Dr. A-L Tells: What to Read & Watch- The Black Joy Experience 2026
Welcome to my blog series Dr. A-L Tells: What to Read & Watch, where I get to share with you some of my favourite finds from books, films & other gems that resonated with me so deeply I just had to write about them! In each post, I’ll keep it short & sweet with a 500-word-ish review of something I’ve recently read or watched, often centring Black people, identity & diverse experiences around the globe.
This series mixes my personal reflections, feelings & academic insights to offer a fresh take on stories that capture the richness & complexity of Black voices worldwide. I’m here to explore the layers of culture, history & identity while unpacking how these narratives hit home for me on both intellectual & emotional levels. So, whether you’re in the mood for a thoughtful analysis or just a solid recommendation, I hope each post brings a quick but meaningful spark to your day! ✨
In this post, I dive into The Black Joy Experience 2026.
I needed some renewed joy in my life. I usually find it by whisking myself away to somewhere hot and highly melanated as written about here, but as the seasons are changing, the dark is outweighing the light & the news has been heavy- including the loss of my dear friend Professor Jason Arday (read my tribute to him here). The onset of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is REALLLLL. So I went looking for something local & joyful to refill myself back up. I found it at The Black Joy Experience organised by The Sitdown UK.
Funny thing is, I had found it weeks (maybe months) earlier. I shared it with my bestfriend as an event we should go to, then forgot all about it. Then I typed “Black Joy” into Eventbrite, there it was again & I booked it immediately. In the end I went solo- but I met familiar & new faces all night.
Since 2017, The Sitdown UK has been a bi-monthly live Q&A, with the sole purpose of unpacking the life stories of inspiring individuals in the creative & business community. The Black Joy Experience is one manifestation of that mission, of course focused on joy. They describe it as “a special evening encouraging The Black Community to intentionally press PAUSE, celebrate how far we’ve come and tap back into the things that bring us joy.”
“Resistance is the secret of joy!”
- Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple.
For me, Black joy is resistance, but not the fighting kind. It’s being at peace, in love, in the light, in the sun & far away from the rubbish I am made to endure every single day. It doesn’t erase any of that, it just means I get to put it all down for a while & remember who I am without it. So this event was right up my street!
Held at the Ministry in Borough, South London (tickets were about £40), the room was bright & open, with vendors dotted around, a seating area, a stage, a bar & a buffet. The comms beforehand were lovely too, telling us what to expect & what to bring which created ease & a little excitement before the day & even after. The bold, bright branding & the friendliness of the staff & attendees did the rest.
Founded by Tope ‘ICIE’ Chiedozie & lovingly hosted by Steph & Hemah, we began with a Black joy show & tell. I wore my object: my brass & rainbow opal ring from Lalibela, Ethiopia. Lalibela was on my vision board at the beginning of the year I went, so the ring represents a dream coming true & reminds me of my experiences & the people I met there- including the jeweller who handmade & sold it to me. Hearing what brought others joy was a joy in itself.
There was a panel & time to play with Dionne Reid (founder of KiD iN YOU) & DJ Taylor-Rae kept the good tunes flowing. The night was jam-packed with laughter, honesty, community & joy. I fulljoyed the beauty of our melanin shiningggg ✨ & the words of affirmation, like “my job is not to question, but to believe.” I also learnt about post-traumatic growth, rather than the usual focus on post-traumatic stress disorder, which was a refreshing shift.
I was introduced to gist. THE GAME which will make perfect Xmas gifts for some of my girls & Rare Mare’s photobooth gave me pictures to preserve the memory for generations to come. My goodie bag brimmed with ginger herbal teas, plantain chips & a Duppy White x Ting drink from the sponsors, plus a magazine & a letter with a sweet handwritten note on the envelope reminding me “joy is yours!”
I left feeling more hopeful, seen, lighter & brighter. We must be intentional about our joy. It has to be part of our lives in both small & big ways so life can be sweeter whatever the circumstances. As they said on the night, “The Black experience is more than struggle and trauma.”
JOY IS OURS.
Soooo.....if you are in search of inspiration, a joy-filled space, community, connection &/or need a joy top-up this winter, come with me to the next one: The next event will be a Sitdown with Tim Campbell MBE on 5th December, get tickets here: https://luma.com/h6qh6ajh
Comments