Commissioned Words by Erkan Affan ('19-22)

Born and raised in London to Turkish-Arab parents, Erkan is a researcher and writer whose practice navigates the nuances of migration, diaspora identity, sexuality and gender identity in arts and culture. 

My Kali •

Life does not stop, nor do we: queer and feminist movements in Turkey resisting ongoing oppression

Words by Jilet Sebahat Translations by Erkan Affan This article is part of the “Ya Leil Ya Eyein” issue NOTE: This article was written in Turkish and translated into English by Erkan Affan. There are two movements in Turkey that cannot be contained. One of them is the women’s movement, and the other is the LGBTI+ movement. Despite the oppression, tyranny, and attempts at erasure they have endured, these movements have never once lost their determination to persist and resist. ON PINK LIFE
Bustle •

Priya Ragu On Writing With Her Brother & Carving Out A Creative Niche

Even while on the move, singer-songwriter Priya Ragu looks as composed as ever. When we log on for a video call in early September, she is speaking to me from the back of a moving taxi. We begin by lamenting the weather in London – the city where Ragu is currently based – but, after some quick formalities, we waste no time diving straight into a discussion about her new album, her musical influences, and how she found her signature style. “For a long time, I wasn’t able to create my own music,”
Highsnobiety •

Decolonize Your Watch List With BIPOC Film Society

This piece appears as part of BERLIN, BERLIN — a week-long virtual celebration of creativity in the city Highsnobiety calls home. See the full series here, and shop our BERLIN, BERLIN merch here. At this point, everyone is aware that our media is biased towards telling the stories from the viewpoints of white, western people — predominately men. A casual viewer might think things have changed — what about Moonlight, or Insecure, or even the newly-released Shang Chi, you could ask. Despite the
QED Journal in Worldmaking •

In Conversation with Travis Alabanza and Malik Nashad Sharpe

When I was approached to write for QED, I immediately thought of using this opportunity to both draw attention to and academically archive the words of two Black, trans artists for whom I have huge respect: Travis Alabanza and Malik Nashad Sharpe. Academia has always shaped much of how I've been able to empower myself as a person of color, but I frequently see the erasure that we as racial minorities still experience within the realms of its discourses. Our works and our words need to be archive
Highsnobiety •

HARAM Is Turning Upcycled Sneakers Into Club-Ready Couture

This piece appears as part of BERLIN, BERLIN — a week-long virtual celebration of creativity in the city Highsnobiety calls home. See the full series here, and shop our BERLIN, BERLIN merch here. Scrolling through HARAM's Instagram makes you want to take a pair of scissors to any old kicks you may have lying around. After dropping out from fashion school in 2019, designer All Amin started experimenting with sneakers, first making heels out of old ASICS and Nikes before finding what is now her s
Bustle •

Asifa Lahore On The Importance Of Inclusivity & The Power Of Drag

Ask Asifa Lahore to introduce herself, and she will tell you that she classes herself as “an intersectional and unique person.” “I’m an LGBT+ activist, and I live my life as a trans woman,” she tells me via Zoom from her home in South East London. “I previously lived my life as a gay man, and then very publicly came out as transgender during my drag career, and I live with a disability, being severely visually impaired. I’m very proud of who I am and what I have achieved so far in the 38 years
King Kong Magazine •

The Omni-Presence of Omar Souleyman

Omar Souleyman has taken the music world by storm with his eclectic mix of musical production and vocals, with Ashuri, Kurdish, Arabic and Turkish melodies and moods all finding their place within his growing repertoire, reflecting the plurality of Levantine heritage and projecting it authentically onto a global stage. He stands with just a few other contemporary artists from the region who have enjoyed mass mainstream attention in Europe and North America — perhaps most notably alongside Lebanese sensations Mashrou’ Leila.
JEEM •

Un/learning Masculinity in the Diaspora

As a West Asian writer born and raised in the diaspora, I’ve become accustomed to reading dozens of articles that explore the “conflict between two worlds” in the diaspora; specifically the “Middle East ” and “the West”. Whilst these pieces might provide some insight into the interactions between both, many fall victim to the belief that they are two totally divided arenas of existence and neglect the legacy of colonialism and the complex history of migration that have bound them together over c

Erkan Affan

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