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A Seat At The Table

A Seat At The Table with Harriet Williams

Season 2, Ep. 7

Welcome to A Seat At The Table with Spare Ribs Club!


In this podcast, creator of Spare Ribs Club Alex Holker talks to guests about their dream feminist dinner party. From their 3 feminist guests, the 3 tunes that will be on repeat all evening, and the 3 courses being served, this podcast brings together conversations around feminism, music and food.


In this episode, Alex talks to Harriet Williams. Harriet is a Deputy Leader of the Women's Equality Party and an active member of the Camden Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Board. Her involvement in this board (established in 2022) came about in response to an inquiry led by the Camden Women's Forum to address VAWG in Camden. As a founder, Harriet operates independently as a Young Parent Consultant. She is a single parent to a daughter, a role that she views as both extraordinary and challenging. This unique aspect of her life further underscores her commitment to advocating for women's equality. She co-authored the Young Parents in London: Living with Precariousness report (2018) for Partnership for Young London and 4in10; a campaigning network of 400 London organisations working to improve the lives of the 4 in 10 children living in poverty in the capital. She also supported Barnardo’s on their Care-Experienced Parents Unite for Change report (2022) which was formed because parents’ voices were largely absent in a lot of Barnardo’s research.


We discuss Harriet's dream feminist dinner party, starting with a formidable guest list; Afghan politician, writer, and women's rights activist Fawzia Koofi, American singer-songwriter Nina Simone, and Tusaiwe Munkhondiya, the founder of non-profit organisations Empowering Young Mothers and You Are Not Alone in Malawi. Set against a soundtrack of Darryl Farris,

Etta James and Brandon Lake, they start with mutton rolls, followed by pounded yam, okra and stew, and finishing with banana fitters and pistachio ice cream. We discuss how her feminism intersects with her activism, and her past and current projects.

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