About Chakula

Chakula is a monthly series of events, workshops and dialogues at the  Africa Centre. The program is geared towards supporting, platforming and connecting Black and African LGBTQ+ voices. Our events seek to highlight the intersectional and lived experiences of Black and African  LGBTQ+ communities in London, on the African continent and the wider diaspora. This program is funded by Propel and delivered by Vee Belinga  (Project Lead at the Africa Centre). Vee has co-facilitated Chakula events with a range of LGBTQ+ artists, writers, community organizers,  activists, researchers and organizations doing incredible work. 

In Swahili, Chakula means food and nourishment. We asked artist & illustrator Zamzo to creatively express what Chakula means to them and design the program’s visual identity. Zamzo (they/them) is a Black trans illustrator based in Brighton, busy bringing Black trans utopias to life.  Their work explores themes of gender euphoria, ancestral connection,  spirituality, sensuality, grief & dreaming. They also write poetry alongside their artwork.

For this commission, Zamzo was inspired by photographer Malick Sidibé  (1936-2016) who documented the life, people and culture of Bamako in the early days of Mali’s independence. Zamzo’s re-imagining of Sidibe’s photography encapsulates what it means for Black and African LGBTQ+  communities to gather from a place of joy. Their artwork comes with a poem that further reflects on the symbolism behind the image.  

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The Chakula Manifesto

In the spirit of Pride Month, we want to share the Chakula Manifesto. It was co-written by our steering committee - made up of African LGBTQ+ creatives, writers, community organizers and researchers doing incredible work. The Chakula Manifesto shares a collective vision for the programme and anchors our activities in shared values of community, liberation, and joy. 

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Chakula partner

Chakula is excited to announce its new partnership with the African Rainbow Family!  The African Rainbow Family is the Leading UK UK-based expert by Experience Grassroots charity that supports people seeking asylum and/or refugees, who are LGBTIQ+ and who have an African and/or Global Majority background. The Africa Centre will be the new home for the African Rainbow Family London Chapter and over the next few months, we’ll be collaborating on some activities and supporting each other’s work. Stay tuned!

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We collaborated with Black Queers Connect and Black Queer & Thriving to produce a series of videos exploring the concept of queerness within the pre- and post-colonial African diaspora, as experienced in South London. The full Pre-Colonial African Queer History Special video is now live on YouTube — you can watch it here

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CHAKULA EVENTS 

Roots 'n' Rhytms

     

Love, Loss and Identity – Exploring Black Queer Narratives 

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Writing Club for Black LGBTQ+ Writers

   

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Exciting News

Artist Development Hub - Press Announcement 

The Africa Centre Launches Groundbreaking Artist Development Hub 

We're thrilled to announce the launch of the Chakula Artist Development Hub, an innovative artist residency program for Black, African and Caribbean LGBTQ+ artists. This groundbreaking initiative aims to support the development and activation of new artistic work at The Africa Centre.

This initiative was brought forward by Multidisciplinary Artist and Curator Alizee Ndiaye. After two years of dedicated writing and conceptualization, she presented her vision and project Griot Circle of Soul to The Africa Centre, all the while advocating for more sustainable approaches to supporting her creative development. Historically, The Africa Centre is a hub for contemporary African culture and heritage in London, having hosted the work of artists and playwrights, such as The Trial of Dedan Kimathi by Ngugi wa Thiong'o in 1984 (Rest in peace 1938-2025).

The Chakula Artist Development Hub is an attempt to follow in this lineage - to foster innovation, trust artists to create without compromise, and support diverse voices that challenge and expand our understanding of society, identity, tradition, and culture. The Chakula Programme is dedicated to empowering creators, especially Black, African and Caribbean artists, with the confidence and resources needed to bring transformative cultural work to life. This project will provide the artist with a workshop-ready piece, positioned to access more opportunities and create broader cultural impact. 

Griot Circle of Soul by Alizee Ndiaye explores West African storytelling traditions while examining the evolving role of the Griot in post-colonial society. 

The play celebrates non-binary identity and gender fluidity within traditional African social structures. Through this powerful work, audiences are invited to find hope and gain perspective on human balance, collective meaning, and our shared frequency as both individuals and community.

During this residency, the artist will research and develop the complete script, create movement direction, and compose original music, working alongside amazing facilitators who will collaborate and host workshops to share their expertise in each of these domains. The residency will end with a public reading of the play alongside curated works from other emerging writers at The Africa Centre.

For more information about the Artist Development Hub and upcoming events, visit our website contact The Chakula Programme by email [email protected]