Quay Words is delighted to continue our collaboration with Poetry Africa in Durban South Africa and bring together women writers from the UK and South Africa at our third development day. We’re pleased to be sharing the work of two talented writers, one from South Africa and one from the UK, at this online reading event to conclude the day.

This event will be live-streamed free of charge on Crowdcast. Click ‘book now’ to ‘Save your seat’. We will go live at 6.30 pm (UK time).

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Rebecca Tantony is the author of three poetry and short story collections, all published by Burning Eye Books. In 2016 she received an MA in creative writing and a distinction for her final manuscript. In 2017, she toured an Arts Council funded one-on-one immersive spoken word show, called All The Journeys I Never Took. Her work has been published in Magma and Mslexia and her projects Seventeen and Singing My Mother’s Song were both funded by the Arts Council, U.K. During 2017 and 2018 she taught Creative Writing at Bath Spa University and taught both BA and MA students at Wits University Johannesburg. She has read her work in numerous venues, including the Royal Albert Hall, the Natural History Museum, Southbank Centre, in Romania, Turkey, Sweden, South Africa and America. Rebecca curates and hosts programmes for leading creative and community events, including Bath Festival, Shambala Festival and Bristol Harbourside Festival.

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Shashi Simelane , AKA The Black Sash, a poet, rapper and aspiring author from KZN  began writing at the age of 15. In the last five years she has participated at Poetry Africa as a Prelude poet, two time Slam jam semi finalist, slam jam winner, and Headliner.  She was also a KZN Slam Champion and featured at Articulate Africa in early 2019. Simelane describes herself as a spokesperson for the masses. Her work is an honest display of herself and the issues she faces living as a black female, tackling social economic issues, race, gender based violence and inequality. With a sharp tongue and precise wording The Black Sash is definitely a voice you want to look out for.