Galdem is a new media platform and printed annual magazine, which offers the viewpoints and voices from a myriad of BIPOC/BAME women and non-binary writers. There is no topic uncovered. The word Gal-dem is slang for a group of girls. From Gal-dem’s website: With our online and print magazine, we’re addressing inequality and misrepresentation in the industry through platforming the creative and editorial work of our community across essays, opinion, news, arts, music, politics and lifestyle content. (from https://gal-dem.com ) Using the format of an online magazine, with a focus on current affairs, culture, beauty and politics Galdem splices together entertaining content with the unavoidable politics of everyday life. The platform has an agenda to get under-represented gender, race and cultural minorities heard and recognised, by highlighting the conscious and unconscious bias acted out in post colonial societies and especially in the press industry. With an independent editorial team, the content is uncensored, sharp, funny, and poignant. This combination and the visual wrapping in which it’s delivered has already made Galdem hugely influential and able to affect the agenda and debate about how to make society more equal.

In continuation of the content and intention of Galdem, applying these to an organisation can be done by reflecting on the organisational hierarchy, the diversity represented in the organisational chart and identifying glass ceilings and communication blocks. E.g. For this tool to make a difference it’s necessary to take a look in the mirror and have an honest discussion about the state of gender and race representation in your organisation. - Who has the power? - Which are the voices getting the most air time? - Who’s not being seen or heard at all? - Who’s called upon for -ultimately- tokenistic value signalling? And then find that their input and feedback is not really taken on board for lasting impact -What assumptions are made about people’s interests, abilities and education based on their skin colour and gender? Conscious and unconscious bias of all kinds go deep, and are normalised when surrounded by a majority of peers with similar bias. Addressing this is the starting point for potential change. Once you’ve identified the key organisational issues and points of improvement, however big or small, how can you start addressing them? -Look at ways to ensure that there are always non-white, non-cis-hetero male voices represented and featured on equal footing to their white cis male hetero counter parts, where possible and appropriate. Be it on committees, project teams or partnerships and collaborations. - When organising events invite BIPOC non-male speakers and artists etc, and when taking part in other organisations’ events try to apply the same principle in how you represent yourself. -In internal communication, make sure there is room for all voices to be heard and respected, and that a genuinely confidential and unbiased point of contact exists, to share concerns and transform these into changes in policy where applicable. -In external press/ publicity/ information, endeavour to tackle issues of gender and race in society as a general and which you find affecting aspects of your organisation and work. And apply the fixes you propose outwardly, to your organisation inwardly. These are a few starting points, which no doubt will spark many more.

Galdem is a London based new media platform and publisher which was started in 2015 by founder Liv Little while at university in Bristol. Little felt isolated as a black woman at the university, and in looking for a community of peers found kindred spirits who together started Galdem as an online platform before publishing the first of their annual print magazines. In addition to making up for a lack BIPOC female and non-binary peers and their representation across university systems, Galdem set out to address inequalities of representation specifically in the British media landscape. Featuring only BIPOC/BAME female and non-binary voices the platform challenges the 94% white 55% male demographic make up of mainstream UK media The platform was initially volunteer led and produced, but has progressed to being a free to access online platform which pays the writers for its content and has a subscription model for users who wish to engage further with the publication, receive the printed edition and have access to extras. The Galdem team have been guest curators at the Victoria & Albert Museum, guest edited The Guardian magazine, partnered with publishers on curating book collections of black writing with contributed to the gender and race debates with presence on numerous panels on themes around media and minority representation and access, as well as all the other topics the platform covers in their day-to-day output. “We believe that taking control of the way we are portrayed in the media is essential – but our end goal is not simply representation: our journalism and creative work can shape debates, shift discussions, create new ways of thinking and contribute to social movements. We empower and support the creative work of our communities through disrupting tired stereotypes and showcasing their work and thoughts as a vital part of discussions in a whitewashed media environment. “

Use Galdem as one of your go-to media sources for a varied voice and perspective. Keep an eye on their collaborations + partnership project, and interact with the social media activities and events.

Galdem team, the freelance journalists and contributors, the collaborators and subscribers.