founder of the Woven Agenda Foundation, as well as Co-Founder of the LBQ Women Coalition in Malawi. With over a decade of experience at the intersection of research, advocacy, and community empowerment, her work spans transformative initiatives in gender equality, LGBTQI+ rights, and accountable governance. Christie’s impact is grounded in deep partnerships with grassroots movements and policy institutions. She has played a pivotal role in shaping national and regional responses to gender-based violence, child marriage, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and continues to lead inclusive policy change through intersectional feminist frameworks.CreditsInterviewee: Christie BandaInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design and editing: Nadia Asri

Spotlight on Feminist Movement Builders SchoolThese episodes are a conversation with participants from our second Feminist Movement Builders School convened in partnership with Just Associates in August 2024.About the episodeIn this bonus episode, Nadia Asri is joined by feminist and social Justice advocate Cyprine Omollo for a discussion on the obstacles and barriers she faces as an activist advocating for the rights of formerly incarcerated women. Together, they explore how the colonial penal code continues to shape carceral systems across Africa, and the ways gender, class, and systemic inequalities intersect within the justice system. Cyprine shares her strategies for helping formerly incarcerated women reclaim dignity and agency, while also reflecting on feminist approaches to divesting from punitive systems and investing in community-based alternatives.BioCyprine Omollo is currently the Deputy Vice Chairperson of Sisters on the Outside, a grassroots movement uniting formerly incarcerated women across Africa. She is deeply committed to advancing this cause, uplifting women, girls, and children impacted by the complexities of the criminal justice system. She is also currently the Program Lead of Dignified Rehabilitation at Clean Start Africa where she oversees all stages of the program across 43 prisons in Kenya.CreditsInterviewee: Cyprine OmolloInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design and editing: Almaz Anderson

Spotlight on Feminist Movement Building SchoolThese episodes are a conversation with participants from our second Feminist Movement Builders School convened in partnership with Just Associates in August 2024.About the episodeIn this episode, Nadia Asri sits down with feminist activist Grace Nyarath to discuss the obstacles she faces when advocating for sex worker rights and overcoming counter-productive ideology which excludes certain groups of women from social justice initiatives.BioGrace Nyarath is a dedicated feminist human rights defender with a focus on empowering sex workers and advancing gender equality. As a program officer at the African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA), Nyarath leads a project on macroeconomics and sex workers' rights while coordinating the African Leadership Sex Workers Academy (ALESWA) in Nairobi, Kenya.CreditsInterviewee: Grace NyarathInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by:The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design and editing: Almaz Anderson

About the legacy seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn the final episode of our Legacy Series with Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, we explore how she extended her feminist work into politics during her tenure as the spouse of the Governor of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Bisi reflects on transforming the symbolic role into a strategic platform for advancing gender justice, influencing public policy, and institutionalising support for women’s rights. Her reflections challenge assumptions about proximity to power and offer vital lessons for navigating political systems. Content Note: This episode includes brief mentions of male sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised.BioBisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Feminist Activist, Gender and Development Practitioner, Policy Advocate, Leadership Coach, Philanthropist, Image Management Specialist, and Writer. She has a BA (1984) and MA (1988) in History from the University of Ife, Nigeria (now Obafemi Awolowo University). She also received an MA in Gender and Society (1992) from Middlesex University, UK.   Bisi served as the Director of Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), an international development organisation for African women based in London, UK, with an Africa regional office in Kampala, Uganda, from 1991-2001. While she was the Director of AMwA, she established the African Women's Leadership Institute (AWLI), a training, capacity building and networking forum for young African women which has produced well over 10,000 women leaders across Africa. She co-founded the African Women's Development Fund, (AWDF) and served as the first CEO from 2001-2010. Bisi was one of the founders of the African Feminist Forum and was a member of the AFF Working Group from 2005-2016.  Bisi has served as Trustee, Comic Relief (UK) (1998-2001), Co-Chair, International Network of Women's Funds (PROSPERA) (2004-2006); President, Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) (2003-2005); Board Member, Women’s Funding Network (2009-2012), Board Member and Programs Committee Chair, Global Fund for Women (2012-2016). She is also one of the founders of the African Grantmakers Network which is now African Philanthropy Network in 2009.  As First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria (2010-2014 and 2018-2022) she used her platform to influence legal and policy frameworks, for the promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls. She is currently a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Africa Leadership Center, King’s College, London, and serves on several boards such as the African Women’s Development Fund, St Ive’s Communications (owners of Women Radio), the Women’s Leadership Board at the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School, and the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement.Bisi is the author of ‘Speaking for Myself’: Perspectives on Social, Political and Feminist Activism in Africa (2013), ‘Speaking above a Whisper’, (2013) an autobiography, ‘Loud Whispers’ (2017), ‘Where is your Wrapper?’ (2020), ‘Demand and Supply’ (2023) and ‘A Tray of Locust Beans (2023). She also co-edited ‘Voice, Power and Soul’, with Jessica Horn (2008) a compilation of images and stories of African Feminists.  CreditsInterviewee: Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi Interviewer: Awino Okech Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice Sound design, editing, additional scripting, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde Music: Broken by AudioWay, freesound.org; Hard Living by John Bartman, freemusicarchive.org 

About this episodeIn this episode Awino Okech sits down with South African award winning musician Simphiwe Dana to discuss 20 years in music, artivism and music as therapy BioSimphiwe Dana, a multiple award-winning South African artist. Simphiwe’s commercial and critical success came with her debut album Zandisile in 2004. This was followed by The One Love Movement on Bantu Biko Street in 2007, Kulture Noir in 2010, Firebrand in 2014, and An Evening with Simphiwe Dana Live in Concert and, the 2016 Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience, featuring Buika and Asa and Bamako in 2020. Dana’s discography, the intellectual and spiritual content of her art primarily pulses with the Xhosa cosmology of her cultural background, is Afrocentric in its temperament and identity. In 2025, Simphiwe celebrates 20 years in the musical industry. We talk to Simphiwe about her work over the last two decades CreditsInterviewee: Simphiwe Dana Interviewer: Awino Okech Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice Sound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde Music: Broken by AudioWay, freesound.org; Feeling by Ketsa, freemusicarchive.org 

About the legacy seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn part two of our Legacy Series conversation with Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, we examine her leadership in global feminist spaces. From the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing to the co-founding of the African Women’s Development Fund and the Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund, Bisi shares insights into building feminist institutions and networks. We also explore her role in documenting feminist histories through storytelling and film, and why memory is essential to sustaining movements. BioBisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Feminist Activist, Gender and Development Practitioner, Policy Advocate, Leadership Coach, Philanthropist, Image Management Specialist, and Writer. She has a BA (1984) and MA (1988) in History from the University of Ife, Nigeria (now Obafemi Awolowo University). She also received an MA in Gender and Society (1992) from Middlesex University, UK.   Bisi served as the Director of Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), an international development organisation for African women based in London, UK, with an Africa regional office in Kampala, Uganda, from 1991-2001. While she was the Director of AMwA, she established the African Women's Leadership Institute (AWLI), a training, capacity building and networking forum for young African women which has produced well over 10,000 women leaders across Africa. She co-founded the African Women's Development Fund, (AWDF) and served as the first CEO from 2001-2010. Bisi was one of the founders of the African Feminist Forum and was a member of the AFF Working Group from 2005-2016.  Bisi has served as Trustee, Comic Relief (UK) (1998-2001), Co-Chair, International Network of Women's Funds (PROSPERA) (2004-2006); President, Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) (2003-2005); Board Member, Women’s Funding Network (2009-2012), Board Member and Programs Committee Chair, Global Fund for Women (2012-2016). She is also one of the founders of the African Grantmakers Network which is now African Philanthropy Network in 2009.  As First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria (2010-2014 and 2018-2022) she used her platform to influence legal and policy frameworks, for the promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls. She is currently a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Africa Leadership Center, King’s College, London, and serves on several boards such as the African Women’s Development Fund, St Ive’s Communications (owners of Women Radio), the Women’s Leadership Board at the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School, and the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement.Bisi is the author of ‘Speaking for Myself’: Perspectives on Social, Political and Feminist Activism in Africa (2013), ‘Speaking above a Whisper’, (2013) an autobiography, ‘Loud Whispers’ (2017), ‘Where is your Wrapper?’ (2020), ‘Demand and Supply’ (2023) and ‘A Tray of Locust Beans (2023). She also co-edited ‘Voice, Power and Soul’, with Jessica Horn (2008) a compilation of images and stories of African Feminists.  CreditsInterviewee: Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi Interviewer: Awino Okech Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice Sound design, editing, additional scripting, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde Music: Broken by AudioWay, freesound.org; Hard Living by John Bartman, freemusicarchive.org 

In this episode, we talk to FCRJ’s Activists in Residence Silvia Sánchez and Sonia Cardona, who have developed a thematic repository of booklets addressing violence against Indigenous women in El Salvador, Colombia, and Ecuador. We explore how their project sheds light on the complex, multifaceted violence faced by Indigenous women. Silvia and Sonia discuss the importance of Indigenous women’s voices in shaping culturally appropriate solutions rooted in Indigenous cosmovisions. BiosSonia Cardona is a social Worker from the University of Antioquia. She has a master's degree in community social psychology. She is a specialist in social and political processes that seek equality, equity and inclusion and has dedicated herself to promoting initiatives that ensure women's participation in all spheres. She is an active member of feminist collectives that advocate for the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls, as well as for ensuring women's political participation, such as Artemisas (Network of innovation and political advocacy of women from different regions of Colombia), the Sophias Foundation (socially political women), and as co-leader of Colombia in Amassuru (Professional Network of Women in Security and Defence in Latin America and the Caribbean). She is currently the Women's Councillor of the District Council of Citizen Participation for the period 2024 - 2028 in Medellín, Antioquia. Silvia Sánchez is a Nicaraguan criminal lawyer. She currently lives and works in Spain. After working for the Public Prosecutor's Office in Nicaragua (2002-2011), she worked as an external criminal advisor for several local law firms with a regional presence in Central America. She has an impeccable professional career of more than twenty years in which she has stood out for her rigorous and reliable handling of highly complex matters. She is an Expert in Economic Crime (School of Legal Practice, Complutense University of Madrid), Security Intelligence Analysis (Autonomous University of Madrid), General Theory of Crime (Autonomous University of Madrid) and Conflict Analysis and Peace Building (School of Government, Complutense University of Madrid). She works as a researcher and independent legal advisor on issues related to criminal proceedings in Central America, citizen security and due process of law, economic and environmental crime, corporate crime, and has published articles related to rights of women deprived of liberty in Latin America, shadow economy in Latin America, racial or ethnic profiling, among other topics. CreditsInterviewees: Sonia Cardona and Silvia SanchezInterviewer: Nadia AsriTranslation: Daniela Cortés VargasProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken by AudioWay (freesound.org)Additional sounds: CarlosCarty (freesound.org),sgossner (freesound.org)

About the legacy seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn the first episode of our three-part Legacy Series with Pan-African feminist Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, we trace the early years of her journey from her birth in Liverpool in 1963 to formative experiences in both England and Nigeria. Bisi reflects on the activism and resistance that shaped her identity and her path into feminist work, grounded in the pursuit of justice and dignity. This episode charts her movement from academia and civil service to leadership with Akina Mama wa Afrika and the African Women’s Development Fund, laying the foundation for her transnational feminist legacyBioBisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Feminist Activist, Gender and Development Practitioner, Policy Advocate, Leadership Coach, Philanthropist, Image Management Specialist, and Writer. She has a BA (1984) and MA (1988) in History from the University of Ife, Nigeria (now Obafemi Awolowo University). She also received an MA in Gender and Society (1992) from Middlesex University, UK.   Bisi served as the Director of Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), an international development organisation for African women based in London, UK, with an Africa regional office in Kampala, Uganda, from 1991-2001. While she was the Director of AMwA, she established the African Women's Leadership Institute (AWLI), a training, capacity building and networking forum for young African women which has produced well over 10,000 women leaders across Africa. She co-founded the African Women's Development Fund, (AWDF) and served as the first CEO from 2001-2010. Bisi was one of the founders of the African Feminist Forum and was a member of the AFF Working Group from 2005-2016.  Bisi has served as Trustee, Comic Relief (UK) (1998-2001), Co-Chair, International Network of Women's Funds (PROSPERA) (2004-2006); President, Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) (2003-2005); Board Member, Women’s Funding Network (2009-2012), Board Member and Programs Committee Chair, Global Fund for Women (2012-2016). She is also one of the founders of the African Grantmakers Network which is now African Philanthropy Network in 2009.  As First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria (2010-2014 and 2018-2022) she used her platform to influence legal and policy frameworks, for the promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls. She is currently a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Africa Leadership Center, King’s College, London, and serves on several boards such as the African Women’s Development Fund, St Ive’s Communications (owners of Women Radio), the Women’s Leadership Board at the Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School, and the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement.Bisi is the author of ‘Speaking for Myself’: Perspectives on Social, Political and Feminist Activism in Africa (2013), ‘Speaking above a Whisper’, (2013) an autobiography, ‘Loud Whispers’ (2017), ‘Where is your Wrapper?’ (2020), ‘Demand and Supply’ (2023) and ‘A Tray of Locust Beans (2023). She also co-edited ‘Voice, Power and Soul’, with Jessica Horn (2008) a compilation of images and stories of African Feminists.  CreditsInterviewee: Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi Interviewer: Awino Okech Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice Sound design, editing, additional scripting, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde Music: Broken by AudioWay, freesound.org; Hard Living by John Bartman, freemusicarchive.org 

About the legacy seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeThis is the third and final part of our legacy series conversation with Kaari Murungi. In this episode we explore Kaari’s legacy as co-founder of the Urgent Action Fund, her pioneering work in feminist philanthropy, and advancing women’s rights in conflict zones. Kaari also shares her reflections on Truth and Reconciliation commissions and processes, the place and process of leadership transition, and her advice to the next generation of feminists.BioBetty Kaari Murungi is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a longstanding gender equality, social justice and peace advocate. Kaari has considerable experience in international criminal justice and accountability mechanisms and has worked in Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Northern Uganda, South Sudan and her native country Kenya. Murungi co-founded the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights Africa and served as the founding director growing and steering the fund successfully for eight years. Ms. Murungi has served in the following capacities: Vice Chairperson and Commissioner to the Kenya Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (2009-2010); Africa representative on the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims at the International Criminal Court (2009-2013); Gender Advisor to President Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana and Chair of Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission – JMEC- South Sudan ( 2016);  Senior Transitional Justice Advisor, JMEC, South Sudan (2017-2018); member of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (July 2018- March 2019).  Credits Interviewee: Betty Kaari Murungi Interviewer: Awino Okech Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice Sound design, editing, additional scripting, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde Music: Rockets by Ketsa, freemusicarchive.org 

Content note: Listeners are advised that this episode contains graphic descriptions of the aftermath of genocide crimes.About the legacy seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn Part 2 of our legacy series with Betty Kaari Murungi, we confront the difficult but vital realities of her work—documenting atrocities, seeking justice, and shaping global conversations on gender accountability. From witnessing the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide to advocating for survivors at the ICC, Kaari shares her experiences at the frontlines of international justice. We also explore the emotional toll of this work and the often-overlooked need for care, both for survivors and those fighting on their behalf. BioBetty Kaari Murungi is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a longstanding gender equality, social justice and peace advocate. Kaari has considerable experience in international criminal justice and accountability mechanisms and has worked in Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Northern Uganda, South Sudan and her native country Kenya. Murungi co-founded the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights Africa and served as the founding director growing and steering the fund successfully for eight years. Ms. Murungi has served in the following capacities: Vice Chairperson and Commissioner to the Kenya Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (2009-2010); Africa representative on the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims at the International Criminal Court (2009-2013); Gender Advisor to President Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana and Chair of Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission – JMEC- South Sudan ( 2016);  Senior Transitional Justice Advisor, JMEC, South Sudan (2017-2018); member of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (July 2018- March 2019).  CreditsInterviewee: Betty Kaari Murungi Interviewer: Awino Okech Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice Sound design, editing, additional scripting, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde Music: Rockets by Ketsa, freemusicarchive.org Additional sounds: Kigali Suburbs by Rwanda SFX Library/Bardman; footsteps by kyles, Industrial Drone by Jovica, freesound.org 

About the legacy seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeThis is the first part of a three-episode conversation with Betty Kaari Murungi as part of our ongoing Legacy Series. In this episode, Kaari shares with us the early events that shaped her deep commitment to justice, from her childhood in Chogoria to her days as a student at the University of Nairobi. We’ll also discuss her experiences navigating colonial-era schools, her decision to study law, and her reflections on citizenship, responsibility, and activism in today’s world.BioBetty Kaari Murungi is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a longstanding gender equality, social justice and peace advocate. Kaari has considerable experience in international criminal justice and accountability mechanisms and has worked in Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Northern Uganda, South Sudan and her native country Kenya. Murungi co-founded the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights Africa and served as the founding director growing and steering the fund successfully for eight years. Ms. Murungi has served in the following capacities: Vice Chairperson and Commissioner to the Kenya Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (2009-2010); Africa representative on the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims at the International Criminal Court (2009-2013); Gender Advisor to President Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana and Chair of Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission – JMEC- South Sudan ( 2016);  Senior Transitional Justice Advisor, JMEC, South Sudan (2017-2018); member of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (July 2018- March 2019).  CreditsInterviewee: Betty Kaari Murungi Interviewer: Awino Okech Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice Sound design, editing, additional scripting, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde Music: Broken by AudioWay, freesound.org; Rockets by Ketsa, freemusicarchive.org 

FCRJ Director Awino Okech shares the rationale for setting up the legacy series.CreditsSpeaker: Awino Okech Produced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial Justice Sound design, editing, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde Music: Intro, by Red Roses Realm, www.instagram.com/redrosesrealm/ 

Legacy SeriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn the third and final episode with Sarah Mukasa, Awino discusses her transition to global philanthropy. Sarah explores the complexities of navigating private philanthropy as someone from the majority world, and the tensions between donor rhetoric and practice. Sarah concludes with her hopes for African feminist organising, and her message to younger feminists. BioSarah Mukasa is a Pan African feminist with over fifteen years of experience in leadership and management at senior levels in the not-for-profit sector in Africa and Europe. Sarah has worked with the Open Society Foundations as Deputy Director for OSIEA, Division Head of the Women’s Programme at Open Society Foundations – Africa, the Director of Programmes at the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) where she oversaw and operationalised the growth of the organisation to become one of the largest women’s funds and the head of Akina Mama wa Afrika in Uganda. She has written extensively on human rights, women’s rights, social justice and development, and has provided consultancy services to several agencies such as the Ford Foundation, DANIDA, Concern Worldwide, Action Aid International and the Judicial Services Commission of Uganda.Interviewee: Sarah MukasaCreditsInterviewer:Awino OkechInterviewee: Sarah MukasaProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, additional scripting, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way; Can't Touch Me by Ketsa

About the seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn part 2 of the three part conversation with Sarah Mukasa, we hear her insights on the creation of the African Feminist Forum, investments in feminist leadership, and the African Grantmakers Network.BioSarah Mukasa is a Pan African feminist with over fifteen years of experience in leadership and management at senior levels in the not-for-profit sector in Africa and Europe. Sarah has worked with the Open Society Foundations as Deputy Director for OSIEA, Division Head of the Women’s Programme at Open Society Foundations – Africa, the Director of Programmes at the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) where she oversaw and operationalised the growth of the organisation to become one of the largest women’s funds and the head of Akina Mama wa Afrika in Uganda. She has written extensively on human rights, women’s rights, social justice and development, and has provided consultancy services to several agencies such as the Ford Foundation, DANIDA, Concern Worldwide, Action Aid International and the Judicial Services Commission of Uganda. CreditsInterviewer:Awino OkechInterviewee: Sarah MukasaProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, additional scripting, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way; Can't Touch Me by Ketsa

About the legacy seriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeThis is a three-part conversation with Sarah Mukasa as part of the legacy series. Awino Okech talks to Sarah over three episodes about her life, feminism and legacy.BioSarah Mukasa is a Pan African feminist with over fifteen years of experience in leadership and management at senior levels in the not-for-profit sector in Africa and Europe. Sarah has worked with the Open Society Foundations as Deputy Director for OSIEA, Division Head of the Women’s Programme at Open Society Foundations – Africa, the Director of Programmes at the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) where she oversaw and operationalised the growth of the organisation to become one of the largest women’s funds and the head of Akina Mama wa Afrika in Uganda. She has written extensively on human rights, women’s rights, social justice and development, and has provided consultancy services to several agencies such as the Ford Foundation, DANIDA, Concern Worldwide, Action Aid International and the Judicial Services Commission of Uganda. CreditsInterviewer:Awino OkechInterviewee: Sarah MukasaProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, additional scripting, production: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way; Can't Touch Me by Ketsa

Spotlight on Feminist Movement Building SchoolOver three episodes we will converse with four participants from our second Feminist Movement Builders School convened in partnership with Just Associates in August 2024.About the episodeIn episode 18, Nadia Asri sits down with feminist activist, Ann K. Holland to discuss the importance of youth involvement and inclusion in feminist and social justice spaces and how reclaiming anti-feminist rhetoric can be empowering.BioAnn K Holland, is a dedicated advocate for gender equality and social justice from Zambia, who has tirelessly championed the rights of women, children, minority groups for over a decade. As the founder and director of Sistah Sistah Foundation and Feminist Climate, she intertwines her activism with her pursuit of a bachelor's degree in law to amplify her impact in the field of women's rights. Ann has spearheaded influential initiatives such as the Feminist Festival in Zambia and pioneered the country's first Feminist Comic. Ann's endeavors include leading impactful marches and campaigns against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), advocating for Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and driving societal awareness and change.  CreditsInterviewee:Ann K. HollandInterviewer: Nadia AsriProduced by:The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design and editing: Almaz Anderson

Spotlight on Transnational Research CollaboratoryIn 2024-2025, FCRJ is supporting five transnational research projects. Our transnational research collaboratory fosters connections between academics and social justice movements around FCRJ’s interconnected fields of inquiry, with the goal of co-creating research methodologies and outcomes that cultivate feminist and racially just worlds.About episodeIn episode 17, Lydia Ayame Hiraide is joined by Dr. Phoebe Kisubi Mbasalaki to discuss her involvement with ‘Queer and trans exiles: Dis/connections of home’.They explore queer & trans organising in the face of discriminatory policies, and explore how the project takes an interdisciplinary approach of creative participatory action research that centres on documentary filmmaking, where creativity becomes the vocabulary or medium through which research is engaged with. Dr Phoebe Kisubi Mbasalaki is a lecturer in the department of Sociology and Director of the Centre for Intimate Sexual Citizenship at the University of Essex. She has previously taught on gender studies programs at the African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town and Graduate Gender Studies Program, Utrecht University. Her research interests are in critical race, gender, class, sexuality, creative activism, public health as well as decolonial thought and praxis.CreditsInterviewee: Phoebe Kisubi MbasalakiInterviewer: Lydia Ayame HiraideProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing: Almaz Anderson

This is a bonus episode between Awino Okech in conversation with Thandiswa Mazwai. The conversation was held when Thandiswa was on tour in London in November 2024BioThandiswa Mazwai is one of the most influential post-Apartheid singers in South Africa who began her career in 1996. Known for her electrifying performances, Thandiswa has performed all over the world at venues including the Tiny Desk Concert, Apollo Theatre, The Barbican, The Lincoln Centre, The Cannes Film Festival and Carnegie Hall Citywide Festival, among others. In our conversation, we explored the powerful intersection of music and activism, particularly in a world facing complex challenges in leadership and creative expression.CreditsInterviewer:Awino OkechInterviewee: Thandiswa MazwaiProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeRecorded at: King’s College LondonAudio recording, sound design, editing and production:Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Legacy SeriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeEpisode 15 part 4 is the fourth and final episode featuring EJ, or Everjoice Win. In this episode, we turn to the subject of ‘legacies’. EJ schools us in how to confront the ‘death by a thousand cuts’ of bureaucracy and often outright racism, how to build and maintain personal and institutional power, how to map and understand power, and what Shrek has to do with all of this. We begin, however, with a discussion of ‘the F word’ in ActionAid.Interviewer:Awino OkechInterviewee: Everjoice WinProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, and additional scripting: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Legacy SeriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About the episodeIn episode 15 part 3, we begin with a little political education as the context of working in women’s rights during a time when, as EJ says, ‘the wheels fell off’ the Zimbabwean economy, before discussing how she wielded – successfully and unsuccessfully – the power held within the major development institution, ActionAid.CreditsInterviewer:Awino OkechInterviewee: Everjoice WinProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, and additional scripting: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Legacy SeriesThe legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over time.About episodeIn Episode 15 part 2, EJ recounts her rise through Women in Law and Development in Africa – or WILDAF – detailing the advantages and pitfalls of international gatherings in development spaces, recounting her version of how the 16 days of action came to be, reflecting on the comrades lost to HIV/AIDS along the way, and setting the record straight on just who created the strapline ‘women’s rights are human rights’.CreditsInterviewer:Awino OkechInterviewee: Everjoice WinProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, and additional scripting: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

In episode 16 as FCRJ marks the second anniversary of FCRJ, we share a discussion between Founding Director Professor Awino Okech and Lydia Ayame Hiraide, FCRJ's former post doctoral fellow. They explore the ongoing reversals around racial justice work globally and its meaning for the interventions of institutions such as the FCRJ.Awino Okech is Professor of Feminist and Security Studies at SOAS, University of London and founding director of the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice.Credits:Interviewer: Lydia Ayame HiraideInterviewee: Awino OkechProduced by:The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Legacy SeriesWelcome to the launch of our legacy series. The legacy series is a long form conversation with senior feminists. These conversations take place over three or four episodes tracing feminist journeys and lessons over timeAbout this episodeThis inaugural episode is a four-part conversation with Everjoice Win or as she popularly known EJ. Awino Okech talks to EJ over four episodes about her life, feminism and legacy. Episode 15 part 1 is a deep dive into the life, work and legacy of Everjoice Win.BioEJ has been active in feminist and social justice movements in her country, Zimbabwe, the African continent and globally for over 35 years. She has worked extensively from very rooted community-based development programs to national, to regional and global levels. Some of the organisations in which she has held very senior leadership roles include Women’s Action Group-Zimbabwe, the Pan-African network, Women in Law and Development in Africa, (WiLDAF), Oxfam-Canada, and ActionAid International. Most recently she was Executive Director of the Shine Campaign, (now Shine Collab). Besides formal roles EJ volunteers her time on various NGO boards, provides support and accompaniment to leaders in the non-profit sector and their organisations or movements particularly on; strategic thinking, movement building, feminist popular education, feminist leadership, understanding, navigating and transforming power, as well as generating learning and knowledge.   Everjoice is an alumnus of the first Women’s Leadership Institute held at the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University, which conceptualized the 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. She is a graduate from the University of Zimbabwe where she studied Economic History. Between 2020 and 2022, Everjoice served as Professor of Practice-Women’s Rights at SOAS University of London. A writer, and social media influencer, EJ contributes to various print and online publications. CreditsInterviewer:Awino OkechInterviewee: Everjoice WinProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing, and additional scripting: Ellan A. Lincoln-Hyde

Spotlight on Transnational Research CollaboratoryIn 2024-2025, FCRJ is supporting five transnational research projects. Our transnational research collaboratory fosters connections between academics and social justice movements around FCRJ’s interconnected fields of inquiry, with the goal of co-creating research methodologies and outcomes that cultivate feminist and racially just worlds.About episodeIn episode 14, Lydia Ayame Hiraide sits down with Nomancotsho Pakade to discuss how decolonial feminism can present and ameliorate gender biases and inequality in relation to reparations. BioNomancotsho Pakade is a South African-based researcher published in theoretical and experimental work on gender and sexuality, education, and governance with extensive experience in community mobilisation and advocacy. She has acumen skills in qualitative and statistical analysis, including policy analysis, in-depth ethnography, and institutional studies.  Nomancotsho holds an MA in Research Psychology from the University of Witwatersrand and is currently a PhD candidate at the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies at the University of Pretoria. Credits:Interviewee: Nomancotsho PakadeInterviewer: Lydia Ayame HiraideProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing:Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Spotlight on Transnational Research CollaboratoryIn 2024-2025, FCRJ is supporting five transnational research projects. Our transnational research collaboratory fosters connections between academics and social justice movements around FCRJ’s interconnected fields of inquiry, with the goal of co-creating research methodologies and outcomes that cultivate feminist and racially just worlds.About episodeIn episode 13, Lydia Ayame Hiraide sits down with human rights defender and researcher Majd Hammad to discuss her involvement with: ‘Empowering Voices: Unraveling the Journey of African Migrant Domestic Workers to the Arab World’, a research collaboration between Jordan, Lebanon, Kenya & Ethiopia.BioMs. Majd Hammad is an esteemed human rights defender and researcher, recognized for over two decades of dedicated expertise in the fields of gender, feminism, and human rights studies. Her deep knowledge in project management, combined with a steadfast commitment to tackling complex issues in labor, development, and humanitarian sectors, has led to substantial contributions in shaping policies and practices. Hammad's work has been consistently driven by a mission to uplift the rights and welfare of refugees and migrant workers, advocating for their dignity and equality. Interviewee: Majd HammadInterviewer: Lydia Ayame HiraideProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing: Lydia Ayame Hiraide

Spotlight on Transnational Research CollaboratoryIn 2024-2025, FCRJ is supporting five transnational research projects. Our transnational research collaboratory fosters connections between academics and social justice movements around FCRJ’s interconnected fields of inquiry, with the goal of co-creating research methodologies and outcomes that cultivate feminist and racially just worlds.About episodeIn episode 12, FCRJ Post-Doc Fellow Lydia Ayame Hiraide sits down with Dr. Lucia Bracco and Luisa Pariachi to discuss their involvement with one of these projects: ‘Women’s symbolic prisons-agencies: a Latin American-Middle Eastern dialogue’, in which they use 'prison' as a visual metaphor for women's symbolic oppressions in everyday life. Interviewees: Lucia Bracco and Luisa PariachiInterviewer: Lydia Ayame HiraideProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing: Almaz Anderson

Spotlight on Transnational Research CollaboratoryIn 2024-2025, FCRJ is supporting five transnational research projects. Our transnational research collaboratory fosters connections between academics and social justice movements around FCRJ’s interconnected fields of inquiry, with the goal of co-creating research methodologies and outcomes that cultivate feminist and racially just worlds.About episodeIn episode 11, Lydia Ayame Hiraide sits down with Dena Arya to discuss her involvement with one of these projects:‘Theatre of Climate Action: Amplifying Youth Voices for Climate Justice in Guadeloupe and South Africa’.In their conversation, they explore youth agency and climate justice in the context of this research project which uses participatory theatre methods to explore and platform youth climate justice perspectives in South Africa and Guadeloupe.CreditsInterviewee: Dena AryaInterviewer: Lydia Ayame HiraideProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeSound design, editing: Almaz Anderson

Leadership SeriesIn episode 10 FCRJ Director Awino Okech speaks to Nyawira Wahito, from Resource Centre for Women and Girls (RCWG). The conversation explores what it means to embody and develop leadership skills and roles, as well as approaches to work and living well.Nyawira is a Kenyan feminist passionate about investing in the leadership potential and personal transformation of girls and young women in rural Kenya.  Nyawira brings nearly 13 years of experience in the feminist organizing space where she has worked extensively with rural communities around the country. Nyawira’s leadership and advocacy is anchored in the belief that when girls are given space to dream, ideate and be ambitious, they can truly live into their power and transform their lives and those of their communities. She holds a Master’s in Security, Leadership and Society from King’s College London and a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Philosophy from the University of Nairobi. Nyawira is an alumnus of the African Leadership Centre Scholar’s program and the Resource Center for Women and Girls’ (RCWG) Girls’ Empowerment Retreats. She currently serves as the Executive Director at RCWG where she leads a diverse team of young women.Interviewer: Awino OkechInterviewee: Nyawira WahitoProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeMusic: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org; ⁠⁠⁠Inn Ann⁠⁠⁠ by Daboor; ⁠⁠⁠Snoopy⁠⁠⁠ by Sandy Chamoun

Leadership SeriesIn episode 9 FCRJ Director Awino Okech speaks to Shuvai Busuman Nyoni from the African Leadership Centre (ALC).Shuvai Busuman Nyoni is the Executive Director of the African Leadership Centre (ALC), Nairobi, Kenya. She is also a Gender, Peace and Security researcher and practitioner. The ALC is a research and training institution that focuses on raising next generation African leaders, thinkers and practitioners within the peace, security and development sector. The ALC seeks to contribute to Africa’s long term social and economic security and development terrain by training and mentoring the next generation of young African leaders as well as through rigorous research and knowledge generation. Prior to joining the Centre, Shuvai worked as the Director of Interventions and before that Regional Advocacy Specialist for the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) in Johannesburg South Africa. She has worked extensively with a range of regional and national policy makers, civil society actors and academics in post-conflict and transitional countries on the African continent. Through her work Shuvai has engaged on post-conflict reconstruction, governance, social and economic justice, transitional justice, reconciliation, and national and community healing. Interviewer: Awino OkechInterviewee: Shuvai Busuman NyoniProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeMusic: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org; ⁠⁠Inn Ann⁠⁠ by Daboor; ⁠⁠Snoopy⁠⁠ by Sandy Chamoun

Leadership SeriesIn episode 8 FCRJ Director Awino Okech speaks to Shereen Essof, from Just Associates (JASS). The conversation explores what it means to reflect on and practice feminist leadership, responding to multiple crises around the world in collective ways, and grappling with loneliness in leadership.Shereen Essof is a Zimbabwean feminist, popular educator and organiser.  Shereen’s work is grounded in her engagement with womxn in social movements, community-based organizations and cultural collectives. She strives to understand power inherent in the interlocking nature of oppressive systems and from that understanding, to imagine, organize and build towards liberated futures. Shereen has published widely including: Shemurenga: The Zimbabwean Women’s Movement 1990-2000. Weaver Press; My Dream is to be Bold: The Work to End Patriarchy. Pambazuka Press and Feminist Alternatives; Searching for South Africa: The New Calculus of Dignity. UNISA Press.  She currently serves as Executive Director of Just Associates (JASS), a global feminist movement strengthening organization that equips and strengthens the leadership and organizing capacity of women leaders and their organizations in Mesoamerica, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa.Interviewer: Awino OkechInterviewee: Shereen EssofProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeMusic: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org; ⁠Inn Ann⁠ by Daboor; ⁠Snoopy⁠ by Sandy Chamoun

In episode 7, Lydia Ayame Hiraide speaks to Dr. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson about Indigenous modes of resistance against settler domination across Turtle Island. Leanne and Lydia talk about transnational social movement organising, land, solidarity, and creative strategies for resurgence. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson is a renowned Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg scholar, writer and artist, who has been widely recognized as one of the most compelling Indigenous voices of her generation. Her work breaks open the intersections between politics,  story and song—bringing audiences into a rich and layered world of sound, light, and sovereign creativity. Working for two decades as an independent scholar using Nishnaabeg intellectual practices, Leanne has lectured and taught extensively at universities across Canada and the United States and has over twenty years experience with Indigenous land based education. She holds a PhD from the University of Manitoba and is member of Alderville First Nation.Leanne is the author of eight books, includingA Short History of the Blockadeand the novelNoopiming: The Cure for White Ladies which was short listed for the Governor General’s Literary Award for fiction and the Dublin Literary Prize.This Accident of Being Lostwas a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the Trillium Book Award. Her new project, a collaboration with Robyn Maynard,Rehearsals for Living, is a National Best Seller and was short listed for the Governor General’s Literary Award for non-fiction. Leanne is also a musician. Her latest releaseTheory of Icewas named to the Polaris Prize short list, and she is the 2021 winner of the Prism Prize’s Willie Dunn Award.  Lydia Ayame Hiraide is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice.Interviewer: Lydia Ayame HiraideInterviewee: Dayna AshProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeRecording, editing: Lydia Ayame HiraideAdditional editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic:Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org;⁠Inn Ann⁠ by Daboor;⁠Snoopy⁠ by Sandy Chamoun

Content warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual and anti-LGBTQI+ violence.In episode 6 Lydia Ayame Hiraide speaks to Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé about intersectional disability justice.Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ Oyèwọlé is a young woman with a disability, who works and lives at the intersection of gender, disability, and sexuality. In 2022, she spearheaded a first-of-its-kind study into the lived experiences of LGBTQI+ persons with Disabilities in Nigeria with the Women’s Health and Rights Initiative (WHER).Lydia Ayame Hiraide is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice. In this episode, Lydia asks Oyedayo about the WHER Initiative, the current legal and social climate for activism in Nigeria, and the importance of storytelling. A brief explainer for the acronyms mentioned in this episode:UPR: The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States.UNCRPD: The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) is an international UN human rights treaty intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.SSMPA: The Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA) was signed into Nigerian law in 2014. The purpose of SSMPA is described as prohibiting marriage between persons of the same sex – but its effects are much broader. CEDAW: The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly.End SARS: #EndSARS is a social movement and series of protests against police brutality from organisations such as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria.Interviewer: Lydia Ayame HiraideInterviewee: Benedicta Oyèdayọ̀ OyèwọléProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeRecording, editing: Lydia Ayame HiraideAdditional editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic:Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org;⁠Inn Ann⁠ by Daboor;⁠Snoopy⁠ by Sandy Chamoun

In episode 5 Lydia Ayame Hiraide speaks to Dayna Ash about art, politics, the notion of ‘borders’ and creating space.Dayna Ash is an intersectional feminist, performing artist, published writer, playwright, and the founder & Executive Director of Haven for Artists; a cultural feminist organization working at the intersection of art and activism. She was named one of the BBC's 100 most inspirational Women in 2019, and her recent filmCourage, won Best Experimental Film in Montreal Independent film festival 2022.Lydia Ayame Hiraide is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice.Interviewer: Lydia Ayame HiraideInterviewee: Dayna AshProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeRecording, editing: Lydia Ayame HiraideAdditional editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic:Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org;Inn Ann by Daboor;Snoopy by Sandy Chamoun

Conversations with FeministsIn August 2023, the Feminist Centre for Racial Justice partnered with Just Associates to deliver our first feminist movement builders school in Mexico City with participants from Latin America. Episode 4 captures a discussion with some of the participants in the school.

Conversations with FeministsIn episode 3 guest podcast producer Ellan Lincoln-Hyde makes a call to The Lady Imam, Dr. amina wadud in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They discuss qist (justice), terminology, identifying with feminism and making activism and academia would together through intersectionality.Interviewer: Ellan Lincoln-HydeInterviewee: amina wadudProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeRecording, editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org

Conversations with FeministsIn episode 2 of the FCRJ Podcast, FCRJ Founding Director Awino Okech sits down with Ruby Zelzer to discuss her work at Reimagine Redefine, tackling systemic racism within the UK's healthcare system. The conversation delves into topics such as health disparities, maternal care inequalities, the absence of race-related data, and the importance of global collaboration to combat racial injustice in healthcare.Interviewer: Awino OkechGuest: Ruby ZelzerProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeRecording, editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org

Conversations with FeministsIn episode 1, FCRJ Founding Director Awino Okech speaks to activist Phumi Mtetwa, from Just Associates (JASS). The conversation covers feminist popular education, activism and academia, the August 2023 JASS Movement Building Schools, and what’s been cooking in the global body politic.Interviewer: Awino OkechInterviewee: Phumi MtetwaProduced by: The Feminist Centre for Racial JusticeRecording, editing, transcription, design: Ellan A. Lincoln-HydeMusic: Broken RNB Instrumental by The Audio Way, freesound.org