One Mic Real Talk

This week we introduce the fantastic Dollis Dolls- with it being LGBTQ+ pride month in June we thought we would release this episode in which there is a good discussion with some of our participants about gay pride and LGBTQ+ history. This is a great discussion with our fantastic Lucy and the Dollis Dolls!! Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

This episode takes a look at the experience of young black men's mental health in the hood, the impact of being unable to process significant trauma when trauma is experienced every day. This was the start of our NHS funded project on Young Black Men's Mental Health, from which we were able to hire some peer leaders to lead on this work. We talk coping mechanisms, the importance of friends, the importance of having spaces, music and MCing, but the very real challenges of having to navigate life in the hood, trying to get out and trying to support your people.

In concurrence with a book coming out from the human rights organisation Liberty, in which we feature (!), the One Mic Real Talk team sat down to discuss what safety means to them. The book coming out is an exploration of alternative ways communities keep each other safe, away from policing. In this episode we explore what a safe space really is, and what makes us feel unsafe. It is a fascinating and enlightening discussion, and the recording of this episode goes a long way to contributing to our chapter in the new book by Liberty coming out on the subject. It is not an exaggeration to say that the young people at One Mic Real Talk are some of the most incisive and thoughtful people I have ever worked with, and it is an honour to join with them and with Liberty to think about this essential topic. Keep your eyes peeled for the forthcoming book!!!Sit back, relax and enjoy!

Nowwww get ready to be educated!!! This episode is an incredible, and honestly awe inspiring conversation between a group of young women who hadn't even started their A-Levels...! The knowledge these young women have is phenomenal, articulating the links between how our society is structured now and its grim history. They cover beauty standards, the pressures of being a young women in this era, women and people they find inspiring, and the West's colonial past. This is one not to miss, and if you want hope in the younger generation then go no further. Sit back, relax and remember to big up Those Young Feminists every day!

This episode is a shorter one than usual, but is nonetheless a really interesting conversation about identity, Englishness and patriotism. DJ Fred and MoEazy respond to a DfE song released a couple of years ago that is all about how great our nation is. We pull this apart and think about the differences between people's identity in London compared to the rest of the country. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

This week we welcome back another OG of The Lab and AAK, the one and only Jude. The man who built our microphone booth, who donated his own monitors and who inspired some of our longer term participants to follow their instincts and their dreams. Mo and Osaro talk to Jude about his journey, and he also flips the script, talking to them about how they got on over the pandemic and where they are at at moment. This was a touching episode, and it was really good to see the growth of the team through Jude's eyes. A proper legend, and a great mind!Remember, as always, like, subscribe and leave a review for the crew here at Art Against Knives, and check out our website to donate to the amazing work we do.

In this episode we speak to AAK don, new dad and general badman Franco. We go deep into his life, his time in the army during the Iraq War, his role as a forensics officer in the Met Police and his perspective on policing in general, and the struggles the community faces. Franco has been an incredible support to the crew that come through to Art Against Knives, and we have a frank(o) and honest discussion about his role as a police officer, and what that means to him and the young people, who don't necessarily have a good relationship with the police.Check us out at www.artagainstknives.com and support the ting by donating, or support us by sharing our content and spreading the message. One love.

WE ARE BACK!After a short hiatus for the summer we are back with SEASON 2 OF ONE MIC REAL TALK!!!! And this season is even better than the last!!!In this episode we talk about the recent murder of Hypo, the life he lived, Mashtown, the work he and others did to inspire the younger generation to step away from gang life and much more. This episode gets deep and we discuss some sensitive topics, but these are the ones that are so important to listen to, as the team get into the realities of the world around them and how difficult it can be to navigate, even when you think you've got out of the life. Our man DJ Fred leads the discussion on the life and times of Hypo, and discusses the continuous battle we face as a society and as a community, of violent crime. This episode doesn't pull any punches, and asks difficult questions. not only do we talk about the context and circumstance surrounding Hypo's murder, but we talk about gang life life over the last few decades and the situation on the streets at the moment. This one hit different, and most of all Rest In Peace to all who have lost their lives out here, and love to all the family and friends of those taken too early.Sit back and enjoy, Hypo: In Memory

Today we continue the discussion on relationships, love and this week we are discussing: Age Gaps! How big is too big for an age gap? When do people mature to be able to make an informed decision about an older partner? this week is another super interesting look at how we view relationships and what we want to get out of them. Why do older men go for younger girls? Is it normal the other way round? Our crew explore all this and more in another episode that will keep you asking questions! Sit back and enjoy, Age Gaps!!BEFORE YOU GO, WE NEED YOUR HELPIn our decade as charity, it’s never been harder to secure funding. Youth services have faced a decade of austerity, they’ve been dismantled and drastically underfunded. The effect of this has been compounded by the pandemic.We need a minimum of £80k to ensure we can keep our space open 3 days a week with the specialist staff team in place to effectively support young people. Our ambition however, is to have it open 5 days a week, this would cost us £145k. We’re on a mission to secure this by February 2022, and we need your help.DONATE HERE: https://www.spacehive.com/artagainstknives