The Mic Drop
By Mic Drop
Many Hands One Heart is a support and wellbeing project for people from the LGBTQ+ community who are seeking asylum in Liverpool @LiverpoolMHOH
With thanks to Mohammed Taher and Shereen Cowley
Produced by Heart of Glass heartofglass.org.uk
The Mic DropJul 13, 2020
The Mic Drop - Season 4 - No Pride in Detention
n this episode Mic Drop star Jared interviews Rainbow Migration's Campaigns Manager Emma Webb about their current campaign: No Pride in Detention, which calls for an end to LGBTQI+ detention and a 28-day time limit for all immigration detention. Emma and Jared talk us through what exactly detention is, how this system works and the specific dangers it poses to LGBTQI+ individuals.
You can find more information on this campaign here: https://www.rainbowmigration.org.uk/no-pride-in-detention/
Content warning: This episode discusses detention experiences, structural violence, homophobia and transphobia.
Support resources:
- The Right to Remain toolkit section on immigration detention Immigration Detention – Right to Remain
- The Right to Remain zine for people at risk of detention and their supporters https://righttoremain.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/detention-zine.pdf
- Bail for Immigration Detainees (BID)’s self-help guide on how to get out of detention https://hubble-live-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/biduk/redactor2_assets/files/622/BID_s_self_help_guide_to_bail_-_How_to_get_out_of_detention.pdf
The Mic Drop - Season Three, Episode Five: Many Hands One Heart
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The Mic Drop - Season Three, Episode Four: Hollow Knight review
This week Arthur Britney and Larry are back to talk about their favourite topic - gaming! Larry managed the impossible by coaxing Arthur Britney out of their Nintendo comfort zone to review independent developer Team Cherry's Metroidvania game Hollow Knight, so strap in, fire up your Switches and prepare for the quest.
The Mic Drop - Season Three, Episode Three: LGBTQ+ Life in Latin America
Hola mis amores! We are back with a special edition of The Mic Drop in Spanish!!! Jared joins the crew in a talk with our Mic Drop Queen Arthur Britney, to walk the path of nostalgia and remember how they grew up being LGBTQ+ in the context of living in conservative countries, in the secrecy of basements and dark streets. This episode transcript is available in the original language (Spanish) and in English translation.
The Mic Drop - Season Three, Episode Two: Faith and Sexuality
For our second episode we welcome back some of our Mic Drop favourites, Sam and Manono! They are joined by a new special guest; Kieran from the Open Table Network. Together the panel discuss their experiences within the Christian faith and how this intersects with their sexuality, sharing stories of how religion has been used to exclude people as well as how faith has been an important route to finding community.
The Mic Drop - Season Three, Episode One: Parsa
Kicking off Season Three of The Mic Drop we welcome new member Parsa to the crew. In this episode Parsa meets with Mic Drop favourite Mo to share memories and similarities in their experiences of growing up in Iran, as well as the differences across generations. Stayed tuned until the end for a vocal treat from this musical duo!
Season Three is available to listen to on our website, as well as Spotify, Anchor and iTunes. This season we’ll be introducing some new voices, as well as returning to some Mic Drop regulars, for conversations around personal experiences of navigating the asylum system, stories of LGBTQ+ solidarity, the meeting of faith and sexuality and, of course, a new game review from Britney and Larry.
You can drop into any of these episodes and also check out Seasons One and Two to meet other members of the Mic Drop team. Keep listening and we'd love to hear your feedback!
The Mic Drop - Season Two, Episode Six: Gender Identity, Conversation 2
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
This week Arthur Britney and Mo are joined by Kath Charters, Wellbeing Practitioner at Sahir House to continue their discussion on gender identity and expression, explore gender justice and rights and unpick common misconceptions and prejudices.
The Mic Drop - Season Two, Episode Five: Gender Identity, Conversation 1
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
This week Arthur Britney and Mo are joined by Kath Charters, Wellbeing Practitioner at Sahir House to discuss gender identity and expression, explore gender justice and rights and unpick common misconceptions and prejudices.
The Mic Drop - Season Two, Episode Four: Hyrule Warriors Review
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
This week Arthur Britney and Larry talk about their favourite topic - gaming! After many hours of hard gaming work focused on their Nintendo Switch, they completed Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, hear about their journey and what they thought of the game in this week's episode.
The Mic Drop - Season Two, Episode Three: Sally
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
This week Arthur Britney will be chatting with friend, Many Hands One Heart member and artist, Sally Hilton. Listen in to hear about Sally's artistic practice and the importance of indigenous Mayan culture within this.
Season Two, Episode Two: Gaming Culture
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
This week we'll listen in on a conversation between games industry presenter Shay Thompson, Mic Drop superstar Arthur Britney Joestar and artist Larry Achiampong. They'll be talking all things gaming, from Super Mario to Cyberpunk 2077 - how does gaming bring us together, do we feel community when in game space and how are we represented within this space?
The Mic Drop: Season Two, Episode One: Ariane
Welcome back! Here we are at Season Two of The Mic Drop where you'll be treated to familiar voices and special guests. We kick off with Ariane who we met in Season One, in this episode she shares her experience of working within care settings during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Mic Drop - Season One, Episode Ten: Queen & Slim review
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
It's the final episode of Season One and project artist Larry Achiampong is joined by Adrian (who you'll remember from way back in Episode One), Sam (from Episode Five) and Emily. They went to the cinema back in February this year to see Queen & Slim and they share their review of the film with us here.
Warning: the episode contains MAJOR spoilers!! So if you haven't seen this film, watch it first, and then come back here and listen!
Please note that this episode includes references to police violence.
The Mic Drop- Season One, Episode Nine: Jansie
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
Episode Nine is here and this week Mo will be chatting with Many Hands One Heart member Jansie. Jansie shares her experience of coming to the UK and navigating the asylum system, providing an insight into the stress and strain of the asylum process and highlights the importance of groups such as Many Hands Once heart and the support they provide. Listen to learn about the asylum system in the UK if you are not familiar with it and explore the work of organisations and initiatives like Right To Remain righttoremain.org.uk and These Walls Must Fall detention.org.uk
The Mic Drop - Season One, Episode Eight: Margarita
Trigger warning: Please note that this episode includes references to sexual violence and abuse.
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
Episode Eight is here and this week Mo will be chatting with Many Hands One Heart member Margarita. Margarita shares her experience of the asylum process in the UK, including Home Office interviews, accessing a solicitor and being sent to a detention centre in Scotland - it's honest and important listening, so please take time to hear Margarita, learn about the asylum system in the UK if you are not familiar with it and explore the work of organisations and initiatives like Right To Remain righttoremain.org.uk and These Walls Must Fall detention.org.uk
The Mic Drop - Season One, Episode Seven: Ali
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
We're back for another episode and this week we'll be hearing from photographer, filmmaker, and Many Hands One Heart member Ali. And we offer you two top interviewers this week - the familiar voices of Mohammed Taher and Adrian Mejia! Ali talks to Mo and Adrian about disability, sexuality and the dangers of social assumptions and pressures in this thoughtful seventh episode of The Mic Drop Season One.
The Mic Drop - Season One, Episode Six: Theaster Gates at Tate Liverpool (discussion with Larry, Margarita, Kevin and Bella)
It's time for Episode Six of Season One of The Mic Drop and this week is a little bit different - we'll hear Bella, Margarita, Kevin and Mic Drop Lead Artist (who up until this point has been the other side of the microphone!) Larry Achiampong discussing Amalgam, the first major UK exhibition of American artist Theaster Gates at Tate Liverpool
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The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
The Mic Drop: Season One - Episode Five: Sam
On Episode Five of the Mic Drop we are back with Mohammed Taher who will be interviewing Sam. Sam is famous across the UK, one of the friendliest humans you will ever meet and soon to be Liverpool's finest tour guide.
The Mic Drop - Season One, Episode Four: Manono
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
We're at Episode Four of Season One already and this week we listen in on a conversation between Liverpool lover and activist Manono, and our favourite Pokémon master Adrian Mejia. In this critical and honest conversation Adrian chats to Manono about discovering your sexuality, how this intertwines with your beliefs and the impacts of the immigration system in the UK.
The Mic Drop - Season One, Episode Three: Kevin
The Mic Drop is a collaborative podcast with the sole purpose of creating a space ‘for migrants by migrants’ exercising agency and exchange through a shared space of collective thinking, storytelling and debate.
In Season One, Episode Three we meet Kevin - one of the very first members of Many Hands One Heart, he has a passion for social work and a talent for making the world a brighter place. Kevin is interviewed this week by Mohammed Taher, who you should all be familiar with by now!
Episode Two - Ariane
In Episode Two we meet Ariane, interviewed by Mohammed. Ariane is a nursing student and singer, listen to Ariane's story of life in Cameroon and finding love in Liverpool, navigating the asylum system and being the spice of Many Hands One Heart! Spoiler alert: Ariane shows off her vocal talents that once got her an audition on #BritainsGotTalent (listen to the end).
Ariane also campaigns on behalf of These Walls Must Fall check out their important work to end the UK's unacceptable detention practices and support them!
Episode One - Adrian
In Episode One we meet Adrian, interviewed by Mohammed.
A little bit about Adrian:
I am a gay asylum seeker from El Salvador. I've been in Liverpool for over two years. I'm still in the process to get my refugee status, now waiting for an answer from the upper tribunal. Since I came here I started to be involved as an artist on different events with Many Hands One Heart ( an LGBT Asylum support group), Crisis Merseyside and Earth Moves on the Wirral, delivering performances and helping to create shows, also as a volunteer creating short videos for charities.
About Many Hands One Heart
Shereen Cowley from Sahir House tells us more about how and why Many Hands One Heart was established in Liverpool and provides details on how to join.