ELJAI
She/Her Director/Community Producer/Host
Born 1973 Berlin, in a British Military Hospital to a Jamaican Father and English Mother during an era of great racial inequality. Eljai grew up in Salisbury, Wiltshire (1979 - 1998) which as a mixed-race child brought about its own challenges.
Whilst studying Performing Arts at Salisbury College (1994 - 1996) Eljai discovered Black Mime Theatre Company, blown away by the raw theatricality and physical ingenuity of the performance at Salisbury Arts Centre. Eljai quickly applied for Work Experience and went on tour with ‘Dirty Reality’ that transformative show. Then spent one week with Black Mime Director, Denise Wong and Adzido Pan African Dance Ensemble in rehearsals.
Eljai formed her first company Frontline, and had already begun writing Feelin’ Different - a work on the subject of race in a rural setting.
After moving to London in 1998, Feelin’ Different was chosen by Talawa Theatre to be performed for eight weeks at Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, as part of the Zebra Crossing season. It discussed many of the topics we now take for granted as given. In the 1990’s these weren’t ideas that were heard at all, allyship had yet to be invented.
Since 1998 Eljai has produced over 30 shows, from performance poetry, comedy, Theatre in Education, to issue based productions that raised money for Domestic Abuse, and the she fell in love with Cabaret.
Eljai formed her Cabaret company Bawdsville in 2011, rebooted to Bawdsville OTHeR in 2017 and is relaunching in 2022.
In 2019 Eljai ran for Parliament as part of a Women’s Equality Campaign, where four survivors of abuse stood against five sitting MP’s who had been accused of sexual harassment or abuse. This campaign was a huge success where one MP was jailed and the four remaining also stood down.
In 2020 after the death of Breonna Taylor & George Floyd, mixed with the contemplative power of Covid isolation, and the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement - Eljai began the process of un-silencing, discussing race, racism and her lived experience. It was at this time she coined ‘Black Lives Natter’ and began a dialogue that led to the concept of the Black Lives Natter Podcast.
LOVES Theatre, reading, cats, history, cooking, naps, comedy, arts, equality, poetry, china tea-cups,
Stephane Harivelo
Take a minute to write an introduction that is short, sweet, and to the point. If you sell something, use this space to describe it in detail and tell us why we should make a purchase. Tap into your creativity. You’ve got this.
Take a minute to write an introduction that is short, sweet, and to the point. If you sell something, use this space to describe it in detail and tell us why we should make a purchase. Tap into your creativity. You’ve got this.
Christine Dean
She/Her Host & Creator of Black Womens Wellness Podcast. Former family Lawyer & former Deputy Leader of the Womens Equality.
Christine is a former family lawyer working in HR for the Civil Service. Christine has always been passionate about fighting for women's equality and improving women's ability to be heard. Christine became politically active when she joined the Women's Equality Party in 2018. Christine has held various voluntary roles within the Party, culminating with her appointment as Deputy Leader responsible for Community and Connectedness in November 2020.
Christine’s term as Deputy Leader expired at the end of 2022, but her work on campaigns to improve black women's health and participation in the Black Women's Reproductive Health Project has inspired her to start a new project, the 'Black Women's Wellness Podcast'. Christine is excited to join the Black Lives Natter Podcast family, which is supporting her in launching her show.
Purrsia Kitt is an award nominated black, neurodivergent, queer, femme, international burlesque artiste with long term lived experience of hidden disabilities. Purrsia has performed and headlined on stages across the UK. Purrsia also produces the kink-positive cabaret “Fetlesque” which centres black artists who are also disabled and/or neurodivergent. Alongside performing and producing, she is a published model, writer and passionately advocates for visibility for other black neurodivergent artists who have so many rich and unique stories to share about the world from their perspective. Away from performance art, she has spent the last decade dedicated to working in autism specialist supportive roles and has a PGCert in Autism.
Purrsia’s publications include The Sassy Show (2023), O The Oprah Magazine (2016), Black Pinups Magazine (2017), Femme Rebelle Magazine (2017), Onyx Vintage Magazine (2018). Purrsia also featured in the documentary “From a Place of Love” which was developed and produced by Tate Exchange and UK Black Pride in response to an exhibition of Zanele Muholi's artwork and focusing on QTIPOC visibility (2020). Another milestone during the pandemic was Purrsia’s first feature in an exhibition titled A Glimpse of Kink, which included images of her taken by Venus Raven (2021). She has since been featured in the "Queer Joy" exhibition (2023) and has featured on podcasts and panel discussions to highlight how art, race, gender , neurodivergence and disability inform her creative practice.
Purrsia’s artistic expression externalises the legitimacy of loving your sexuality and kinks. She creates her work by daydreaming, writing, drawing, dancing in studios or at home, recording herself and layering all the work together after endless hours of decision making. Purrsia's act repertoire is a testament to her authenticity and on stage she invites you into her world, teasing your senses while also making you pay attention to important narratives. Purrsia's sensual performances celebrate the beauty and genderless fluidity of divine feminine energy. With her dangerously divine stage presence and sultry feline energy, Purrsia will leave you hypnotized. She is undoubtedly the Kinky Feline Goddess of Burlesque.
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