It can often seem as though public discourse is dominated by those with the most extreme opinions and the loudest voices. These Changemaker’s voices rise above the noise to shine a spotlight on corruption and injustice wherever they find it.
Sounddelivery Media
Sounddelivery Media works to amplify stories and expertise to address social inequalities in today’s world. Led by founder and director Jude Habib, it has created a network of media-savvy spokespeople with experience of injustices. It aims to diversify voices heard in the media to make it more representative of society. Through training, mentoring and speaking opportunities, the project tackles the barriers that prevent these experts from engaging with journalists who have the power to influence coverage and drive change.
Why is your work needed?
“In every community there are people with direct experience of big issues facing the UK; from homelessness to modern slavery to domestic abuse. Their insights could identify solutions for change, but their voices often go unheard. We have the opportunity to step up to provide the support they need to be listened to as experts, and to be able to take action.”
How does it feel to be a Big Issue Changemaker?
“We are honoured to be a Big Issue Changemaker. It’s a privilege to be able to do the work we do, working with community leaders, journalists and others to create social change.”
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What are your plans for 2024?
“We want to deepen our relation-ships with media outlets and other Changemakers to progress our mission to ensure voices are at the heart of public conversation, policy and social change. In a general election year we know there will be space to talk about key issues that affect communities across the country, and our networks should be leading those conversations.”
Peter Stefanovic – lawyer and CEO, Campaign for Social Justice
Peter Stefanovic
Peter Stefanovic is a high-profile lawyer, journalist, political and social commentator, media personality and campaigner whose films debunking political deceit have been watched more than one billion times. With well over half a million followers on X, his notable videos include a compilation of Boris Johnson’s various lies to parliament while prime minister, and the launch of the Campaign for Social Justice that aims to shine a light on campaigns “doing outstanding work to restore fairness to our society”.
His nominator wrote: “Peter is constantly bringing to people’s attention how the government is working to undermine our way of life –and the rights of society as a whole – by using social media to teach a much wider audience than by using mainstream media.”
Find the rest of the Changemakers series on the links below and pick up the magazine from your local Big Issue vendor
Naomi and Natalie are co-founders of Everyday Racism UK, an organisation that seeks to educate and provide resources on being actively anti-racist. The sisters’ online platform began after a video of Natalie confronting two men racially abusing a ticket inspector went viral on X in 2020. Today they have over 200,000 followers on Instagram and have written two books The Mixed-Race Experience (Penguin, £10.99) and Everyday Action, Everyday Change (Hachette, £9.99). Alongside their work in the media, they also run anti-racism training for companies and schools, and are currently campaigning to make racial literacy training a statutory practice for all teachers and part of mandatory safeguarding training.
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Sarah O’Connell
O’Connell is an investigative journalist and filmmaker who has worked for BBC, Sky News, Al Jazeera and ITN. Most of her work is focused on the criminal justice system, violence against women and girls, and poverty. Her nominator said: “She tackles social issues and uses her platform to hold those accountable who fail vulnerable people. She’s never acknowledged for the work she does but has helped break some of the biggest news stories we know, including the investigation into Greater Manchester Police and the abuse of women in custody. I think she’s incredible.”
Akoum, her husband Mazen and other supporters have been fighting for justice after Akoum’s brother, Yousef Makki, was killed in 2019 and his killer was acquitted. This year, after an arduous, crowdfunded legal fight, they won the right to a new inquest, at which Yousef’s death was declared an unlawful killing. Akoum’s nominator wrote: “Our defunded justice system allowed a rich, white teenager to walk free after he admitted to stabbing Yousef through the heart. The family’s long fight for justice has been stymied by a two-tier system. They were denied legal aid and had to crowdfund for an inquest. This has been an incredible campaign by a working-class family against the entire justice system.”
Spring 2021 issue
The View
The View Magazine is a not-for-profit CIC social enterprise campaigning platform, providing advocacy for women involved or affected by the criminal justice system. It campaigns for wholesale reform in a system that causes harm and trauma and, over the four years since its founding, has produced 10 magazines, 57 podcasts and three major exhibitions, including the Someone’s Daughter campaign. The View pays for contributions from women in the criminal justice system and pays artists half the proceeds from sales of merchandise from the art they have created, which can be purchased online or through The View’s newly opened cafe in North London.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) is a collective of people working for peace, equality and justice, and against racism. The organisation was founded in 2004 but rose to prominence in 2023 as the main organiser of protests calling for a permanent ceasefire to the ongoing Hamas-Israel war. Their nominator wrote: “With MPs voting against a ceasefire despite hundreds of thousands of people protesting weekly, and MPs refusing to open safe routes for Palestinian refugees to enter Britain, the PSC’s work is vital.”
Zelda Perkins
Perkins set up the campaign group Can’t Buy My Silence to outlaw the use of NDAs, after being silenced by one while working for Harvey Weinstein. Perkins’ NDA was so restrictive that she could not even tell people she worked for Miramax. Now she campaigns to ensure that nobody else is silenced by settlement agreements which gag victims of sexual harassment, abuse, discrimination or bullying. Her nominator wrote: “NDAs are the instrument powerful, abusive individuals use to keep this culture of silence in place. But the tide is turning thanks to the work of individuals like Zelda, who are taking steps to dismantle not only the culture of silence, but the policies that underpin it.”
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Asylum Speakers
Jaz O’Hara is the founder of Asylum Speakers, a podcast and media platform that amplifies voices and debunks some of the common myths and misconceptions around migration today. In 2023, O’Hara published Asylum Speakers (Dorling Kindersley, £20), a collection of 31 stories of migration, from those leaving everything they know behind. O’Hara also makes infographics and films about world events, and gives talks in schools and universities, and at events.
Simple Politics
Spiller, Charlotte John, Diane Daniels and podcast producer Kobe Omenaka. Image: Viktor Erik Emanuel
Started by Tatton Spiller in 2015, Simple Politics has grown into a huge online platform, with over 800,000 followers on Instagram alone. Simple Politics breaks down and explains what’s going on in the news in a clear, simple, accurate and impartial way, helping millions of people have better conversations about politics. The team run a podcast and weekly newsletter alongside their website and social media platforms. Their accessible exploration of politics will be particularly important as the UK prepares for an election in 2024.
This article is taken from The Big Issue magazine, which exists to give homeless, long-term unemployed and marginalised people the opportunity to earn an income.
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