I love hearing stories about people doing inspiring things. In particular, I’m interested in the women around me who lead projects that are making the world a more sustainable, just, knowledgeable, creative, well-designed, delicious, healthy, and all-round better place.
My blog series, Five Minutes With, takes you inside the world of a different trailblazing woman each month, finding out what they love doing, what’s catching their attention at the moment, and what powers the interesting work they do.
Muna Hassan is co-host of the podcast Portrait of a Londoner. Together with co-host Catriona Maybury, she talks to a diverse range of people living and working in London, exploring their early and current influences. The podcast aims to start interesting, informative conversations around themes of community, equality and diversity, to bring the community closer together.
Which book are you reading/podcasts are you listening to at the moment?
I am currently reading Dragonflies and Matchsticks by Celestine O Agbo. It is based on the true story of his life and is set in Nigeria in the late 1960s. Celestine’s parents had come to the UK to work and had planned for their children to join them later, but did not anticipate the Biafran war breaking out and the devastating impact this would have on the family. It is a human story about hope and survival. We hope to talk to Celestine on the podcast in the new year.
I’m loving the Changes podcast by Annie Mac. I’m always drawn to podcasts about peoples lives and how they have overcome challenges and big life events. I particularly enjoyed listening to the episode with Jhemar Jonas, whose brother Michael was stabbed to death in a park not far from where I live in South East London. What is amazing about Jhemar, who was only 16 when this happened, is how he has turned what was a horrific tragedy into good by becoming a youth worker, mentoring young people and even going to Parliament to talk to MPs about how to stop knife crime. He’s a real force.
What’s the most interesting film/TV show/documentary you’ve enjoyed recently?
I really enjoyed the first of Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series, Mangrove. It is about the landmark court case that centred around the Mangrove Nine, a trial which had a big impact on racial justice in the UK. I thought it was brilliantly cast, especially Letitia Wright’s portrayal of Altheia Jones-LeCointe. It feels even more poignant that this trial took place 50 years ago and we still have such a long way to go, especially given all that has happened this year with the Black Lives Matter protests.
What’s your best new discovery for more sustainable living?
A new discovery for us has been Oddbox, which is a fruit and veg delivery service. They rescue produce that might be wonky or not meet supermarket standards. I like the fact that what is delivered changes regularly, and it has got me trying new recipes with veg that I might not pick up in a supermarket. I’ll be continuing with this after lockdown as it has helped us to reduce waste as a family.
What’s your most exciting new food discovery?
Nothing revolutionary, but I was recently bought an Instant Pot as a birthday gift and I haven’t looked back. It can do everything!
Is there a place in London that’s especially close to your heart?
Blythe Hill Fields in Honor Oak Park will always be a special place to me. I remember walking to the top of the hill when I was nine months pregnant with my second child (we had moved to the area weeks before he was born) and looking at the view from the top, and I remember being blown away. It has the most wonderful views across the city which I’ll never tire of.
Do you have a favourite spot in London for peace & quiet?
I rarely get much peace and quiet with three children! I do love Havelock Walk in Forest Hill which is a cobbled street tucked away off the main high street. It has some artist studios and I enjoy visiting during open studios time. I also miss coffee shops a lot and find it quite peaceful to sit on my own with a coffee. Bliss!
What’s your essential daily/weekly habit for looking after your mental health?
As a muslim waking up at dawn to pray and give thanks is something that really helps my mental health. Watching the sun rise in that hour afterwards with a coffee is the best feeling. On days when I miss the dawn prayer, I always feel it, its not quite the same.
I also really love walking in the woods, and as a family we have spent lockdown seeking out different places to go and walk. Our local Dulwich Woods is great and we have also discovered other lovely places a bit further out like High Elms Country Park and Oxleas Wood.
Have you taken up any new hobbies recently? Or developed any old ones?
I have started training during lockdown, which is another thing that has helped me mentally. Having a training partner and working out very early in the morning sets my day off well. I also started Couch to 5K last week which I am enjoying although I am not a natural runner!
Which women inspire you, and why?
My sister really inspires me. She is older than me and lost her mother in her teens before we came along. I have always admired her strength and how she has achieved so much despite her loss. I have never heard her complain about the difficulties she has faced in her life and she is someone that always sees the best in people. Psychotherapy was her calling and I can’t think of a job more suited to someone than hers.
Women who uplift other women have always been inspirational to me. When I was younger, my mum used to take us to a women’s group in Moss Side in Manchester where I grew up called the Abasindi Cooperative. It was founded in the 80s by Kath Locke and Elouise Edwards and was set up as a supportive space and community resource centre for black women. There was nothing like it in the city, and women like my mum who had moved to the UK from Somalia in the late 70s found somewhere they could learn new skills and, more importantly, build friendships. Women like Kath and Elouise are hugely inspirational to me because they were all about empowering others.
Which book/article/video would you most recommend from the past year or so?
It would have to be My Name is Why by Lemn Sissay. It is a story that moved me so much because it is a story of courage, hope and resilience. It also highlights how deeply flawed our care system is. Blew me away. The short verse at the start of Chapter 9 will stay with me:
Look what was sown by the stars
At night across the fields
I am not defined by scars
But by the incredible ability to heal
Have you discovered any online cultural events/resources that you can recommend?
Something I’ve booked recently that I’m really excited about is ‘Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers – The Virtual Tour’ at the Design Museum. The track ‘Voodoo Ray’ by A Guy Called Gerald, who is part of the exhibition, is probably up there as the greatest dance tune ever!
As a family we have really enjoyed doing virtual gallery tours which have taken us all over the world. I think Covid has opened up a whole new way of connecting with museums, and we have loved zooming in on pieces to look at the amazing detail.
I spent a lot of time in the early months of the pandemic trying to organise Zoom calls and joining online events so that we could maintain some sense of normality. More recently, I’ve reduced my screen time to get some balance, particularly as I work from home and spend a lot of time online.
Which project or cause is inspiring you at the moment, and how/why?
Starting the Portrait of a Londoner podcast has been one of the highlights of this year. We have met so many inspirational people doing really fantastic work and we are learning so much. A bit of a strange thing to start during a pandemic, but it has honestly been the best experience and I think has kept me sane through it all.
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