Who we are

Every Voice is a race equality organisation in Islington. Every Voice’s mission is to bring people together to challenge discrimination and eradicate systemic race inequalities in our society.
We champion the underrepresented voice, to share vital and diverse perspectives through forums, education and employment projects, civic engagement, research and cultural events.

​Our logo means unity in diversity and is from the Adinkra, an ancient system of visual symbols from the Ashanti region in Ghana.

Our History
Every Voice was founded in 2009 in the borough of Islington, and has since engaged thousands of residents and community organisations to influence race equality locally.
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We started as a forum of representatives from BME community organisations and leading community activists with a vision to come together to address persistent social inequalities affecting Black and Ethnic Minority communities in Islington. Since then, through collaborative networks, conferences and community research, we have raised the BME voice to shape more inclusive policy and practice in the areas we live.  This has had a ripple effect outside of Islington and we've evolved into a social enterprise, and broadened our work to include education, employment, arts, heritage and culture. 

For five years we delivered Islington Black History Month Festival – an annual lively festival of films, arts and cultural events, conferences and work with schools, community groups and libraries, which quickly became renowned for being London’s leading programme for Black History Month. In 2015, after much research and campaign work, looking at how to strengthen the legacy and impact of Black History Month, we have moved towards our All World History All Year Round campaign, looking to embed diverse voices into the history curriculum, all year round. Islington Council have led the way becoming the first borough to commit to it in a motion passed in 2015.

We are a young but growing organisation, and are continuing to expand, so watch this space.

Our Team

Despina Tsiakalou

Islington Race Equality Forum Officer
despina@everyvoice.org.uk

Despina's background is in ethnography, youth work and sociology of education with a focus on cultural capital theories and migration. Despina has conducted research with migrant domestic workers funded by the European Social Fund and has worked with people from marginalised communities in Greece, the Netherlands and in the UK.

In addition to Every Voice she is the Project Coordinator of Young Roots. 

Mona Bani

Aisha Forbes
Programmes Director -
​Education and Culture
mona@everyvoice.org.uk
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Mona has years of experience in the youth, education and community sector, with a particular interest in alternative education and has conducted research on youth policy and far right extremism in the UK and Scandinavia. Alongside Every Voice she supports The Alternative School and Help Refugees in Calais and is on the Board of Directors for the award winning community project May Project Gardens.
Director/Co-Founder
aisha@everyvoice.org.uk

 Aisha's background is in race and gender equality, human rights, sustainability, youth work, and arts and heritage participation.  Aisha's interests in freedom from post-colonial oppression led her from the socio-political to the transpersonal; outside of Every Voice, she is a therapist and teacher with a practice in London. She also supports initiatives that promote access to therapy for young black adults. Aisha is currently on secondment.


​Our Board
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Chair – Josette Punter
Treasurer – Muhsina Akhtar
Board member  – Zibiah Alfred Loakthar
Board member – Anthony Salla