For some reason I am only writing about this now as I clean forgot I hadn’t already because my summer was such a stressful blur it totally escaped me. At the beginning of the summer I participated in a Women of the World festival think-in at the British Library.
WoW festival is a big thing to me, I have been every year for the last 6 I think (one online cos of covid obvs) and I love it. I have seen some amazing people speak and always come away totally inspired and a bit overwhelmed but in a good way. Every year in the run up to begin to programme the festival the foundation runs these think-in workshops where you can come and essentially pitch the things you think should be discussed at the festival.
I went and told everyone about the project and all I have learned and tried to do. The organisers of the festival and the participants of the think-in were all really interested and I came away having chatted to Head of Festivals Programming Domino Pateman who I have since contacted. Obviously if I got to do anything at a WoW festival I would be so happy but I don’t want to jinx it by thinking about it too much at this point! The session was run by the founder of WoW and former Creative Director of the Southbank Jude Kelly who is a hero of mine and I was a bit fangirly but I got to speak to her and that was awesome. I also sat next to Mandu Reid (head of the Womens Equality Party who I really like and have seen speak before) which was cool.