Liv Little
Olivia Little (born 1994) is the founder of gal-dem, an English online and print magazine run by women of colour, which ceased publication in 2023.[1] In 2016, she was listed as one of the BBC's 100 Women.[2] She published her first novel, Rosewater in 2023.
Life
Little was born in January 1994 to a Jamaican-born father and mother of Guyanese descent. She was raised in South-East London and attended Blackheath High School and completed A-Levels at Newstead Wood School for Girls. During a year out between school and university she completed a 12-week placement in India as a Health and Livelihoods Coordinator with Restless Development, a branch within the International Citizen Service. She later studied Politics and Sociology at the University of Bristol, graduating in 2016 with First-Class Honours.[3]
gal-dem
Little founded gal-dem while at university after being frustrated with the lack of diversity at her university.[4] The gal-dem team consists of more than 70 women of colour, most of whom are based in the UK but with others in countries around the world.
In 2016, to celebrate their first birthday, gal-dem produced the first print edition of the magazine.[5] On 28 October 2016, the collective ran the Friday Late session at the V&A Museum.[6] The session featured an all-female line-up, with activities ranging from a mass twerk workshop to the chance to hear the best female London MCs. Little stepped down from her role as the CEO of gal-dem in September 2020.[7] gal-dem ceased publication in March 2023.[8]
Writing
Little published her first novel, Rosewater, in 2023.[9] Writing in The Observer, Yagnishsing Dawoor described it as "a beautiful ode to queer love and friendship".[10]
References
- "Liv Little, Women in science and health, Could men have a role to play in refuges?, Woman's Hour - BBC Radio 4". BBC. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- "BBC 100 Women 2016: Who is on the list?". BBC News. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
- "Bristol graduate named by Vogue as a 'new suffragette'". University of Bristol. 5 January 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- "About | gal-dem". gal-dem. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- Alemoru, Kemi (16 September 2016). "gal-dem just launched a print mag and it's a game changer". Dazed.
- "Friday Late: gal-dem". www.vam.ac.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- Raza-Sheikh, Zoya (10 September 2020). "gal-dem founder Liv Little steps down as CEO". Gay Times. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- "Goodbye from gal-dem". gal-dem.com. 31 March 2023. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
- Morris, Kadish (20 April 2023). "Rosewater by Liv Little review – hookups, hope and hard times". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
- Dawoor, Yagnishsing (9 April 2023). "Rosewater by Liv Little review – a lyrical love affair". The Observer. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
External links
- Makonnen, Hannah (12 April 2023). "In Conversation With Liv Little On Her Debut Book 'Rosewater'". Whistles. Retrieved 20 April 2023. Interview