A Kinshasa born, London raised writer, poet, and educator. JJ Bola published three books of poetry Elevate (2012) and Daughter of the Sun (2014). His third, WORD (2015) is his most comprehensive poetry collection. His debut novel, No Place to Call Home (OWN IT, 2017), is available in all mainstream and independent bookstores, in Hardback and e-Book, nationwide, and internationally.
JJ Bola’s work is centred on a narrative of empowerment, humanisation, healing of trauma as well as discovery of self through art, literature and poetry. Creating the increasingly popular addage, 'hype your writers like you do you rappers', he believes that the true purpose of poetry (art) is to expose the reality of this world and how to, most importantly, survive it.
JJ Bola reads regularly at shows and festivals across London/UK such as Tongue Fu, Vocals & Verses, Chill Pill, The Round House, Ventnor Fringe, Glastonbury etc as well as Universities; SOAS, UCL, Oxford, Lincoln, University of Birmingham, and a mini-tour of the US West Coast in 2015/16, LA, Da Poetry Lounge, UCLA, Standford University and Merrit College in the Bay Area, San Francisco and Oakland, where he won the Oakland Poetry Slam.
Projects
- Flight Journal 4 & 5The Flight Associates are as calling on all writers to submit short stories and creative non-fiction writing of no more than 1000 words for Issue 5 of the Flight Journal. Your writing can be about any subject matter, any theme, and in your chosen style (as long as it is fiction and not a play or critical essay, for e.g.) so long as it is no more than 1000 words. The submission is FREE. There is nothing to pay. Furthermore, the chosen contributing writers for Issue 5 will be rewarded with a sum o
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Projects credited in
- Championing Diversity: this Black History Month, meet 100 creatives inspiring changeWe asked 11 of our creative heroes to each nominate 10 leading black change makers and creators who are shaping the current climate with raw talent, big ideas and crazy hard work. There is still a huge disparity of BAME individuals in the creative industry. Currently only 13% of the creative industry workforce identify as coming from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. In addition, only 8% of senior positions have BAME representation. Spotlighting this subject is as important as ever. True d138