I can’t lie – this picture brings a tear to my eye. This is what Pan-African and Diaspora solidarity looks like. At the centre, on the laptop via Zoom, is Noor Salah H. Elfaki, a Sudanese writer and one of our 2025 LOATAD Black Atlantic residents. Standing behind her, and seated beside her, are members of her cohort, writers from Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, the USA, and Ghana, respectively. 

Noor tried so hard to be with us in person. However, due to the ongoing situation in Sudan, she couldn’t make it to the residency physically. That didn’t stop her from showing up daily to participate with her cohort virtually. 

When it became clear that she wouldn’t be able to join us in Accra, we suggested she attend online, but we weren’t sure the virtual experience would be as fulfilling. We were wrong. It was evident very early on that her presence was vital and necessary, and she was as much a part of the residency as her colleagues.

Please take a moment to read Noor’s powerful message. I hope it will a) inspire you to consider the myriad ways we can be more inclusive despite real and perceived barriers, both intended and unintended, and b) encourage you to support programmes and organisations that genuinely make a difference in the lives of people who are often overlooked or forgotten, often with very few resources.

This picture is poignant because it’s a visual representation of many dreams realised, yet it serves as a frustrating reminder of the cost of those dreams and the scale of the work that lies ahead

Thank you to all the 2025 LOATAD Black Atlantic residents. It was a pleasure to host you, and to the Hawthornden Foundation for supporting us in doing what is necessary in times like these.

Onwards…