LEGACY
Honouring Our Former Board Members
We proudly recognise and celebrate our former board members whose dedication, leadership,
and commitment helped shape the charity we are today. Their vision, guidance, and tireless contributions were instrumental in building the foundations of Poetic Unity and driving our mission forward. We are grateful for their service and honoured to acknowledge their lasting legacy, which will continue to inspire our work for years to come.
Naomi Louise McLean
Lucrecia Seline Augustin
Sasha Shantel Bennett
Temwani “Temi” Mwale
PU Alumni
Poetic Unity is proud to celebrate the achievements of the young people who have been part of our community and gone on to make a meaningful impact in society and their careers. Through their journey with us, they developed skills, confidence, creativity, and leadership that helped shape their personal and professional growth. Many have gone on to build successful careers across a range of industries, while others have continued their journey with Poetic Unity, taking on leadership roles and helping to shape the next generation of young people. Their achievements reflect our commitment to providing opportunities for the next generation to thrive and change the world around them.
Maia Ardalla
Maia’s journey with Poetic Unity began where she worked as a Cultural Leader from September 2021 to March 2022. The experience helped her develop the confidence, leadership skills, and passion for youth empowerment that has helped shape the direction of her career. She went on to join V&A East as a Producer from July 2022–December 2024, leading programmes that centred young voices, before becoming Outreach Manager at the BFI in January 2025 where she continues to lead today.
"My experience at Poetic Unity gave me the confidence to embrace leadership within my career. It provided the space for me to reflect more deeply on how the arts, writing, and creative practice can serve as tools for young people to feel connected to one another and to their communities.
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The environment also allowed me to work alongside talented people across music, film, and poetry, and encouraged me to engage more with my immediate surroundings as both a source of inspiration and an opportunity to be of service.
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Of all the organisations I have worked with, the support I received at Poetic Unity was not only among the most valuable, but also the most transparent and meaningful."
Binta Yade
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Binta first connected with Poetic Unity in 2022 when she attended our community programme, The Poets Corner. Through engaging with the space, she found a creative community that encouraged her to develop her voice, share her ideas and grow in confidence. Inspired to take a more active role in creating change, Binta joined our Cultural Leaders employment programme in 2023, where she gained valuable experience, developed her leadership skills and contributed to projects that supported young people across our network.
Binta's journey with Poetic Unity has been one of remarkable growth. In 2025, Binta became a member of our Trustee Board, helping to shape the strategic direction of the organisation and playing a key role in decision-making.
Her progression from community participant to organisational leader reflects both her dedication and talent, and our commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for young people to lead, influence and thrive.
Mariah Wilde
Mariah Wilde's journey with Poetic Unity began in 2020 after winning a spoken word poetry competition and discovering the organisation through its Instagram Live sessions. What started as a space to nurture her creativity quickly became a community that encouraged her growth as both a poet and professional. Over the years, Mariah performed at open mic events, participated in three Poetic Unity programmes, and built meaningful connections through the community. One of the most transformative experiences was taking part in the Mindful Ventures Programme, which helped her clarify her vision for Riah Therapies, her psychotherapy practice that combines mental health support, creativity and wellbeing. Through mentorship, funding, co-working opportunities and a network of founders, the programme strengthened her confidence as an entrepreneur and encouraged her to build a business rooted in her values, identity and community. Today, Riah Therapies is experiencing strong demand and expanding its reach. https://www.riahtherapies.com/
“Poetic Unity helped me believe I could build something rooted in my values and in service of my community. It taught me to take risks, collaborate differently and think bigger about what is possible. Most importantly, it reinforced that there is power in bringing your whole self to your work.” – Mariah Wilde
Tariq Brown
Tariq Brown began his journey with Poetic Unity in 2023 as part of the Cultural Leaders Programme, an entrepreneurial initiative designed to equip young people with practical skills and paid experience in the charity sector. Through the programme, Tariq gained hands-on experience in workshop facilitation, event delivery, operations, administration and partnership building, while developing his confidence as a leader. Over the six-month programme, he excelled in his role and continued working with Poetic Unity afterwards, facilitating workshops and supporting events across the organisation.
Over two years, Poetic Unity provided Tariq with opportunities to strengthen his leadership, communication and community engagement skills, helping him grow both personally and professionally. In 2025, he took the next step in his career by joining YoungMinds as a Senior Youth Participation Officer, a significant leadership role within one of the UK's leading youth mental health charities. Tariq's journey demonstrates how Poetic Unity's investment in young people can create pathways into meaningful careers, empowering emerging leaders with the skills, experience and confidence to make a lasting impact in their communities. https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamtariq-brown/
House of Vox
House of Vox was founded by a group of young men who first connected through Poetic Unity, where they developed their skills, confidence and sense of purpose through leadership opportunities, creative development and community engagement. Through workshops, events and mentorship, they grew as facilitators, organisers and changemakers while building strong relationships rooted in shared values and a commitment to social impact. These connections ultimately became the foundation for House of Vox, a Black male-led organisation founded in 2025 that uses storytelling and the arts to address social issues, amplify underrepresented voices and strengthen communities.
Among its six founding members, five started with Poetic Unity in 2023 as Cultural Leaders or community members. Their story reflects Poetic Unity's wider legacy in creating spaces where young people can develop their talents, form meaningful collaborations and go on to build initiatives that create positive change for others. https://houseofvox.co.uk/