The Stories That Women Tell – Jacqueline Crooks, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi & Cheryl Martin

in conversation with Désirée Reynolds

18 October, 2025 at 6:00 pm

‘Women have always been 50% of the population, but only occupy around 0.5% of recorded history’ (Bettany Hughes), with only a tiny percentage being the stories of black and brown women. Redressing that invisibility are many older women, putting diverse stories down in some of the most compelling writing around today. Hear the work and thoughts of prize-winning author Jacqueline Crooks, noted playwright, poet and director Cheryl Martin and acclaimed novelist Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, in conversation with Sheffield writer and journalist Désirée Reynolds.

Jacqueline Crooks is a Jamaican-born British writer whose work explores migration, subcultures and the rhythms of resistance. Her novel Fire Rush won the 2024 PEN America Open Book Award and the Society of Authors Paul Torday Prize. Cheryl Martin is an award-winning poet, playwright and theatre director. She became Artistic Director of Red Ladder Theatre Company in January 2024. In 2015 she co-founded LGBTQ+ Global-Majority performance arts company Black Gold Arts.  Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi is an award winning writer. Her novel, Kintu, won the 2013 Kwani? Manuscript Project, The First Woman won the 2021 Jhalak Prize and short story collection, Manchester Happened, was shortlisted for the 2019 Big Book Prize.  Désirée Reynolds is a writer, editor and curator and DJ living in Sheffield. She is the author of novel Seduce and creative director for archival justice project Dig Where You Stand.

In partnership with Speaking Volumes through their Women Speak Volumes Between Generations Heritage Fund project  and with Coastal Carolina University,

Images below left to right:  Cheryl Martin, photo credit Arvind Mistry, Jennifer Makumbi, Jacqueline Crooks, Désirée Reynolds photo credit Max Farrar