Korks Talks

In this episode, I speak about a documentary I watched about hoarding, my experience with ghosting (both as victim and perpetrator) and share my thoughts on latest BBC Three doc: 'Race, Pop & Power' hosted by Leigh-Anne Pinnock. Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCzPCq-1MrI&t=1664s https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09fy1qy

This episode talks about my newfound inspiration which I located at the Tate Britain exhibition 'Fly In The League With Night' by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. I talk about how Yiadom-Boakye's interpretation and depiction of Black people, in particular, has refuelled me into being a more intentional artist. Sone links I mention include my own blog: https://doublethekor.wordpress.com/category/art/  A...

This episode traverses through my understanding of happiness (or rather Eudaimonia which is a Greek term for fulfillment) - from the chemicals involved to how happiness can become imbalanced. In light of the world's many atrocities: from the apartheid between Israel and Palestine, to the genocide of Hazara Shias and ethnic cleansing of Uyghur Muslims, it feels selfish to even recognise the concept...

Good news galore! This episode is a personal one, traversing the trials and tribulations I've faced this week; why I'm committing myself to a life of joy, improving my self-esteem, accepting the fact that I deserve great things, trusting God's guide, and maximising what I have to make way for my potential.

This episode talks about body image in a variety of contexts: from the rise in surgical procedures (Brazilian Butt Lifts), to the popularity of the unlicensed sale of Apetamin syrup, and how they disproportionately harm Black women. By sharing facts and statistics, I hope to encourage listeners to rethink their approach to body modification/enhancement without judging.  Politically, I speak a...

Off the back of Daniel Kaluuya's Oscar win for 'Judas and The Black Messiah', I thought I'd rave about some more shows featuring Black Brits and Black Europeans (Afropeans) as lead, part of the main ensemble or supporting lead, that I think we should all watch, these range from but are not limited to: Michaela Coel's 'I May Destroy You,' Adjani Salmon's 'Dreaming Whilst Black,' 'Lupin' featuring O...

This episode revolves around the topic of environmental racism, tapping into a few examples of global injustice of Black people living in areas that are subject to exploitative practices of extraction (like mining) or excessive levels of pollution (the Ella Kissi-Debrah case in the UK). I mention, in this respect, the Songor lagoon and Atewa Forest both natural reserves in Ghana, subject to mining...

This episode talks about the limitations of psychiatry and psychology in diagnosing mental conditions and disorders in marginalised communities - particularly Black people. Including commentary on limited access to healthcare, medicalisation and disparate diagnoses as a result of the context of behavioural classifications (racial, cultural, gendered and classed), I draw on statistics to explain wh...

In this episode, I address what I believe to be an inadequate healthcare system - the NHS. Drawing on information from the inquest of Evan Nathan Smith, a 21-year-old man who died in 2019 due to complications related to sickle cell, I talk about how lack of research and awareness into the disease that predominantly affects the African and Caribbean community, led to what I believe to his, and many...

This episode deep-dives into the pedestalling of romantic love by inviting viewers to consider alternative forms. By introducing the multiple forms of love - from parental to sibling to friend to neighborly - I challenge what I consider to be a hyper fixation on romantic love that does not appreciate the breadth and complexity of desire or appetite for love. I then link this to the nuclear family...

Happy Easter! In this episode, I collaborate with my sister, biomed and finance grad, Stacey as we talk about attitudes to learning - ranging from the workplace to everyday life. I draw upon my experience in mentorship and as an ambassador to an educational charity, and she draws upon her experience working in a leading educational management company and voluntary tutoring, to reframe what we thin...

A continuation of the previous episode which focuses on the unfair criticisms of the Afro-Caribbean population, providing context as to their provenance by mentioning the effects of the Windrush scandal, sub-par treatment by the State in terms of education and other overt racism.  

In this episode, I talk about the plight of missing Black people in Britain, naming present and historical cases including Joy Morgan, Richard Okorogheye, Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman and Joyce Carol Vincent, and how the media coverage of them differed to Sarah Everard who was found murdered this March of 2021. I also talk about today's publication of "The report of the Commission o...

Trigger warning: sexual abuse, domestic violence and financial abuse A continuation of the previous episode, I share my review of Tina Turner's documentary 'Tina,' assessing how her trauma, and that of many other black women, informs their artistry. Briefly talking about Cicely Tyson's book 'Just As I Am', I go on to speak about the importance of black women telling their own stories from their ow...

Trigger warning: sexual abuse  Inspired by Audre Lorde's "Eye to Eye: Black Women, Hatred and Anger," I'm sharing my thoughts on the typecasting of black women in terms of hypersexuality, trauma and abuse and attempting to contextualise it in history and theory; I am also trying to explain the unconscious lack of grace we offer to black women. Examples include but are not limited to: Nina Sim...

This episode deconstructs everybody's favourite topic: love. For just under 50 minutes, I traverse through the 4 different types of love: familial, storge, eros, unconditional, made popular by the Greeks. Comparing a few dichotomies, I compare a few models of love: from individualist vs kinship, to pro-black vs interracial. I speak about role modelling (using examples of Quavo and Saweetie), the c...

A short stream of consciousness as to how I'm feeling on a Thursday evening when I have deadlines looming and thoughts rail my mind.

This episode questions the idea of ownership - centring around the kente cloth which is a symbolic piece of clothing worn by the Akan and Ewe people in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo. Using my fascination with visual artist Toyin Ojih Odutola as a springboard, I traverse through the connection between culture, art, and identity; how we redeem ourselves as diasporans looking for belonging and why it's...

In this episode I speak about navigating the wins and losses of adulthood, debate the constructs and conventions of womanhood and decide different ways to practise self-care in the social media age - from drawing on radical collective politics to the simple practice of journalling. Briefly touching on some of the literature I've read - from Audre Lorde's "Use of the erotic", to Avna Doshi's "burnt...

This episode touches on Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah, the connotations of colourism, the institutional racism and white supremacy of the Royal Family and why we need a republic.

A short introduction into my thoughts and feelings of the concept of self and the topics I will be evaluating in further episodes.