CURRENT QUARTERLY FEATURES
Spring 2020
*Drawing made by Freya Pasinios, age 8, London
When Emerging Voices added the feature, Conversations in Crisis, who would have foreseen a pandemic engulfing the world? But here we are, struggling to come to terms--individually and collectively, personally and socially--with Covid 19.
Longing for an end to the crisis, we articulate hopes and fears through actions of all kinds. We search for creative ways to connect through the fog of uncertainty. We struggle to remember there are other crises to confront. Climate breakdown, we must not forget, is moving us closer to global disaster. There is no vaccine to restore melted ice caps.
We’ve made some connections between the virus and climate breakdown, notably in a mid April Zoomcast. Here are excerpts from it, along with a few links.
An Old Woman and the Virus, Rose's thoughts on Covid-19's personal impact.
April 2020, a short poem
Visual Art and Poetry: Tamara Capellaro
I earned my living as an artist from 1981 until I 'retired' in 2013, partly in response to the closure of an Arts Council funded project I was leading at St. Ann's Psychiatric Hospital for inpatients, outpatients and staff.
Since retiring from drawing and sculpture, I have been improving my writing skills, partly because I am 'manic-depressive' . Writing enables me to channel some of the visionary states and anger which both inspire and plague me during mania. The desire and ability to write desert me entirely during depressions.
A lot of my writing is about issues around imprisonment in London and about mental illness. It does not always make light reading, despite my devotion to humour. But I work to tell my truths clearly.
Poetry: Jade Amoli-Jackson
Jade Amoli-Jackson was born in northern Uganda, studied journalism and worked as a sports reporter on television and radio, and on national and local papers. After her husband, sister and father were killed during a period of internal conflict, and with her own life in danger, she sought refuge in England in July 2001. Jade has read her poetry across the UK and is a volunteer at the Refugee Council.
Let Us Now Praise... Belinda Crawford
Belinda Crawford is a postgraduate theology student at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. Her work focuses on questions of identity and belonging, drawing on biblical materials to illuminate and engage with contemporary struggles.
Rachel Jacobs: Ruminations From A Narrowboat
Yoknyam Dabale: "Black People Are Not Allowed To Enter This Restaurant"
I am not a stranger to racism. Racism is a global experience for African people, and Coronavirus is intensifying that reality. I am an African woman currently residing in the United States. I was confused when I heard the slogan,“We are in this together.” Who is this “we” the mainstream media is talking about? In the U.S., because of systemic racism, African-Americans die at a higher rate from the virus. [...]
Just Between Us...
This is the ninth issue of Emerging Voices, which began life just over two years ago. Our quarterly site seeks to address the personal and the political, the artistic and the quotidian, the local and the global. We make space for original, marginal voices who challenge conventional wisdom.
Conversations on Crises is a new feature focusing on global issues. We could never have predicted the global pandemic we now find ourselves in. Along with the virus, climate breakdown will be an ongoing topic, as will such concerns as Big Tech, Western powers’ foreign policy and other new and renewed threats to world stability.
We’re pleased to introduce four new voices. Along with London creatives,
we present three contributors from Africa, two of whom are based elsewhere. Emerging Voices seeks to reflect a global perspective. We hope this is just the beginning of hearing from others beyond the borders with which we’re most familiar.
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..Tamara Capellaro, London, shares her sculptural art and poetry
...Belinda Crawford writes of her ongoing identity struggles as a Coloured South African
...Jade Amoli-Jackson describes her Ugandan experiences of terrible loss and the search for refuge
...Yoknyam Dabale speaks as a Nigerian in America
And check out this inspiring Ode to Joy by the Berlin Philharmonic:
https://slippedisc.com/2020/03/believe-it-orchestra-plays-beethoven-9th-from-their-homes/
Have a read and be in touch at editors@emergingvoices.co.uk.
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The early support and input of Gillian Dalley, Ph.D., was critical in bringing Emerging Voices into being. Kendall Perry's visual sense and editing make the site come alive. Rachel Jacobs, Ph.D., is a critical partner in decision-making and in reaching out to readers.
Warm wishes,
Rose Levinson Ph.D.
Founder and editor
