For eight years, beginning in 2018, I created a monthly visual column for the local newspaper The Hackney Citizen.
Working closely with editor Max Eckersley, we set out to portray — through images — some of the key events and stories that shaped life in the borough during this period in which we created, together, 80 illustrations, 10 x year.
From mass protests against racism, Donald Trump’s first visit to London, and campaigns against cuts to disability services, to the unusual local debates over closing streets to car traffic, and celebrations of community landmarks such as the Curve Garden, independent bookshops, and frontline workers during the pandemic — this collaboration offered me the opportunity to see my neighborhood and community in a new, engaging, and deeply meaningful way.
I am deeply grateful to Max for his constant support, and to the entire Hackney Citizen team for their openness and collaboration throughout these years.
