🎙️ In this episode of the What Really Matters podcast, we sit down with LaToyah – community leader, cultural strategist, and changemaker – to explore identity, belonging, culture, and the power of storytelling in shaping lives and communities.

LaToyah reflects on growing up in a working-class family in Hackney, the realities of navigating race, class, and identity in Britain, and how those early experiences shaped her values and career. From frontline homelessness work to leadership roles in culture, civic engagement, and carnival, she shares how creativity, heritage, and community have been central to her journey.

We explore:

– Growing up working

-class in Hackney and the role of community, culture, and family

– How class, race, and lived experience shape opportunity and belonging

– The importance of youth provision, free-to-access spaces, and community safety nets

– Working in homelessness and why systemic, multi-agency approaches matter

– The power of culture, carnival, and storytelling as tools for justice and connection

– Leadership, authenticity, and creating space for others to flourish

– Why discomfort, dialogue, and collective responsibility are essential for real change

🎧 A powerful, reflective conversation about culture, democracy, identity, and what it really means to build communities where people feel seen, valued, and able to thrive.

🎙️ Want to have your say on What Really Matters to you? Contact Ben Carpenter at info@grassrootcommunities.org

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Learning from the past and present to help inform a brighter future – What Really Matters ❤️