Masculinities

Expectations about masculinity have been changing a lot in the last few years and we all know what it means - or do we?

What does masculinity look like in literature?

What about the intersectionality in masculinity and race?

How do black men navigate this ever changing landscape? Is there room for traditional masculinity?

Join Afrori Books in conversation with Guvna B and Amen Alonge as they explore these questions and tell us about how ideas around masculinity have influence their experiences.

Guvna B

Isaac Borquaye, better known as Guvna B, is an award-winning rap artist and writer. With 2 MOBO Awards and 3 UMAs, he is a seasoned talent who has found a new lease of life. His last two albums have amassed over 15 million streams, the latest of which was the UK’s highest charting nonexplicit rap album of 2020. His debut non-fiction title, Unspoken: Toxic Masculinity and How I Faced the Man Within the Man was released in 2021. He is married to Emma Borquaye, with whom he is co-authoring his first children’s title. The couple have one son, named Ezra.

Amen Alonge

Amen Alonge was born in Lagos and moved to London as a teenager almost twenty years ago. He took a Master’s Degree at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, then worked as an engineer. He went on to take a screenwriting course at London Film Academy and, for a while, ran the family business, a sports media company that owned the global licensing rights for the Nigerian Football League. He changed careers since, and is currently training to become a solicitor. Amen lives in London with his wife and their son.

Venue Accessibility

Wheelchair Access:

The Lighthouse venue is fully wheelchair accessible. The venue is on two floors.

• We have accessible toilets situated in Level 0 (Ground Floor) and Level -1 (Lower Ground Floor).

Ground Floor: Lighthouse Office, Reception Area & Conference Room.

• The Ground Floor is accessed at street level, there is no ramp required.

Lower Ground Floor: Digital Lounge & Toilets & Baby-changing facilities.

• Access to the Lower Ground Floor is by platform lift or stairs.

All levels can be accessed using a central lift which has a doorway measuring 90 cm. The lift can hold a maximum weight of 300kg. It is designed to carry two people and one wheelchair, however in cases where a power motorised wheelchair is very heavy it may only be possible to hold one wheelchair and one person. The platform lift is run by the user inside the lift pressing a button and keeping it pressed down until the desired floor is reached. Lighthouse staff will assist with use of the lift.

Important: A maximum of two wheelchairs is allowed at a time in the Lower Ground Floor / Digital Lounge for health and safety reasons.

Other facilities and support:

• Portable or backed seating can be provided on request, please ask a member of the team.
• For ticked events, a free companion ticket can be provided for support workers or assistants and seats can be reserved in specific locations as requested. Please inform a member of the time at the time of booking.
• We welcome assistance dogs and can provide them with a bowl of water.

Concessions

If you would like to come but are unable to purchase a ticket please feel free to contact us at [email protected] and we will see what we can do.

Host or Publisher Brighton Book Festival