FACILITATORS

Paula Serafini- Art & Actvism facilitator

Paula’s background is in art practice, art history, anthropology, and cultural management. Most of her work is around art and social change, be it as an artist, activist, teacher or cultural manager. Since 2005 she has been working for arts organisations in London and in Buenos Aires (where she is originally from), mostly in the coordination and production of artistic events. At present time she is also doing a PhD at King's College London, where she is looking at the role of artistic performance within activism and social movements.

Farzana Khan - Shake! co-ordinator

Farzana works at Platform London and is Shake's co-ordinator. She has a background in youth work and community development and has committed her professional work and academic studies to issues of social justice, human rights, transformative education and environmental justice. Farzana is passionate about challenging power and privilege dynamics.

Zena Edwards - Poets Facilitator and project developer

Raised in Tottenham, North London, Zena Edwards has become known as one the most unique voices of performance poetry to come out of London and won the Hidden Creatives Award 2012. Zena has been involved in performance for 20 years – as a writer/poet performer, facilitator, creative project developer and vocalist after graduating from Middlesex University. She is Creative Director of ©V:iD a umbrella company which produces creative projects centered on Change and Creative Development though the Arts to build of bridges between cultures, generations and communities

Sai Murray - Poet Facilitator

Sai Murray is a writer, poet, graphic designer of Bajan/English/Afrikan descent.

As creative director of Liquorice Fish (artist/activist design & promotions agency) Sai publishes, designs and contributes artwork to a select number of grassroots community organisations. He is a member of digital arts collective Virtual Migrants, politics and culture editor of Sable Litmag; artistic director of Scarf magazine; and editor of several poetry anthologies. His debut novel, 'Kill Myself Now' is published by Peepal Tree Press and his first volume of poetry ‘Ad-liberation’ is due out in 2013.

Ed Lewis - Politics advisor

Ed Lewis teaches politics at Secondary school level and is the mastermind of Demand the Impossible youth activist Summer school. A NUT activist for anti-war movement at university, he  is active in alternative media both with NLP blog and openDemocracy E-zines.

Sam Liebmann - Film Maker

Sam worked for two years as a behaviour mentor in a Hackney secondary school, specialising in anti-bullying and restorative justice, which inspired him to work using film as a tool of empowerment. He directed his first film, Voices Across The Wall, in 2007, about life in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, officially selected for the London International Documentary Festival 2009. He has directed and edited and self-shot other human rights based documentaries, including Encourage and I Can a film about disability in Cambodia. Sam lived in the fevela of Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for 2 months in 2009 where he volunteered running filmmaking workshops with a local Women's Rights NGO. On his return he pitched the idea for the feature documentary "O Morro" (Portugese for "The Hill") to Hi8us. O Morro tells the story of 4 people living in Rocinha over 4 years as the Rio's favelas undergo historic change in the run up to the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Marcina Arnold - Singer/Songwriter

Marcina Arnold -Singer/Songwriter has been performing recording and working in music and dance education for the past 20 years. She has led workshops internationally using voice and movement, in South Africa, Middle East, Europe and UK. She has trained in jazz world music inc folk and urban genres. Marcina plays guitar piano and percussion, she has composed for dance and released her own music through her label MouthyMusic! Marcina has sung with many world class musicians including Bheki Mseleku, Busi Mhlonga, the South African Gospel Singers, Quite Sane, Azymuth, Jamiroquai, Jason Yarde, Byron Wallen.

DJ Eric Soul aka AFROGROOV

DJ Eric Soul, widely recognise as a leading force and one of the best Afro Urban DJs in the UK scene and is director of Afrogroov productions. Born in Rwanda and raised in Belgium, Soul is a pioneer of building bridges between various cultures in clubland. His enthusiasm for raising social awareness thorugh music means he is regularly invited to share his vision and knowledge at youth workshops. He is currently developing his own unique concept in presenting workshops/conference for both youth and professionals.

Jane Trowell - Project Coordinator 2012

Jane's focus is on liberatory pedagogies and transdisciplinary practices. Her background is in contemporary art, collaborative art practices, environmental justice and education. Jane was Shake's coordinator for 2010 and is reasearch associate for Platform London, the creative campaigning charity that initiated Shake!

Ana Tovey - Film Maker (Chocolate Films Shake! 2010 pilot)

 Originally from New Zealand, Ana worked in a development capacity for London’s film festivals, and then moved to the British Film Institute, developing projects for regional communities. Gaining an MA in Visual Anthropology and then working as a community filmmaker, Ana has run filmmaking workshops for diverse communities across London, directed promotions for museums, art galleries and charities, and has made her own award winning documentaries.