TEAM

Ryan J. Matthews-Robinson

FOUNDER/CEO

Also known as Ragz-CV is a Jamaican and Irish creative from Brixton, South London. He has been working in the heart of the community since 2011 bridging the worlds of poetry, music, film, and youth empowerment. Ryan has earned a powerful reputation as a writer, filmmaker, and community leader, using creativity as a tool for cultural connection and social change. Ryan established Poetic Unity in 2015, following his own lived experience with racism in school and wanting to provide young people with safe spaces to platform their voice. Ryan is also the Co-Director of film production company ‘Coldharbour Films’ and Founder of calisthenics fitness community ‘All Bar Collective.

George The Poet

Patron

George the Poet is a pioneering spoken-word artist whose fresh approach has brought poetry to new audiences, captivating listeners worldwide and earning critical acclaim. Standing in the tradition of Benjamin Zephaniah and Linton Kwesi Johnson, George sparked a new era of musical poetry - one that has evolved from live performance to the audio masterpiece, Have You Heard George’s Podcast?

Ehireme Omoaka

Programme Manager

Ehireme Omoaka is a poet, qualified youth worker and a drama and creative writing practitioner. His passion is seeing young people thrive, the drive is being persistent in reminding them there is greatness inside each and everyone. "Anything is possible" is the phrase he always says. Ehireme has worked with a wide range of beneficiaries with various different challenges and settings such as learning difficulties, challenging behaviour, Feltham and ISIS prison, mainstream schools, alternative provisions and youth clubs. Ehireme often combines his drama and poetry backgrounds to explore different subjects and themes to encourage conversation which can be used to do something creative. His vast experience spans over 12 years and counting as he continues to inspire those he works with.

Talia Kensit

Fundraiser and Strategic Consultant

Talia Kensit is an experienced charity founder with over 10 years in strategy, fundraising, and building social justice and equity within community-led change making. Talia specialises in violence reduction, focusing on youth work and violence against women and girls. At the age of 19, Talia founded and led a specialist domestic abuse service for young people, which she grew as CEO for 8 years. During this time, she also qualified as a Designated Safeguard Lead and completed qualifications in change management, violence reduction and mental health. Talia now provides consultancy in fundraising, strategic development, research and training to help other organisations grow their work to be transformative and empowering for young people, women and wider communities.

Temwani “Temi” Mwale

Strategic and Creative Advisor

Temwani “Temi” Mwale is an artist, organiser and cultural world-builder devoted to healing, love, justice and freedom. Rooted in a belief that we deserve more than survival, she has spent her life refusing the idea that violence, racism, criminalisation and suffering are inevitable. Her work honours what hurts, challenges what harms and nurtures what heals. She grows joy, belonging and collective power so that we can imagine, build and fight for the worlds we deserve.

Ryan J. Matthews-Robinson

Founder/CEO

Ryan J. Matthews-Robinson also known as Ragz-CV is a Jamaican and Irish creative from Brixton, South London. He has been working in the heart of the community since 2011 bridging the worlds of poetry, music, film, and youth empowerment. Ryan has earned a powerful reputation as a writer, filmmaker, and community leader, using creativity as a tool for cultural connection and social change.

Ryan established Poetic Unity in 2015, following his own lived experience with racism in school and wanting to provide young people with safe spaces to platform their voice. Ryan is also the Co-Director of film production company ‘Coldharbour Films’ and Founder of calisthenics fitness community ‘All Bar Collective.

Ehireme Omoaka

Programme Manager

Ehireme Omoaka is a poet, qualified youth worker and a drama and creative writing practitioner. His passion is seeing young people thrive, the drive is being persistent in reminding them there is greatness inside each and everyone. "Anything is possible" is the phrase he always says. Ehireme has worked with a wide range of beneficiaries with various different challenges and settings such as learning difficulties, challenging behaviour, Feltham and ISIS prison, mainstream schools, alternative provisions and youth clubs.

Ehireme often combines his drama and poetry backgrounds to explore different subjects and themes to encourage conversation which can be used to do something creative. His vast experience spans over 12 years and counting as he continues to inspire those he works with.

Talia Kensit

Fundraiser and Strategic Consultant

Talia Kensit is an experienced charity founder with over 10 years in strategy, fundraising, and building social justice and equity within community-led change making. Talia specialises in violence reduction, focusing on youth work and violence against women and girls. At the age of 19, Talia founded and led a specialist domestic abuse service for young people, which she grew as CEO for 8 years. During this time, she also qualified as a Designated Safeguard Lead and completed qualifications in change management, violence reduction and mental health.

Talia now provides consultancy in fundraising, strategic development, research and training to help other organisations grow their work to be transformative and empowering for young people, women and wider communities.

Temwani “Temi” Mwale

Strategic & Creative Advisor

Temwani “Temi” Mwale is an artist, organiser and cultural world-builder devoted to healing, love, justice and freedom. Rooted in a belief that we deserve more than survival, she has spent her life refusing the idea that violence, racism, criminalisation and suffering are inevitable. Her work honours what hurts, challenges what harms and nurtures what heals. She grows joy, belonging and collective power so that we can imagine, build and fight for the worlds we deserve.

patron

George The Poet

board of trustees

Binta Yade

Binta Yade is a Senegalese-Italian-Australian poet, cultural producer and pro bono lawyer working at the intersection of culture, community and justice. She has performed at the Southbank Centre, Roundhouse and Tate Britain; curated community programmes and screenings at venues including BFI Southbank and the Orange Room; and developed political education curricula for Black students and young people.

Binta hosts the London chapter of Noname Book Club and Poet’s Corner at the Black Cultural Archives, was selected as the UK Envoy for British Council Creative Economy Week Zimbabwe, and is a recipient of the Olive Morris Community Excellence Award. Alongside her creative practice, she works as a pro bono and sustainability lawyer, having previously worked across international human rights and rule of law programmes.

Kieran Ferdinand

Kieran Ferdinand is currently Assistant Director of Strategy, Equalities and Community Partnerships at Hackney Council. Born in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, Kieran is a second generation British-Caribbean immigrant. He studied at the University of Leeds, graduating with a degree in Cultural Studies, and holds a Master’s in Global Development & Gender.

Kieran is driven by a deep sense of social justice. He has worked in local government since 2015, with a background in strategy development, policy design and service improvement, and is committed to ensuring the best outcomes for all residents and communities. A proud generalist, he focuses on integrated, human-centred policy development and design, working across a diverse range of policy areas, grappling with complex challenges and bringing people together to design and implement solutions.

Kieran is an avid supporter of and season ticket holder for Arsenal Football Club and has a keen interest in coffee.

Audrey Muwandi

Audrey is a dynamic and values-driven Project Manager with experience leading high-value programmes and strategic partnerships. She is skilled in programme design and delivery, stakeholder engagement and collaborative leadership, with a strong commitment to improving outcomes for young people.

Currently Programme and Partnerships manager at Black Thrive Lambeth, she brings a strategic perspective, an understanding of the structural inequities facing Black young people today, and a track record of centring community voice in programmes and partnerships. She graduated from the University of East Anglia with a 2:1 in International Relations & Modern History (2019), where she was ACS President and co-hosted ‘Make Your Mark,’ a university radio show dedicated to unpacking how we can leave behind strong legacies.

Lauryn Nadine Wyse

Lauryn Nadine Wyse, known artistically as Ell Nadine, is a spoken-word poet, published author and Senior Social Worker and Safeguarding Practice Leader with over eight years’ experience supporting children, young people and families. Passionate about creativity, social justice and youth empowerment, she uses both her professional and artistic practice to amplify young people’s voices and create opportunities for reflection, healing and growth. As the founder of The PLEASE Project, Lauryn combines poetry and safeguarding expertise to raise awareness of issues affecting young people, and championing empathy, connection and positive social change.

Kieran Lewis

Kieran Lewis leads mental health partnerships for the Wellcome Trust, focused on driving engagement with key stakeholders across philanthropy, multilaterals, and the private sector. Prior to Wellcome, Kieran worked in a range of funding roles, from the National Lottery Community Fund to Global Fund for Children, seeking to catalyse more effective and impactful collaborations between community-led organisations and grant-making foundations. Outside of work, Kieran advises a number of UK-based charities around their strategic planning and wider fundraising efforts.

Kadra Abdinasir

Kadra Abdinasir is Associate Director at the Centre for Mental Health, leading its policy, influencing and campaigning work. She oversees national networks including the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, Equally Well UK and the Mentally Healthier Councils Network, with a focus on tackling mental health inequalities across the life course. Currently seconded to the Department of Health and Social Care’s Children and Young People’s Mental Health Policy Team, Kadra is also a trustee of FORWARD UK and Race on the Agenda, and a member of the NHS Race and Health Observatory’s Mental Health Working Group. She is committed to improving outcomes for young people, amplifying their voices, addressing racial inequities and driving meaningful change.

Adekola Adebiyi

Adekola (Kola) Adebiyi is a Healthcare Investment Banker with an MBA from London Business School and a degree in Mathematics with Economics from Aston University. Prior to investment banking, he spent more than six years in Switzerland, working in finance for a leading global pharmaceutical company. Outside of his professional career, Kola is a passionate football fan and avid traveller. He is also increasingly focused on youth development and is committed to creating opportunities that support and empower the next generation.

Members

Lara Grace Ilori

TEAM

Ryan J. Matthews-Robinson

George The Poet

Ehireme Omoaka

Talia Kensit

Temwani “Temi” Mwale

patron

board of trustees

Members

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