Carole Boyce Davies and Jessica Horn will be participating in two major literary events in London this week.

Professor Carole Boyce Davies, a professor of Africana Studies and Literatures in English at Cornell University, specializing in African Diaspora, Black feminist theories, and Black women’s writings. She is the author of Left of Karl Marx: The Political Life of Claudia Jones (2008) and Black Women, Writing and Identity: Migrations of the Subject (1994).

Jessica Horn is an East African feminist writer and practitioner. She pioneered the Futures initiative at the African Women’s Development Fund and became the first African woman to lead the Ford Foundation’s East Africa office. She is the author of African Feminist Praxis: Cartographies of Liberatory Worldmaking (2024).

Both writers will take part in events across London and offer their expertise on issues surrounding leadership, gender equality, and Pan-Africanism. See the details of the events below!

Friday, March 14 | When Black Women Lead: Power in a Changing World | British Library, London

Professor Carole Boyce Davies, Jessica Horn, along with Diane Abbott MP, Fatimah Kelleher, will participate in a panel discussion. This event will dive into the transformative role of black women in leadership, both at the highest political levels and within local communities. The panelists will share personal insights into leadership strategies, styles, and the significant impact of their work in challenging social norms and driving positive change.

Saturday, March 15 | INTERSECTIONS: Still We Rise Festival 2025 | The Africa Centre

Jessica Horn and Professor Carole Boyce Davies will participate in the keynote panel discussion for the festival’s debut. The Still We Rise Festival will focus on intergenerational and intersectional dialogues, exploring major global shifts against the backdrop of Pan-Africanism and the UN’s 69th Commission on the Status of Women session in New York. This year’s festival highlights the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), a landmark document outlining the global framework for achieving gender equality and women’s rights.

Both of these events look fantastic — be sure to check them out if you’re in the area!