Page 71 - Future Leaders 2018-2019

GEORGE MPANGA 2009
2019

Temi’s long list of awards include a children living in Lesotho and Botswana LIV LITTLE
Cosmopolitan magazine Ultimate Woman affected by extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS. Researcher, Lion Television, curator,
Award, Points of Light Award (awarded by Shortly after leaving university, George Editor-in-chief, Gal-dem
the Prime Minister’s Office) and a Peace signed a record deal with Island Records Olivia (Liv) Little was our number one
Maker of the Year Award, given by the on which he released his debut EP, in the 2016-17 edition. She had just
IARS (Independent Academic Research The Chicken and the Egg (2014). graduated from the university of Bristol
Studies) International Institute. The following year, he released his first with a first class degree in Politics and
book, Search Party (Virgin Books), an Sociology. Frustrated with the lack of
GEORGE MPANGA autobiographical collection of poems. diversity reflected in her university
Spoken word performer, recording artist and George has toured with the likes of Nas, degree course, she started the website
social commentator and performed and headlined at various gal-dem.com while studying. It was set
George Mpanga appeared in the magazine events and shows around the world, up as an online platform where women of
in our 2012-2013 edition. He was in the including the Commonwealth Service colour could not only post about issues,
second year of his Politics, Psychology and the Rugby World Cup. In 2018, he but do so in a way that was unique to
and Sociology degree at the University toured the UK off the back of this thought- their individual voices. It was soon
of Cambridge. At the time he was a provoking podcast series, ‘Have You Heard gaining coverage from press outlets
celebrated underground spoken-word George’s Podcast?’ In March 2018 he was such as the BBC, The Guardian, iD and
artist, now well-known as George the elected as the youngest member of Arts ASOS.com. Liv was asked to curate a
Poet, who was already beginning to make Council England’s National Council. takeover event at the V&A Museum, where
his presence felt on a more mainstream everyone from artists to politicians were
audience. His commitment to social showcased through mediums of live music,
and political commentary evident in his art, photography and – all done through
poems was also demonstrated through the lenses of the gal-dem brand.
the £16,000 worth of funding he won Upon graduating, Liv took on a job as a
from a Barclays-sponsored Money Skills researcher at Lion Television while still
competition, while studying, which he heading up gal-dem and its extended team
used to finance spoken word workshops of 60 or so writers from around the globe.
for young people in underprivileged areas. And things have not slowed down at all,
These days, George is no stranger to with more features on major platforms
critical acclaim both as a recording artist such as British Vogue and Women’s Hour
and a social commentator. In 2015 he and a filmed clip for BET’s Black Girls
was placed fifth on the BBC Music Sound Rock. In addition, gal-dem were asked to
of 2015 and was also nominated for the do a second curated event with the V&A in
Brits Critic’s Choice Award. He has worked February 2017, after the first one garnered
extensively with the BBC on various an attendance of more than 4000 people.
projects including being commissioned to In August 2018, Liv and her team were
deliver a poem to open their coverage of invited to do another take-over – this time
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2018 of the national newspaper The Guardian’s
Royal wedding – which was broadcast to Saturday supplement magazine, Weekend.
millions of people around the world.
Also a guest at the Royal wedding, he got
to know Prince Harry when he was chosen LIV LITTLE
to be an ambassador for Sentabale, a Some research and additional
charity founded by the Prince to help reporting by Aminooritse Omaghomi

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