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Paula Akpan

@paulaakpan.bsky.social
2.4K followers 647 following 57 posts

historian, londoner & staunch gooner. researching the world-building and lives of Black lesbians & queers in britain, 1970s-90s. big dyke, big nerd. she/her 📕 WHEN WE RULED out now paulaakpan.com

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Reposted by Paula Akpan
Dan Hicks @profdanhicks.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
💥 EVERY MONUMENT WILL FALL PAPERBACK TOUR SPRING 2026 💥 💫 Siena, Birmingham, Oxford, Manchester, London, Bristol, Toronto, Pristina, Clevedon 💫 🔥 Tickets >> www.danhicks.uk/talks 🙏
EVERY MONUMENT WILL FALL PAPERBACK TOUR SPRING 2026

MON 27 APRIL	SIENA UNIVERSITY
					(WITH TOMASO MONTANARI)

THUR 30 APRIL 	BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY/THE HEATH BOOKSHOP 
					(WITH CORINNE FOWLER & LEIRE OLABARRIA)

TUES 5 MAY		OXFORD DAUNT BOOKS SUMMERTOWN 
					(WITH PAULA AKPAN)

WEDS 6 MAY 		MANCHESTER MUSEUM (WITH SADIA HABIB)

THURS 7 MAY		LONDON WATERSTONES TRAFALGAR SQUARE 
					(WITH SARAH STEIN LUBRANO)

TUES 19 MAY		BRISTOL EAST BRISTOL BOOKS (WITH MAI MUSIÉ)

FRI JUNE 5		TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY/TORONTO BIENNALE
					(WITH SAMEER FAROOQ & TANDAZANI DHLAKANA)

WEDS 10 JUNE	PRISTINA, NATIONAL LIBRARY OF KOSOVO 
					(WITH FRANÇOISE VERGÉS)

SUN 14 JUNE		CLEVEDON CURZON CINEMA AND ARTS
					(WITH THANGAM DEBBONAIRE)


FULL DETAILS & TICKETS >> WWW.DANHICKS.UK
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Dan Hicks @profdanhicks.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
💥Every Monument Will Fall UK Paperback Tour Spring 2026 Thur 30 April Birmingham Fri 1 May London Tue 5 May Oxford Wed 6 May Manchester Thurs 7 May Bristol More details/tickets here >> www.danhicks.uk/talks
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Jamal abu hashem🇵🇸 @jamalzuhir.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
We lost a life we once knew. We lost our home, our certainty. Now we begin again from zero. Your support carries us forward, and keeps hope breathing. chuffed.org/project/1389...
chuffed.org
Help Jamal’s family leave the war zone and rebuild their life!
Hi my loves! My name is Caroline, and I created this fundraiser to help Jamal support his family as they fight to survive the genocide in Gaza, evacuate to safety, and eventually rebuild their lives f...
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Dr. Divya (🔔 logged out) @divyampersaud.com · 04/02/2026
chuffed.org/project/1282...
chuffed.org
No One Should Starve for Being Born Here
My name is Eslam Mohammad, I’m 24 years old, and I’m from Gaza.  Over the past year, I’ve lived through unimaginable horror.  I lost my home, my work as a photographer and artist, my friends, and the ...
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Saul Staniforth @saulstaniforth.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
Keir Starmer.
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Dr. Divya (🔔 logged out) @divyampersaud.com · 08/08/2025
Folks, we have TWO days to make this goal. A bit of food, water, shelter for six families & support for a mutual aid team serving fifteen displaced families. Simple. Anything helps—especially clicking “weekly” + taking action. 1567/1900 by end of Saturday. chuffed.org/project/hope...
chuffed.org
Keep Hope Alive: a Gaza Giving Circle
We are a team of volunteers in the US and UK, led by two sisters passionate about helping our friends on the ground keep their families and neighbors alive with food, water, & shelter. We saw that…
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Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence @afc-soasv.bsky.social · 26/07/2025
We invite all Arsenal fans, all London club supporters, and anyone who believes in justice to join us outside the court. Together, we will peacefully protest, stand in solidarity with survivors, and show that sexual violence in football will not be ignored. See you all there 🩵 #ASASV
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Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence @afc-soasv.bsky.social · 26/07/2025
Join Us Outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court – 5 August 2025 ⚖️ The news that Thomas Partey has been charged with 5 counts of rape and 1 count of sexual assault is a stark reminder of the urgent need for change across football.
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Rukiya Shanthi @rukiyashanthi.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
I've been longlisted for The Mo Siewcharran Prize 2025!! Can't believe it 😳 🤩 This year's theme is Reclaiming History 😊 Wishing best of luck to all authors. Thanks for all the workshop support #Trapezebooks #Orionbooks @hachetteuk.bsky.social @agentbal.bsky.social @paulaakpan.bsky.social
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Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
So few people realize this about starvation. Once you’ve starved a population to near death, food won’t bring them all back. You need complex medical interventions, like tube feeding carefully monitored in hospitals…which we let be bombed into ruins.
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So Mayer @suchmayer.northsky.social · 24/07/2025
Yay Jake Hall's SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is in the stack! Read it, it's great.
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+972 Magazine @972mag.com · 25/07/2025
Held without charge for 7 months, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya has been beaten, starved, isolated, and cut off from his family. His freedom is nowhere in sight. Interview by Shatha Yaish. www.972mag.com/hussam-abu-s...
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Paula Akpan @paulaakpan.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
The best of the best! 🤩
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Justin Bengry @justinbengry.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
Very pleased to see David Roberts' We Are Your Children: A History of LGBTQ+ Activism published by @twohootsbooks.bsky.social It was a delight to consult on the book & great now to see that the other consultant was @paulaakpan.bsky.social Good company indeed! www.panmacmillan.com/authors/davi...
panmacmillan.com
We Are Your Children by David Roberts
Find out more about We Are Your Children by David Roberts
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𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒂 𝑯𝒊𝒋𝒂𝒛𝒊 🇵🇸🫒𝑰𝒏 𝑮𝒂𝒛𝒂 @monahijazi.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
‼️ 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭: If you previously donated to my GoFundMe, ⛔️ 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐝. GoFundMe is a 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭, and 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐲 platform that 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 and 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭. ❌𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬. ✅ 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞
chuffed.org
Mona and Her Children's Survival Fund
I am Mona Hijazi, a Palestinian mother of three children. From the depths of Gaza, from the depths of darkness, despair, hunger, fear and weakness, I tell you my story.
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Kev ó Mhaigh Eo @kevfrommayo.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
I will always remember Jean Charles de Menezes.
Menezes police 'gave no warning'

Photo of Jean Charles de Menezes. 

Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead at Stockwell Tube station

Armed police fired on Jean Charles de Menezes without shouting any warning, witnesses have claimed at an inquest.

Passenger Rachel Wilson said she thought the officers were terrorists when they shot dead the Brazilian at Stockwell Tube station on 22 July 2005. Anna Dunwoodie, who was in the same carriage as Mr Menezes when he was shot, told the BBC how she witnessed this "horrific" moment when armed police ran on board the train.

"It didn't feel to me like I was in the middle of a police operation," she recalled.

"The men who came running in seemed quite chaotic. I'd describe them as slightly hysterical.

"Jean Charles, to my knowledge, did nothing out of the ordinary.

"I didn't notice him until he had a gun pressed to him. It felt to me like he was someone who was being picked on at random because he was nearest to the door.

"We all ran to the sound of gunshots.
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The TLS @thetls.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
'Is she a feminist hero or a ruthless tyrant who facilitated mass enslavement? Is celebration of women rulers a good thing? Or does it celebrate hierarchy and oppression?' Bronwen Everill on the questions raised by Africa’s queens
the-tls.com
The questions raised by Africa’s queens
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Paula Akpan @paulaakpan.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
more summery WHEN WE RULED events! tix and more info on paulaakpan.com 💙 ‘'Full of interesting contemporary interviews and travel writing, and beautifully reconstructed retellings of the royal histories’ - The Times Literary Supplement @thetls.bsky.social #booksky #skystorians #blackbooksky
List of events that Paula will be doing across the UK, full details are on her website: paulaakpan@gmail.comSmiling Black woman wearing a black dress and pink cap, holding a copy of the TLS review of her book, WHEN WE RULEDSmiling Black woman dressed in black signing copies of her blue and red book Two Black women on stage in front of big picture of Paula Akpan and her book, in front of an audience
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𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒂 𝑯𝒊𝒋𝒂𝒛𝒊 🇵🇸🫒𝑰𝒏 𝑮𝒂𝒛𝒂 @monahijazi.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
🚨 DON'T IGNORE ME I'm Mona From Gaza Mother Of 3 Children Yazan 👨‍🎓 Kinan 👨‍🎓 Kinzy 👶 🚨 If You Can't Donate, REPOST ❤️‍🩹 🚨 If You Can't Donate, REPOST ❤️‍🩹 🚨 If You Can't Donate, REPOST ❤️‍🩹 📌𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗘 chuffed.org/project/mona... 🔒I do not permit to use of my children’s photos in any fake campaigns. Gaza 🇵🇸🇵🇸
My 3 children’s photos
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𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒂 𝑯𝒊𝒋𝒂𝒛𝒊 🇵🇸🫒𝑰𝒏 𝑮𝒂𝒛𝒂 @monahijazi.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
This is my son and daughter… Kinan & Kinzy. They are my heart. My reason to live. We’ve lost everything, but I fight for them. Their tiny hands still hold on… but for how long? Please donate to keep us alive. 💔↘️🇵🇸 🔗 chuffed.org/project/mona...
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The People's Letters @peoplesletters.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
📣 Help The Scarlett Letters Bookshop Workers defend their jobs ✊ Help them build the workplace they were promised 💸 Every donation is an act of solidarity www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-th...
Hardship fund for the Scarlett letters bookshop workers
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The People's Letters @peoplesletters.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
Support The Scarlet Letters staff fighting for job security, dignity and respect. Please share this post and go to our link in bio to demand better from The Scarlett Letters' director! Hardship fundraiser: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-th...
Booksellers at the Scarlett letters are in open dispute with their lawyer. All staff at the Scarlett Letters have unionised with UVW and will ballot to strike due to poor working conditions and unfair treatment.The workers are queer, trans, racialised, disabled, sex workers and students. They joined this workplace because it promised to be a supportive environment and aimed to provide security and opportunity to marginalised communities. Their identities have been used to advertise and fundraise for the bookshop as a radical space whilst their voices are not listened to.The Scarlett letters booksellers have simply demands:
Fixed/guaranteed hour contracts
Occupational sick pay
To run the workplace based on cooperative principles.
Full financial transparency.
Fair pay for fair work, including piecework rates for illustration,graphic design and other tasks that fall outside of bookseller duties.After submitting demands, TSL's director refused fixed hour contracts. Staff were promised these in November when they first accepted their roles. They already work fixed hours but these have been cut and could be further. Gatekept financial information. They were told there is not enough money to guarantee hours, being shown only estimates.
Threatened to fire staff. Their employer recently shared her intent to dismiss some staff and use the money to hire a new manager.
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Katie O 🌊 @katieogunsakin.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
PRIZE OPPORTUNITY! Please enter by this Monday 16th June to be considered for our brilliant prize! No matter how developed your work is, we want to see it 🧡 All entry guidelines in the link below. www.thefuturebookshelf.co.uk/landing-page... @historianmemory.bsky.social @paulaakpan.bsky.social
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Ann Foster @vulgarhistory.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
The reigns of Africa's female and genderqueer rulers have long been shrouded in mystery, misunderstanding and misogyny. We're joined on the podcast by @paulaakpan.bsky.social to discuss several of these people, including Njinga of Ndongo and Ranavalona I of Madagascar. episodes.fm/aHR0cHM6Ly9m...
When we ruled: the rise and fall of twelve African queens and warriors by Paula Sloan, book cover
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The Literate Lizard @theliteratelizard.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
Our weekly post for @dailykos.com /Black Kos of books published this week of interest to Black readers (but also recommended for ALL readers!): www.dailykos.com/comments/232... Authors and illustrators who are on Bluesky listed in the comment 🧵 #Booksky #blackbooksky
Covers of nonfiction books for adults published this week of special interest to Black readers...but also recommended for ALL readers!Covers of fiction for adults and books for kids and teens published this week of special interest to Black readers...but also recommended for ALL readers!
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Red tickseed @redtickseed.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
Happy 5 year anniversary to Edward Colston's statue getting thrown into Bristol Harbour :D
Edward Colston's statue getting thrown into bristol harbour by a joyful crowd
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Prof Kate Loder @kghist.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
@paulaakpan.bsky.social is giving a talk on her new book, When we ruled: the rise and fall of twelve African queens and warriors, in Oxford next Friday. Details here: www.torch.ox.ac.uk/event/book-t...
torch.ox.ac.uk
Book Talk - When We Ruled: The Rise and Fall of Twelve African Queens and Warriors
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Conway Hall @conwayhall.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
History has long ignored half the story. Join authors @paulaakpan.bsky.social, Blessin Adams and @sarahjlonsdale.bsky.social for an afternoon of powerful talks on the hidden lives of African queens, early modern rebels and women who claimed space in the wild. 📅 June 21—1PM 🎟️ Tickets: bit.ly/4mtaJ4C
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The Lead @theleaduk.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
With gaping holes in our history curriculum, "the British education system obfuscates the violence necessary for a British empire to exist," writes author and historian @paulaakpan.bsky.social Read more in Saturday's edition of The Lead national.thelead.uk/p/schools-ar...
national.thelead.uk
Schools are still hiding the violent truth of the British Empire
Historian Paula Akpan on what's missing from the curriculum. Plus: The Black women of history erased from the record books + an exclusive extract of Akpan's groundbreaking debut book.
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Katie O 🌊 @katieogunsakin.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
I am so so proud to publish this brilliant book today - a game-changing and revelatory treasure that will make your brain 10000x bigger! 📚🥰 @paulaakpan.bsky.social if you want a reading experience that will expand your mind, this is the book to buy: geni.us/WhenWeRuled/
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KLM @klm.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Fidaa has psoriasis and has been suffering terribly for a while without meds and under so much stress i am praying for this sweet, persistent, beautiful soul. her kids need her. this world is better off with her in it please send a few dollars to her paypal if you can
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Jamal abu hashem🇵🇸 @jamalzuhir.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
I’m Jamal from Gaza. I lost everything home, safety, and almost my future but I haven’t lost hope. I’m trying to rebuild our life one step at a time. If you can donate or share, please do. Your repost might save us. gofund.me/a625d5ba
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Paula Akpan @paulaakpan.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Gonna be *outside* outside over the next couple months! Chatting about my book! (incl. 11 May at the Common Press chatting about another book I wrote in, The Queer Bible, cos it’ll be out as a paperback!) 🎟️ etc on paulaakpan.com
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Katie O 🌊 @katieogunsakin.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Are you a writer from the global majority? Do you write non-fiction? Do you want to be published? If your answer is yes to any of these, then you can't miss this FREE virtual workshop happening this Wednesday at 6pm, hosted by myself and @paulaakpan.bsky.social 📚 #Writingcommunity #writingtips
eventbrite.com
The Mo Siewcharran Prize: How to Write a Non-Fiction Book Proposal + Q&A
An online workshop discussing how to write a non-fiction book proposal, and what this year's judges are looking for. Feat. Paula Akpan.
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Lighthouse - Edinburgh's Radical Bookshop @lighthousebks.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Not to toot our own horn, but our Feminist Book Fortnight has shaped up to be 🔥 Joining Laura Bates & @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social on the line up is queer historian @paulaakpan.bsky.social with STELLAR debut When We Ruled, hosted by Gemma Cairney on May 14th: lighthousebookshop.com/events/when-...
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Race & Resistance @raceresistance.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
For Week 5, we have a special book talk event with Paula Akpan @paulaakpan.bsky.social, who is releasing her debut book, When We Ruled, this May! Registration is free, but required: www.ticketsource.co.uk/race-resista...
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Katie O 🌊 @katieogunsakin.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
FREE workshop alert!!! Register now for HOW TO WRITE A NON-FICTION PROPOSAL via this link 📚 Hosted by myself and the amazing @paulaakpan.bsky.social, author of When We Ruled, do join us to learn all about what our judges are looking for! www.eventbrite.com/e/the-mo-sie...
eventbrite.com
The Mo Siewcharran Prize: How to Write a Non-Fiction Book Proposal + Q&A
An online workshop discussing how to write a non-fiction book proposal, and what this year's judges are looking for. Feat. Paula Akpan.
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Aparna Nair @disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
Everyone should read this, especially for the bits in the article that give us some insight into what these detention prisons used by ICE are like. And no one, no one, should be traveling to the US if they can avoid it. No one. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
theguardian.com
I was a British tourist trying to leave America. Then I was detained, shackled and sent to an immigration detention centre
Graphic artist Rebecca Burke was on the trip of a lifetime. But as she tried to leave the US she was stopped, interrogated and branded an illegal alien by ICE. Now back home, she tells others thinking...
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Paula Akpan @paulaakpan.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
There are prizes up for grabs, including cash prizes but also an intro to a literary agent & being considered for publication with @orionbooks.bsky.social 👀 enter by midnight on 30 May. Share with all the history nerds you love and know, good luck! www.thefuturebookshelf.co.uk/landing-page...
thefuturebookshelf.co.uk
The Mo Siewcharran Prize 2025
Visit the post for more.
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Paula Akpan @paulaakpan.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
Really pleased to be a judge for the Mo Siewcharran Non-Fiction Prize 2025! Think your topic is too niche? No such thing. As long as you are unpublished, over 18 and a UK resident, Black or Brown, and writing non-fiction that speaks to our theme of ‘reclaiming history’, we want to hear from you!
Image with logos of Orion and Trapeze above blocks of text. Text reads: “we’re looking for unpublished writers from Black, Asian, mixed heritage and minority ethnic backgrounds writing non-fiction under the theme RECLAIMING HISTORY. Winner and runners up awarded £2,500, £1,500 and £750, and more… visit @moprize on X or search ‘the Mo siewcharran prize 2025’ to find out more”
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Katie O 🌊 @katieogunsakin.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
At @orionbooks.bsky.social we're launching the Mo Siewcharran non-fiction prize for unpublished global majority writers who are writing about history, ancestry and culture 📚 An incredible opportunity to win funding or a publishing deal, please submit your work to us!
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