Bashirat Oladele is a journalist and research assistant based in London. She covers culture, the creator economy, and fashion, and has written for Teen Vogue, Nylon, Bustle, Hypebae, and more. She's fascinated by people, hence her sociology degree from the London School of Economics. Throughout her degree, Bashirat gained experience in social research methods, focusing on social policy, crime, and gender, while working as an undergraduate research assistant. When she's not writing or studying, she's either at the theatre or on holiday.

From decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs)  run on Discord to city-wide mutual aid groups, people are finding safety and optimism in numbers. For growing numbers of people, collective action is emerging as the only viable solution to compounding crises and deepening alienation.

World Builders

India Chambers is an editor, tastemaker, and writer from East London. She works at Puffin, Penguin Random House, editing both fiction and non-fiction for children and young adults. In 2018, she founded the Casual Readers Club, a reading network that offers a safe space for people to celebrate and amplify the voices of Black, Brown, and historically underrepresented authors.

Hena J. Bryan is an ex-publishing professional turned digital marketing strategist, freelance writer, literary journalist, and book and lifestyle content creator.

Publishing

Community and grassroots

The New York Times

Interview with Hena Bryan conducted by the author

Interview with India Chambers conducted by the author

Booksellers Association

Business Insider

Publishers Association

National Literacy Trust

The Booker Prizes

The Guardian

Casual Readers isn’t your average book club; it focuses on conversations and communal reading to build diverse literature spaces for women from minority ethnic backgrounds. What does this shift say about what modern readers value and how they’re making reading more inclusive?