Keynote speaker: Kadija (George) Sesay

Kadija Sesay is a literary activist, arts project manager and teacher/trainer.


Biography
Kadija is the founder/publisher of SABLE LitMag, a 132 page black and white international publication, for writers of colour. She has edited anthologies of work by writers of African descent in drama, poetry and fiction and has published and broadcast her own work in the USA, UK and Africa. Kadija has held positions on the board of various bodies including SABDET (Southern African Book Development Education Trust), and participated in committees and mentor programmes for The Prince's Trust (regional sports); North London Mentor Scheme. She is currently a board member of The Arvon Foundation (a UK residential writer’s organisation); and is a member of the working group of ‘Remember Saro-Wiwa’ campaign. Professional memberships include: the African Literary Association, African Studies Association, Women in Publishing and National Association of Literature Development. Kadija is currently the General Secretary of African Writers Abroad (PEN) Centre and a Fellow of the George Bell Institute. She is an award recipient for her work in the creative arts, namely; Cosmopolitan Woman of Achievement (1994), Candice magazine Woman of Achievement (1996), Voice Newspaper Award for work in the Creative Arts (1998) and a Woman of the Millennium (2000). In 2001-2002, she completed the inaugural year at the Institute of Management at the J.F.Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

Recent Publications
• Habila, H, and Sesay, K, ‘New African Writers’ (working title), Picador Africa, forthcoming 2006.
• Parkes, Nii and Sesay, K, Dance the Guns to Silence: 100 poems for Ken Saro-Wiwa, Flipped Eye, London, 2005
• Sesay, K (ed) Write Black, Write British: From Post Colonial to Black British Literature, Hansib Books, London, 2005
• Arana, Victoria & Ramey, Lauri (eds.) Bma Sonia Sanchez Journal, Special Issue - Black Travel, (5 poems) 'No Fear of Falling', 'Cubanos Muchachos', 'Reality of Being Dazed', 'At Green Gulch', 'Coyote Ridge Trail', Drexel University, Philadelphia, 2004
• Apples and Snakes, Velocity: Apples and Snakes anniversary poetry anthology, 'Chasing Thoughts' and 'Moon over Water', Black Spring Press, London, 2003
• Prior, Amy (ed.) Strictly Casual: Fiction by women on Love, Serpent's Tail, London, 'Men Like Palm Oil', 2003
• Jones D (ed), Encyclopaedia on Censorship , Fitzroy Dearborn, London, (Entries on Chinua Achebe and Sierra Leone poets and playwrights), 2002
• Medina & Rivera (eds) Bum Rush The Page, Crown Publishing, New York, 'Six Minutes Writing', 2001
• Donnell, A (ed) Companion to Black British Culture, Routledge, London, October 2001). Advisor and contributor (Entries on Newspapers and Magazines; Publishing; contributed several individual entries on writers, multi-media and performance artists)