Safiya McKenzie

I am a British-Jamaican filmmaker and photographer who was born and raised in Manchester, UK. My work explores themes of intimacy, womanhood, and community and has been exhibited by Open Eye Gallery, Artslane Gallery, PostScript London, and the BBC.

The Book and Cultural Fair was an event that brought people together through a shared desire to learn more about the power of education and community and develop a strong knowledge of self.

As the photographer for the event, I witnessed what can happen when we create platforms to share our stories, be transparent about the journey to reaching our goals, and facilitate spaces for intergenerational conversation.

I was deeply inspired by the documentary about Gus John's life, followed by the talk by Gus himself. It was encouraging to see the effort being made to encourage the younger generation to stand on the shoulders of those who had come before them.