Ten years on from the nationwide uprisings sparked by the police killing of a Black man in London, many of the issues those protests highlighted remain unchanged.

The widespread use of messaging services such as Blackberry Messenger to coordinate and organise many of the protests in 2011 was part of a new era of social media used for activism, bringing together large groups of disparate people into social movements. But along with these uprisings, came a new era of digital surveillance and deepening social divisions as we fell into echo chambers. While making injustices visible to a broader public has become easier, social media has perhaps replaced committed protest with virtue signaling and clicktivism. This conversation invites artists and activists to consider how we might use these technologies to bring about meaningful change.

SPEAKERS

Dr Francesca Sobande is Lecturer in Digital Media Studies at Cardiff University. Her research particularly focuses on digital remix culture, Black diaspora and archives, feminism, creative work, pop culture, and devolved nations.

Chantelle Lunt is a writer, public speaker, educator, entrepreneur, and activist. Chantelle is the founder of Merseyside BLM Alliance, chair of Merseyside Alliance for Racial Equality CIC and advocate of racial equality.

Bea Freeman is a filmmaker, producer and community organiser. Bea has been working in TV and film in Liverpool and across the UK for over 25 years.

Blue Saint is a Congolese and British rapper, singer-songwriter, spoken word poet, actor, producer and designer.

The conversation will be chaired by Maitreyi Maheshwari, Head of Programme at FACT.