Marva Jackson Lord

Big up @AmBusyPoeming & Kandace Siobhan Walker, whose collections are reviewed in today’s @GdnSaturday by the always brilliant @RebTamas ❤️🙌

Celebrating Black Welsh Writing — new books in Penguin’s ground-breaking Black Britain Writing Back series | LoveReading lovereading.co.uk/blog/celebrati…

My book of poems about Neopets, autism and the Wild West is published! Love to everyone who’s supported my work and who’s helped bring this book into existence. I’m more thankful than I can say. Order a copy here: buff.ly/45XScEZ 🤠

💜 "These stories are incredible, they have to be told." From the Colour Bar, to bussing & virginity testing, tonight @preetikdhillon & @kavpuri explored the catalysts for Black & Brown Brits to rally together against racism. 💻 Available now on demand: fane.co.uk/preeti-dhillon

What a beautiful thing to see the donations pour in for the Gboyega Odubanjo Foundation. Donate if you are able.

As our thoughts remain with Gboyega Odubanjo, his family and friends, we wanted to share some personal reflections. Wayne Holloway-Smith, editor of The Poetry Review shares his here: poetrysociety.org.uk/news/gboyega-o… If you have thoughts you'd like to share, please add them below.

Here’s the man himself introduced by the wonderful @archaicisms Gboyega Odubanjo alway RIP.

Honoured to be one of @RedMagDaily next 25 visionaries to watch, I'm nominated by the incredible Bernardine Evaristo. The brilliant list includes nominations from Michelle Obama, Sharon Horgan, Skin & more. Issue out on shelves now. redonline.co.uk/red-women/a449…

The family of Gboyega Odubanjo have released a statement (in thread below) and also created a page to accept contributions to honour him in a new Foundation and cover final arrangements. gofundme.com/f/gboyega-odub…

Was writing last night how very few Welsh writers have won an Eric Gregory Award for the best British poets under 30 - probably because they don’t know about it. So I want to encourage poets generally but especially Welsh writers to apply. zoebrigley.com/2023/09/01/uk-…

Wrote about Khanyisile Mbongwa's Liverpool Biennial, in @Artforum's September issue: artforum.com/print/reviews/…

🦏 Making props for our upcoming play #Rhinoseros which starts rehearsing soon! 🤝Meeting some of the actors we're working with this year! We're excited to share more about our upcoming projects and work soon! For now check out our website to learn more: theatr.cymru

🔔 Submissions are now open for Poetry Wales Spring 2024! This issue will feature contributing editors @tayloredmonds and Tangie Mitchell alongside @ZoeBrigley For more information (including how to submit), go to: poetrywales.co.uk/submission/

Gboyega’s family have released their statement below. They have started a Go Fund Me to support his final arrangements and to start The Gboyega Odubanjo Foundation. Please share and support. Gboyega is, and will continue to be, the best of us. gofundme.com/f/gboyega-odub…

Patrice Lumumba Last Letter. He was the first legally elected prime minister of D.R Congo and was assassinated in 1961 following a military coup supported by U.S.A & Belgian imperialism which was admitted by the State Dept in 2013. My dear wife, I am writing these words to you, not knowing whether they will ever reach you, or whether I shall be alive when you read them. Throughout my struggle for the independence of our country I have never doubted the victory of our sacred cause, to which I and my comrades have dedicated all our lives. But the only thing which we wanted for our country is the right to a worthy life, to dignity without pretence, to independence without restrictions. This was never the desire of the Belgian colonialists and their Western allies, who received, direct or indirect, open or concealed, support from some highly placed officials of the United Nations, the body upon which we placed all our hope when we appealed to it for help. They seduced some of our compatriots, bought others and did everything to distort the truth and smear our independence. What I can say is this—alive or dead, free or in jail—it is not a question of me personally. The main thing is the Congo, our unhappy people, whose independence is being trampled upon. That is why they have shut us away in prison and why they keep us far away from the people. But my faith remains indestructible. I know and feel deep in my heart that sooner or later my people will rid themselves of their internal and external enemies, that they will rise up as one in order to say 'No' to colonialism, to brazen, dying colonialism, in order to win their dignity in a clean land. We are not alone. Africa, Asia, the free peoples and the peoples fighting for their freedom in all corners of the world will always be side by side with the millions of Congolese who will not give up the struggle while there is even one colonialist or colonialist mercenary in our country. To my sons, whom I am leaving and whom, perhaps, I shall not see again, I want to say that the future of the Congo is splendid and that I expect from them, as from every Congolese, the fulfilment of the sacred task of restoring our independence and our sovereignty. Without dignity there is no freedom, without justice there is no dignity and without independence there are no free men. Cruelty, insults and torture can never force me to ask for mercy, because I prefer to die with head high, with indestructible faith and profound belief in the destiny of our country than to live in humility and renounce the principles which are sacred to me. The day will come when history will speak. But it will not be the history which will be taught in Brussels, Paris, Washington or the United Nations. It will be the history which will be taught in the countries which have won freedom from colonialism and its puppets. Africa will write its own history and in both north and south it will be a history of glory and dignity. Do not weep for me. I know that my tormented country will be able to defend its freedom and its independence. Long live the Congo! Long live Africa! Thysville prison Patrice LUMUMBA

We're delighted to announce a Masterclass with Ellah P Wakatama, Editor-at-Large at Canongate. She'll teach you how to fine-tune your writing and give your manuscript the best chance of representation and publication. Friday 8 September £35 / £17.50 arvon.org/writing-course…

🌟 Applications for Representing Wales 2024-2025 are now open! 🌟 Our professional development programme welcomes applications from Wales-based writers who come from an under-represented background and who are interested in writing for an adult audience. literaturewales.org/lw-news/repres…

THE WHITE REVIEW is delighted to announce that we will be publishing an anthology of writing in translation. Submissions are free and open to all from 31 July to 10 September. More details are available on our website: thewhitereview.org/news_and_event…

@eisteddfod @trydarbarddas …. rydyn ni'n hoffi hyn 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿⚽️❤️