Home About Never Not East London Voices East London Voices The University of East London Community - one human story at a time. Read stories from within the East London community Abdal Ahmed Tonight I decided to make chai and watch the sun go down. From the balcony of my 9th floor tower block in East London... Allison Vitalis Allison was the fourth born out of her five siblings and was brought up in Hackney, East London. Amy Holder I started gymnastics around the age of 10. But I didn’t get good at it or focused on athletics properly until I was 17 and studying my undergrad. Ana Sheppard Tonight I clapped for the NHS. I was even allowed to bang on a saucepan with a wooden spoon. Andre Lockhart Although I was born in London, I grew up on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean in Barbados. To move was a decision my mum made. Andrew Griffiths I was born and grew up just outside of Liverpool. It is a typical working-class city and a city that is obsessed with sports. Angel Obomese I decided to do Accounting and Finance because I’ve always wanted to travel and meet new people and you need a lot of capital to do that. Anita Racheva "The day after submitting a project is always quite euphoric. Months of work coming together and then suddenly you find yourself so liberated." Barbara Ayozie I am a visionary and an activist. I work within the creative industry as an art director. A lot of my work is inspired by tribalism. Bianca Franco When I first arrived at the University of East London, I remember promising myself that I would walk along the dockside every single day. Cee Bolakee As a child I used to see my cousins dance on the floats during the Notting Hill Carnival and I remember thinking ‘I want to do that one day’. Einer Gomez During lockdown, I decided to make Fryjacks to help me relieve my homesickness. Fryjacks is a Belizean adaptation of beignets but more savoury. Ella McKenzie "Each year the world goes through a cycle of regeneration, shedding its frosty past and shrugging on fresh blossoms. It appears effortless." Ian Felton Painting transports me to a different world. As the business owner for Trinity Arts Studios, I run two galleries and art studios. John Strawson The lockdown strangely has been a busy time of finding new ways to connect with family, friends and work. Kimia Hasimi When I experienced lockdown alone, I found it so depressing. Suddenly being alone becomes intense. Liselle Terret I make live performance, and most recently a cabaret show at Soho Theatre with learning disabled and neurodivergent actors on disability hate crime. Lurraine Jones I have been asked too many times - 'what are you'? The answer is: I am a Londoner through and through! Madhini Sivasubramanian I am the first ever nurse in my family and racked up years of experience working in India. Coming to the UK from India was a shock... Marcia Wilson I blink on a Monday and before I know it, we are at Friday again. I guess it’s all about spending the time we have wisely. Mia Cunningham I have never experienced that kind of euphoria. People were clapping and jumping up and down. It was a unique feeling. Mike Gara You never used to see tattoos on healthcare professionals but more and more we see healthcare professionals with them. Nosheen Hussain Sport excites me. I see it as my opportunity to be the best and I also feel most myself. I find with sports I always pick it up really easily. Ovie Soko Ovie Soko is a professional basketball player. Rebecca Page Tickell I love teaching. It is through gig work that I have built a career in Higher Education. Now I have come full circle and am doing PHD research. Regina Everitt It was The Big Sea by Langston Hughes that dared me to dream of escaping the gang and drug problems of my inner city ‘hood’ to travel the world. Robin Lockhart It gives me hope to see how these young people want to change the world. This is the generation that will be able to make these changes. Shreem Khare It took me a while to adjust. Everything was different, the people, the language, the culture. I felt like I was in a parallel universe. Sian Earl Running isn’t a magic pill. It doesn’t solve all the world’s problems (if only) but it can help manage some of the feelings around them. Sian Trimble Davey My mum worked full-time and looked after us. I remember being so proud of her, I still am. Simon Robertshaw I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to be, but I knew I wanted to be an artist. I was passionate about exploring, experimenting and challenging. Sonia Quintero "Being gay is one thing but being openly gay is dangerous. My mother and I didn't speak for a year. It was one of the hardest points in my life" Terri Foreman The biggest thing for me about lockdown is not being able to go to the theatre. I’ve booked a musical ‘SIX’ for December and I hope it goes ahead. Unai Zapiain "If I could do it again, I wouldn’t change anything...my year it’s been the result of different positive and negative experiences..." Be the change
Abdal Ahmed Tonight I decided to make chai and watch the sun go down. From the balcony of my 9th floor tower block in East London...
Allison Vitalis Allison was the fourth born out of her five siblings and was brought up in Hackney, East London.
Amy Holder I started gymnastics around the age of 10. But I didn’t get good at it or focused on athletics properly until I was 17 and studying my undergrad.
Ana Sheppard Tonight I clapped for the NHS. I was even allowed to bang on a saucepan with a wooden spoon.
Andre Lockhart Although I was born in London, I grew up on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean in Barbados. To move was a decision my mum made.
Andrew Griffiths I was born and grew up just outside of Liverpool. It is a typical working-class city and a city that is obsessed with sports.
Angel Obomese I decided to do Accounting and Finance because I’ve always wanted to travel and meet new people and you need a lot of capital to do that.
Anita Racheva "The day after submitting a project is always quite euphoric. Months of work coming together and then suddenly you find yourself so liberated."
Barbara Ayozie I am a visionary and an activist. I work within the creative industry as an art director. A lot of my work is inspired by tribalism.
Bianca Franco When I first arrived at the University of East London, I remember promising myself that I would walk along the dockside every single day.
Cee Bolakee As a child I used to see my cousins dance on the floats during the Notting Hill Carnival and I remember thinking ‘I want to do that one day’.
Einer Gomez During lockdown, I decided to make Fryjacks to help me relieve my homesickness. Fryjacks is a Belizean adaptation of beignets but more savoury.
Ella McKenzie "Each year the world goes through a cycle of regeneration, shedding its frosty past and shrugging on fresh blossoms. It appears effortless."
Ian Felton Painting transports me to a different world. As the business owner for Trinity Arts Studios, I run two galleries and art studios.
John Strawson The lockdown strangely has been a busy time of finding new ways to connect with family, friends and work.
Kimia Hasimi When I experienced lockdown alone, I found it so depressing. Suddenly being alone becomes intense.
Liselle Terret I make live performance, and most recently a cabaret show at Soho Theatre with learning disabled and neurodivergent actors on disability hate crime.
Lurraine Jones I have been asked too many times - 'what are you'? The answer is: I am a Londoner through and through!
Madhini Sivasubramanian I am the first ever nurse in my family and racked up years of experience working in India. Coming to the UK from India was a shock...
Marcia Wilson I blink on a Monday and before I know it, we are at Friday again. I guess it’s all about spending the time we have wisely.
Mia Cunningham I have never experienced that kind of euphoria. People were clapping and jumping up and down. It was a unique feeling.
Mike Gara You never used to see tattoos on healthcare professionals but more and more we see healthcare professionals with them.
Nosheen Hussain Sport excites me. I see it as my opportunity to be the best and I also feel most myself. I find with sports I always pick it up really easily.
Rebecca Page Tickell I love teaching. It is through gig work that I have built a career in Higher Education. Now I have come full circle and am doing PHD research.
Regina Everitt It was The Big Sea by Langston Hughes that dared me to dream of escaping the gang and drug problems of my inner city ‘hood’ to travel the world.
Robin Lockhart It gives me hope to see how these young people want to change the world. This is the generation that will be able to make these changes.
Shreem Khare It took me a while to adjust. Everything was different, the people, the language, the culture. I felt like I was in a parallel universe.
Sian Earl Running isn’t a magic pill. It doesn’t solve all the world’s problems (if only) but it can help manage some of the feelings around them.
Sian Trimble Davey My mum worked full-time and looked after us. I remember being so proud of her, I still am.
Simon Robertshaw I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to be, but I knew I wanted to be an artist. I was passionate about exploring, experimenting and challenging.
Sonia Quintero "Being gay is one thing but being openly gay is dangerous. My mother and I didn't speak for a year. It was one of the hardest points in my life"
Terri Foreman The biggest thing for me about lockdown is not being able to go to the theatre. I’ve booked a musical ‘SIX’ for December and I hope it goes ahead.
Unai Zapiain "If I could do it again, I wouldn’t change anything...my year it’s been the result of different positive and negative experiences..."
