Quintessential Voices: Britain's biggest conversation celebrating women of colour

40 years in the music industry and Jaki Graham has lost none of her talent, her fun-loving nature or star power. Here's my interview with her and check out the links to follow her on social media http://www.twitter.com/Jaki_Graham http://www.twitter.com/thejntgroup AUGUST 2017 gig http://www.rewindfestival.com/south/lineup/view/artist/138/jaki-graham MORE GIG DATES https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/jaki-graham BUY JAKI'S MUSIC https://itunes.apple.com/gr/artist/jaki-graham/id218132947

If you're a new start-up or thinking of starting your own business, Pushpa Alexander is the woman to talk to, especially if you live anywhere near the West Midlands. I think she runs one of the busiest and most creative networking events anywhere in the region. I've known her for about a decade, and I've watched her business grow. It was fascinating to sit down with her and find out what drives her Check out HeadzUp Business right here: http://www.headzupbusiness.co.uk/ Connect with Pushpa on LinkedIn too: https://www.linkedin.com/in/headz-up-business-ceo-founder

I met Annika as a delegate of one of her recent events she held where she advises aspiring writers on how to self-publish. If you're looking to do the same get in touch with Annika as follows Website: https://annikaspalding.com/about/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/annika_spalding/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/annikaspalding?lang=en

Listen up if you're an aspiring music star. My guest on this episode is the super-knowledgeable music business expert that is Carla Brown, also known as DJ Miss C Brown https://twitter.com/djmisscbrown She's a Brummie lass, with more than 20 years experience of helping new and up-and-coming artists gain a bigger audience with their singing, music and rapping. In this podcast, she explains HOW. She is available for consultancy, so get in touch with her to see if she thinks she can help you. She runs funding advice workshops too so to find her next one, head to her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DJMissCBrown/

You can find out more about the entire JUMPROV crew on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Jumprov/ and also on Twitter https://twitter.com/jumprov?lang=en Their first EVER show is on Thursday 4th May at the Old Joint Stock pub in Birmingham City Centre. Stay locked to their social media for future performance dates. Buddings actors, find out more about the brilliant acting showcase that is MONOLOGUE SLAM here http://monologueslamuk.com/ The next Birmingham date is Friday 12th May at the Birmingham Rep Theatre https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/monologueslam-2017.html#event-datesTimes

Khembe Clarke talks about her campaigning around natural hair, at her fourth annual RETURN TO YOUR ROOTS HAIR, HEALTH AND BEAUTY expo in Birmingham, U.K.

You're going to love the time spent with Lucy Sheen in this edition. We speak about the representation of East Asian stories in British media, and she also offers tips for writers - so get listening. Below are links to a lot of people, shows and places she refers to, so you can follow up. You can catch Lucy on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/lucysheen) or her website (http://www.lucysheen.com) Read her first poetry collection: http://boutique.poetshaven.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=138 LINKS THEATRE SNOW IN MIDSUMMER https://www.rsc.org.uk/snow-in-midsummer/about-the-play (Ends March 25th) ROYAL SHAKESPEAREC COMPANY – SWAN THEATRE Tamburlaine: http://yellowearth.org/tamburlaine/ Chinglish: https://www.parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/chinglish TV Fresh Off The Boat – ABC TV in the US http://abc.go.com/shows/fresh-off-the-boat Orange Is The New Black: https://www.facebook.com/OITNB/ Actress Thandi Newton article: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/thandie-newton-historical-dramas-black-british-actors-downton-abbey-samuel-l-jackson-a7638846.html BBC1's Call the Midwife – Series 6, Episode 3 : Lucy played Oilen Chen Watch her at 00:59 in this preview clip of the episode from the BBC's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAVowOboKV4 Buy Series 6 here (I don't get paid commission, ok??) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0118t80/products WRITING The Paper Gang: New British East Asian Writing http://www.papergang.co.uk/ Royal Court Theatre Writing Groups: https://royalcourttheatre.com/playwriting/writers-groups-2/ BBC WRITERS ROOM http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom http://www.papergang.co.uk/statement-on-the-print-rooms-in-the-depths-7-jan-2017/

You can follow Sandra on Twitter, if you ask for a followback, then once you're following each other you'll be able to slip quietly into her DMs (Direct Messages) to be able to ask her questions and you might get a message back. Bear in mind she has over 120,000 followers there now https://twitter.com/sandragogglebox The charities she mentioned are all here African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust http://aclt.org/introduction-to-aclt/ Bonded Thru Cancer http://www.bondedthrucancer.org/ MacMillan https://www.macmillan.org.uk/ British Heart Foundation (where Sandra's volunteering) https://www.bhf.org.uk/ Age Uk – used to be known as Age Concern (Sandra said UK Concern) http://www.ageuk.org.uk/ Those shows she likes watching Real Housewives of Atlanta http://www.itv.com/hub/the-real-housewives-of-atlanta/2a2370 NeNe Leakes https://twitter.com/NeNeLeakes Monique https://twitter.com/moworldwide Oprah Winfrey http://www.oprah.com/index.html *************** Big thanks to Malmaison Hotel in Birmingham where I recorded this with Sandra https://www.malmaison.com/locations/birmingham/

If you're a fan of the BBC1 soap, Eastenders, you'll know this lady. And if you're a Strictly fan, you'll know her too. You might also remember the super-talented Tameka Empson from Three Non-Blondes too! Here's my chat with her at BAFTA (from 4'30) Keep up-to-date with Tameka here: https://twitter.com/tameka_empson And make sure you click LIKE and SIGN UP to my Newsletter so you can be in the MONTHLY BEAUTY COMPETITION: https://www.facebook.com/TVMarv/

Tobi mentioned a real rollcall of women she's inspired by so here are all the links so you can investigate these ladies for yourself. Not forgetting her own website which you can find here http://www.blackballad.co.uk/ Florence Adepoju - http://mdmflow.com/about-us/ Ade Hassan, Nubian Skin https://www.nubianskin.com/global/ Christine Ohuruogu http://chrissyo.com/ Ebony magazine http://www.ebony.com/ Essence magazine http://www.essence.com/ Naomi Campbell https://twitter.com/NaomiCampbell Michaela Coel https://twitter.com/michaelacoel Melanie B https://twitter.com/OfficialMelB Watch Michelle Obama with Oprah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVluBbhM1wE Obama Foundation website: https://www.obama.org/ Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche http://www.boots.com/en/Introducing-Chimamanda_1918314/ Personal website: http://chimamanda.com/ Bobby Brown: http://www.bobbibrown.co.uk/ Kiko Milano http://www.kikocosmetics.com/en-gb/ Big Hair https://bighair.co.uk/ Shea Moisture http://www.sheamoisture.com/ 2012 Multicultural Britain research paper – black women's retail hair products spend (page 4) http://www.mediareach.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Multicultural_Britain-2012.pdf

Four days into the New Year I grab some coffee time with the lovely Simone Bresi-Ando, founder of global CIC, I'mPossible (http://www.i-am-possible.com/) about her journey, the network's raison d'etre, and progress since it started. She also discusses what she's up to in NYC and her plans for delivering more I'mPossible conversations in the Big Apple. Please review this edition and drop me a tweet at http://www.twitter.com/QVoicesPodcast #QVoicesPodcast And to find out more about me, Marverine Cole, head to http://www.marverinecole.co.uk or you can tweet me at http://www.twitter.com/TVMarv

Merry Christmas to you all!!!! Listen to top stand-up comedian Annette Fagon and Birmingham councillor Sharon Thompson discuss their working lives and Christmas plans. It's a corker of a podcast and don't forge the BEAUTY competition. Here's how to stay in touch with my guests too! Annette's Soca Police: https://www.facebook.com/SocaPolice/ Annette's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annettefagon Sharon's: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/councillors/110/sharon_thompson

I catch up with Anita Bhagwandas - former Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire magazine who discusses beauty products for darker skin tones and also her take on being plus-size (http://www.anitabhagwandas.com/about-anita/)

I talk to Nadine Wilson about self-care when it comes to anxiety and depression. She's one of only 3 BAME psychotherapists in Birmingham who's registered with the UK Council of Psychotherapy (http://www.baatn.org.uk/Sys/PublicProfile/25311629/560049)

Time for a little bit of bonus audio for you with Laura Mvula. Here she is chatting about her style, beauty and musical influences and aspirations Find out more about Laura at http://www.lauramvula.com

Welcome to Edition 1 of my new podcast. My guests are chart-topping songstress and style maven, Laura Mvula (http://www.LauraMvula.com), BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester Breakfast Show Presenter, Toni McDonald (http://www.twitter.com/ToniEarlyBird) and Executive Coach, Sharon Warmington (http://www.twitter.com/SharonWarm) I talk to Laura backstage at recent gig in Birmingham about her music, her style, how she copes with bouts of anxiety, and what she enjoys most about spending time with her family. I also get Toni & Sharon's take on dealing with anxiety, their thoughts on the BBC's recent Black British Season, challenging themselves to do something outside of their comfort zone and their plans for Christmas. PLUS stay tuned for details on the Holiday 2016 competition prize and exactly how to enter (Entries are accepted until 31st January 2017) *Mastered by Danny Ozment at http://www.emeraldcitypro.com*

Time to catch up with Tonbara Joses from new online magazine, Melanmag (http://www.melanmag.com). I grabbed a coffee with Tonbara at a pub in London at Kings Cross station. A little noisy but hey! This new magazine is aimed at black British women in the UK and - since interviewing her - she's asked me to be a Contributor, so you might see a byline from there in the future.

High time I told you more about the rationale for this podcast. I wanted to document exciting stories and viewpoints in a way that is never been done before.