Some stories are hard to tell - but remaining untold comes at a price.
In this second and final instalment of my conversation with Okechukwu Nzelu (listen to part 1) we move into an honest, deeply reflective and at times confronting discussion of his experiences as a Black British writer and lecturer navigating the UK publishing industry and academia.
Okey shares his current creative process, his hopes for reaching new audiences - including on screen - and his hard-won advice for aspiring writers, especially those from minoritised backgrounds.
He also opens up about the systemic challenges and discrimination, and we discuss how social media can fuel both solidarity and division, feeding into the prevailing winds that have shifted against diversity, equity and inclusion. On this, Okey reflects on the tragic death of Professor Jason Arday, \"as a human being first,\" not as a symbol or lesson.
Please take your time listening, pausing if you need to.
This is a candid, at times raw, but ultimately hope-filled conversation. It's a quiet celebration of the power of community: highlighting solidarity, allyship, and the importance of found family and people who sustain us.
Even though Okey and I didn't know each other well, our loose common threads - a running club, social media, Manchester, and now this podcast - wove together a rich conversation. Community, in its many forms, is often closer than we think.
Thank you, Okey, for your candour, powerful reflections, and trust.
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