Award-winning actor, writer and playwright, Pamela Nomvete joins us on our verandah today to talk about her career and some of the hurdles she’s overcome on the way.

Her parents were exiled from South Africa in the 1950s due to their opposition to the apartheid regime. She talks passionately about moving to her parents' newly free homeland in the 1990s to further her acting career, after a British director admitted her lack of opportunities was down to her being Black.

Pam talks to us about the racism she experienced in television, both in South Africa and here on her return. But we also hear about the profound impact working in Rwanda for the HBO film Sometimes in April had on her, including the emotional experiences of meeting survivors and perpetrators of the country’s genocide.

We're excited to welcome the acclaimed artist and curator Sharon Walters onto our verandah.

Sharon’s work includes a National Portrait Gallery commission to celebrate the political and social activists Eric and Jessica Huntley, and an ongoing project - called "Seeing Ourselves" - focused on representation and legacy for Black women. You may also have seen her work on ITV as she designed one of the channel’s idents in collaboration with the garden designer Mark Lane.

In this episode, Sharon shares her love for nature and the importance of her work in representing black women. We also hear her passion for Saturday schools and how important they are in providing cultural context and representation for young Black children. She also reflects on the impact of Saturday school had on her love for writing and creativity.

Broadcaster, political and financial analyst, Albie Amankona, is our latest guest on the verandah.

Albie co-founded Conservatives Against Racism in response to the murder of George Floyd and talks about the need for a merit-based system in both politics and the arts. He talks about his ambitions to become an MP one day and his admiration for those who do the role with real conviction on both the left and right.

We hear about how he feels the influence of his mother (Pam Wrigley, who we heard in the previous episode) and their strong support network helped shape his life. And how attending church for the first time since childhood helps him feel grounded and hopeful.