Siana Bangura, UK & Sierra Leone

Siana Bangura is a writer, blogger, public speaker and freelance journalist hailing from South East London. She is an award-winning poet and performer: her debut collection of poetry, ‘Elephant’, was published in May 2016 by the Haus of Liberated Reading. Siana is a producer, working across film and theatre and is currently producing the upcoming film, ‘1500 & Counting’, investigating police brutality and deaths in custody in the UK.  Siana is also the founder and editor of Black Feminist platform, No Fly on the WALL. Having worked with an eclectic array or organisations over the last five years, Siana’s portfolio of work focuses on bringing underrepresented voices from the margins to the centre. Her creative work, extensive writing, and community organising focus on highlighting and centring marginalised voices – like hers – empowering them to take up space and be visible on their own terms. Siana has been recognised by MOBO, The Bookseller, VICE, Dazed, Elle, NU People Magazine, Hustle and Heels, The Voice, True Africa, Buzzfeed, and the BBC, among others, for her powerful voice, conviction, and commitment to working towards meaningful inclusivity and positive change in Britain and beyond. She was nominated for the 2016 Nu People x Hustle and Heels Inspire Award and holds a History degree from the University of Cambridge. Siana is an international public speaker, performing and presenting papers most recently in Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands.