Love, community, identity and everything in-between : a celebration of BLACK JOY

An empowering exploration of Black joy as an act of resistance featuring the likes of Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Munya Chawawa, Diane Abbott, Bukky Bakray and many more.


The first of its kind anthology, BLACK JOY is a candid, contemporary and fresh perspective on race, identity, and belonging for the Black British community.


The book features 28 trailblazing Black British voices including; New York Times best-selling author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, BBC Radio 1xtra presenter Richie Brave, host of Channel 4’s “How Not To Be Racist” Chanté Joseph, Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock, KISS presenter and Spotify Who We Be podcaster Henrie Kwushue, Forbes under 30 theatre-maker and artist Travis Alabanza, online comedy star Munya Chawawa, Britain’s first Black woman MP Diane Abbott, CEO of The Black Curriculum Lavinya Stennett and content creator Mikai McDermott, alongside a host of up and coming talent at the forefront of Black British culture.


Exploring themes such as love, friendship, music, carnival, travel, diaspora, barber shops and food, this anthology celebrates and pays homage to the unique cultural makeup of Black Britishness. 


The full list of contributors are Diane Abbott, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé,  Athian Akec, Travis Alabanza, Haaniyah Angus,  Rukiat Ashawe, Bukky Bakray, Richie Brave, Munya Chawawa, Ruby Fatimilehin, Theophina Gabriel, Lauryn Green, Ife Grillo, Isaac James, Vanessa Kissule, Tobi Kyeremateng, Henrie Kwushue, Chanté Joseph, Mikai Mcdermott, Jason Okundaye, Fope Olaleye, Tope Olufemi, Melz Owusu, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Mayowa Quadri, Lavinya Stennett, Timi Sotire and Sophia Tassew.

Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff is an award-winning journalist, editor, features writer, columnist. She is currently a Senior Staff Editor at the New York Times and was formerly editor-in-chief of gal-dem weekend editor and writer at Dazed. She is the editor of Mother Country: Real Stories of the Windrush Children, longlisted for the 2019 Jhalak Prize. 


Timi Sotire is a freelance journalist and editor, whose work is focused on music and culture. With bylines in The Guardian, gal-dem, NME and others, she's written profiles on upcoming artists like Bree Runway and Tiana Major9, as well the industry greats Jazmine Sullivan and Dua Lipa. ​