Ahead of our landmark production Nanny of the Maroons and in celebration of International Women’s Month, this event brings together Black women artists, thinkers, and leaders to redefine leadership, culture, and community through a live panel inspired by the legacy of Queen Nanny.
Join us as we honour legacy, share lived experiences but most importantly begin to conversate about how we dream, create, and build futures together.
Meet the panellists:
Host: Sandra Griffiths – The Red Earth Collective
Sandra Griffiths is the Founder and CEO of The Red Earth Collective, a Black-led arts organisation based in Birmingham that uses creative practice to challenge mental health stigma and discrimination in racialised and marginalised communities. Through theatre, music, film, spoken word and community-led events, Sandra’s work stimulates dialogue, supports wellbeing, and gives voice to people with lived experience of mental health issues.
Guest Panellist: Lavinya Stennett – CEO and Founder of The Black Curriculum
Lavinya is a writer, activist, and Founder and CEO of social enterprise The Black Curriculum.
The Black Curriculum was founded in 2019 and works to teach and support the teaching of Black history all year round, aiming to empower all students with a sense of identity and belonging and campaigning to bring about permanent change to the national curriculum ensuring it is truly inclusive. Lavinya has been named as one of the Sunday Times 50 Women of the Year, was awarded Trailblazer of The Year by Hello Magazine and featured in Vogue, and GQ for her activism.
Guest Panellist: Nissy Tee – Founder of Powerclass Masterclass
Nissy Tee is a wife, mum, lifestyle content creator, qualified insurance specialist and passionate advocate for women. She began her media career at just 15, hosting her own radio show and interviewing artists including Stormzy and Lizzo, which led to appearances on BBC News and Channel 4 News. She later grew her YouTube channel to over 58,000 subscribers while studying English Literature at the University of Cambridge, sharing reflections on identity and growth.
After graduating, Nissy founded The Powerless Masterclass, supporting thousands of women to rebuild confidence and personal power, and has spoken at the Houses of Parliament. Now a qualified financial adviser specialising in insurance, she is committed to making financial knowledge accessible and empowering women to build lasting, generational wealth.
Guest Panellist: Chinonyerem Odimba – CEO of tiata fahodzi
Chinonyerem Odimba is a Nigerian-born British playwright, librettist, screenwriter and director, and Artistic Director and CEO of tiata fahodzi, a leading British African heritage theatre company. Her work spans stage, television and radio, with writing credits including the Young Vic, RSC/Coventry City of Culture 2021, BBC, Channel 4 and CBBC. She is currently under commission from the RSC and Orange Tree Theatre. Her awards include the 2018 Sonia Friedman Award and the 2022 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Award for Best Musical Bookwriting for Black Love, and she has been shortlisted for the Bruntwood, Alfred Fagon and Women’s Playwriting prizes.
Alongside her writing, Chinonyerem works as a director and dramaturg, with productions at venues including Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Kiln Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Royal Stratford East. Her recent work includes directing the UK tour of cheeky little brown and adapting Ben Okri’s Every Leaf a Hallelujah. A multidisciplinary artist, she has also collaborated on innovative projects exploring AI and projection mapping, and is a former Chair of Theatre Bristol and Trustee of Bristol Old Vic.