Kadija Sesay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kadija Sesay MBE, Hon. FRSL
In 2017
Born	1962 (age 62–63) London, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Other names	Kadija George
Alma mater	Birmingham University
Occupation	Literary activist, writer, editor

Kadija George (born in 1962), also known as Kadija Sesay, is a British writer and editor. She is known for her work in promoting literature, especially by writers of African heritage. She is a short story writer and a poet. Kadija Sesay also publishes and manages a magazine called SABLE LitMag.

Her work has won her several awards. These include the Cosmopolitan Woman of Achievement in 1994. She also received The Voice Community Award in Literature in 1999. She was named Millennium Woman of the Year in 2000. She helps writers connect and learn. She organizes trips for writers called Writers' HotSpot. On these trips, she teaches creative writing and journalism.

Early Life and Career

Kadija Sesay was born in London, England. Her family comes from Sierra Leone. She studied at Birmingham University in England. There, she focused on West African studies.

After university, she became a freelance journalist. This means she wrote for different newspapers and magazines. In the mid-1990s, she worked to help develop black literature. She helped start a newspaper called Calabash. In 2001, she started her own magazine, Sable LitMag.

Books and Publications

Kadija Sesay has edited or co-edited many books. These books often feature poems and stories by writers of African descent. Some of the books she worked on include:

• Burning Words, Flaming Images: Poems and Short Stories by Writers of African Descent (1996)
• IC3: The Penguin Book of New Black Writing in Britain (with Courttia Newland, 2000)
• Dance the Guns to Silence: 100 Poems for Ken Saro-Wiwa (2005)
• Six Plays by Black and Asian Women Writers (2005)
• Write Black, Write British: From Post Colonial to Black British Literature (2005)

Her first full book of poems, called Irki, was published in 2013. Her poems, short stories, and essays have appeared in many different publications. One important collection is the 2019 book New Daughters of Africa. This book was edited by Margaret Busby.

Literary Festivals and Programs

In 2007, Kadija Sesay started the first SABLE Literary Festival in The Gambia. This festival brings writers and readers together. She also helps organize the Mboka literary festival and bookfair. She co-founded this festival in 2016.

She is also a co-director of a program called Inscribe. This program helps writers develop their skills. It is part of Peepal Tree Press. She works on this program with fellow poet Dorothea Smartt.

In 2021, she helped create a special book called This is The Canon: Decolonize Your Bookshelf in 50 Books. She worked on this book with Joan Anim-Addo and Deirdre Osborne. The book suggests different books to read. It highlights works by people of African or Asian descent and indigenous peoples. It helps readers discover new and important stories.

Awards and Recognition

Kadija Sesay has received important honors for her work. In 2020, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award was given for her services to publishing. In 2021, she was elected an honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. This means she is recognized as an important writer.