Innehållsförteckning för Issue 11 från KOL Social

Kathryn Drysdale was a trailblazer in period drama long before U.S. television producer Shonda Rhimes applied her Midas touch to ‘trailblazing’ period drama, Bridgerton – in 2004, she played a mixed-raced character in Mira Nair’s adaptation of Vanity Fair who was neither a servant or a lady of disrepute. The actress, who is of Jamaican-English heritage, has slid effortlessly up and down the societal scales across her various acting jobs – from royalty as Meghan Markle in The Windsors to ditsy Natalie in Benidorm – refusing to let the colour of her skin get in the way. Now she joins the cast of one of the most popular series out of Netflix to date, as dressmaker Genevieve Delacroix. CAN’T WE JUST HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE WITHOUT HAVING TO…

From choreographing Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning music video for Brown Skin Girl to founding arts incubator CRXSS PLTFXRM – Ivan Michael Blackstock is one of the most innovative cultural figures of his generation. Following a successful commercial dance career, he transitioned into theatre to acclaim – A Harlem Dream enjoyed a sell-out run at London’s Young Vic and led him to be appointed as an associate artist at the theatre. His newest production, TRAPLORD, examines themes of mental health and masculinity through dance, theatre, and spoken word, questioning stereotypes of Black men in contemporary western society via a heroic journey to self-actualisation. Did growing up in South East London shape you into the dancer that you are today? I could tell the horror story about it; I could say that and this…

From expeditions in the Atlantic to founding her own non-profit, marine biologist Diva Amon’s life work is doing everything she can to preserve our oceans and protect its ecosystems. The Trinidad-born campaigner – who stars alongside Will Smith in six-part documentary series Welcome to Earth – reveals the fascinations of the deep ocean, as well as her frustrations around inequity and lack of inclusivity within marine science. Your career is multifaceted. Which aspect of it do you think has the greatest impact on saving our oceans? The reason I take this multi-pronged approach is because I think that is ultimately what’s needed. You need everything from the bottom up, whether it’s communicating with the public to try to increase awareness or doing work through my NGO on the ground in…

BEING A WIDOW IN INDIA MEANS TO BE DEAD WITHOUT DYING THE PRACTICE OF DOWRY WAS ABOLISHED OVER 50 YEARS AGO, YET REMAINS VERY COMMON There are few things more beautiful than the majestic sandstone temples of Vrindavan on a moonlight evening. There are few places more squalid and dehumanising than its underbelly – a place in which widowed women who have been purged from their homes lie. The small town, nestled between Delhi and Agra in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, is the birthplace of the ancient Hindu deity Lord Krishna. Each year, it receives thousands of pilgrims and holy men in search of divine enlightenment. It is a dusty, chaotic place, and amongst the traffic, pigs, dogs, cows and hundreds of monkeys are thousands of displaced women, for whom…

DESPITE ITS REPUTATION FOR CHARGRILLED MEAT, DEEP-FRIED FOODS AND INTENSELY RICH SWEETS, THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS OF JERUSALEM BALANCE HEARTY DISHES WITH CUISINES TO SUIT ALL TASTES AND LIFESTYLES Baklava Wafer-thin sheets of buttery filo pastry soaked in a syrup or honey and stuffed with any type of chopped roasted tree nuts makes this a multi-textured mouthful of heaven. Türkiye, which simply means pistachio baklava, is the most common and favoured by locals. For something more savoury try sütlü nuriye, which is made with milk rather than a syrup and so must be eaten fresh. Where? Jafar Sweets in the Muslim Quarter has been the sweet-spot bakery since 1951. Along with other Arabic and European pastries, they also specialise in kanafeh, a crunchy shredded filo dough baked with a layer of…

Soul Glo: Diaspora Problems This fourth release from Philly hardcore punk band Soul Glo, is an unapologetic demonstration of their alternative musical flair. Lead single Jump!! (Or Get Jumped!!!)((by the future)) makes for an unforgettable hyperactive experience, tackling the disposability of Black art and its creators, and the uncertainty of making plans when there’s an uncertain future ahead. Release date: 25 March. epitaph.com Juanita Euka: Mabanzo The debut solo album from the Afro-Latin soloist known to many familiar with London’s vibrant live music scene, Euka took the world by storm when she performed her single ‘Alma Seca’ in season 3 of the television series Killing Eve. Fittingly for the niece of Congolese rumba pioneer Franco Luambo Makiadi, she channels the influences of African-American, Congolese, and Dominican artists to tell her…

Bring Me to Heal: Amartey Golding Golding creates dreamlike spaces through film, photography and sculpture, all of which are steeped in historical reference to locate moments of immutable change. Golding draws on his own Anglo-Scottish and Ghanaian ancestry to search for the point at which the tide of trauma can be steered towards a process of healing in this large-scale installation, first shown at Glasgow’s Tramway gallery and now touring the UK. It’s powerful stuff. Runs between March 17 to May 1. 198.org.uk Life in a Cup Coffeehouses emerged as places where people of different social positions, ethnicities and religions could meet on an equal footing around a cup of coffee. This exhibition focuses on the drink’s history, prevalence, position and rituals in parts of the Islamic world, specifically, where…

THEY HAVE WATCHED THEIR SNOWS MELT, THEIR RIVERS SHRINK, THEIR CROPS FAIL, WITH INCREASING DISTRESS On an isolated mountain range in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast of Colombia live the Kogi – a so-called ‘lost’ civilisation who live without electricity, shoes or wifi and have survived for centuries living off the land. This tiny community (population just 20,000) is a metaphorical – and often literal – stone’s throw from pretty much every ecosystem our planet has to offer: glaciers, tundra, alpine lakes, deserts, rainforests, wetlands and coral reefs are all nearby. They have deep-rooted connection to the landscape and elements that has granted them the belief that we, the ‘children’ of our planet, have been causing Earth great harm. And with good reason. The mountain’s unique…

Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world. It sits on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains in Western Asia, between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. Considered to be a holy site to the three major religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – it has a history fraught with disputes over both its geography and the holy relics it is home to. Yet to step into its streets is to be immersed in a flood of spiritual sounds that cast a magical atmosphere across the city: the bells of Christian churches ringing incessantly, the chants of Jews in front of the Wailing Wall, and the call to prayer of the muezzins from the mosques all playing out together. Stretching prominently on the eastern flank of Jerusalem just…

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey Ptolemy Grey, played by Oscar-nominated Samuel L. Jackson, is an ailing man forgotten by his family, his friends, and even by himself. Left without his trusted caretaker and on the brink of sinking even deeper into a lonely dementia, he is assigned to the care of orphaned teenager Robyn, played by BAFTA nominee Dominique Fishback. When they learn about a treatment that can restore Ptolemy’s memories, it begins a journey toward shocking truths about the past, present – and future. Premieres on 11 March as a six-episode Apple TV. Bridgerton The new season closely follows the premise of the second book in the series, in which Anthony tries to make Edwina Sharma – aka ‘the most beautiful debutante of the current season’ – his…

British singer-songwriter Julian Lennon, the eldest son of Beatles legend John and his first wife Cynthia Powell Lennon, is as well known for his photography, philanthropy and writing as he is for his music. The White Feather Foundation, which he established in 2007, addresses his longstanding interest in and commitment to environmental and humanitarian issues. He visited the Kogi on a trip led by the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) in 2014. In this exclusive interview, Lennon shares his insight into one of the world’s oldest tribes and reveals the lessons he learnt from his time there. Of all the different humanitarian visits you’ve undertaken, what is it about the Kogi that drew you to supporting them long term? I often reference my time with the Kogi as the happiest I’ve…

Now in its nineth year CURLYTREATS Festival presents Dear Black Women - a day of curated panel talks, interactive workshops, solution-oriented seminars, performances, and awards dedicated to Black women and intersecting identities. In celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day the timely event will be held at Novotel London West on Saturday 5 March 2022, 11.00 am – 7.00 pm. Tickets from £20. curlytreats.co.uk *KOL Social is a media partner and will be exhibiting at this event. Join us!…

PRODUCTS Lava Cap Say goodbye to dry, frizzy hair with these natural microwavable flaxseed-filled heat caps that promote healthier, hydrated hair by giving a thermal boost to your at-home deep conditioning treatments. Simply microwave the reusable cap for 90 seconds, then wear it over your favourite conditioner or treatment mask for 15 minutes. The cap can be reheated for longer treatments. * KOL Social tried-and-tested. lavacap.co.uk SALON First Glance Hair Salon The unisex hair salon offers a wide range of services and treatments to suit every hair type from Afro and Asian to European. Whether you are after the perfect colour, a bold cut or dramatic hair extensions, the hairdressers offer exceptional service and aftercare advice. Established since 1988 and based in Brockley, London. 1stglance.co.uk…