Covid 19 will affect everyone, but in very different ways. As the crisis unfolds in our day-to-day lives, we will hear the unexpected ways in which the virus is affecting people who are already vulnerable. This ThinkIn is designed around our Network members. These include frontline workers in care and social work, communities and charities, as well as people who have personally experienced prison, homelessness and destitution, to hear the ways in which the pandemic is affecting their worlds. All Tortoise members are, as always, welcome.

Our special guests include:

Simeon Moore, a writer, musician, and advocate for young people. Formerly a member of a notorious Birmingham gang, he now works to tackle what he sees as the glamorisation of gang culture.

Marissa Begonia, a domestic worker and founding member of The Voice of Domestic Workers, a charity calling for justice and rights for Britain’s 16,000 overseas domestic workers. It also mounts rescues for domestic workers stuck with abusive employers. “Not everyone has the courage to fight” so she fights on behalf of domestic workers in the UK, helping them to flee abusive families and find safety.

Sue James, the Supervising Solicitor for Housing for the Hammersmith and Fulham Law Centre. She won a case last week to stop the local authority issuing warrants for evictions and is now fighting to get this replicated.

Chair: Merope Mills, Editor and Partner, Tortoise

This ThinkIn is being hosted in partnership with Sounddelivery; an organisation offering a wide range of digital storytelling services. They champion stories that need to be told, stories that challenge prejudice and disadvantage, and have the power to change the world around us.

How does a digital ThinkIn work?

A digital ThinkIn is like a video conference, hosted by a Tortoise editor, that takes place at the advertised time of the event. Digital ThinkIns are new to Tortoise. Now that our newsroom has closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, we feel it’s more important than ever that we ‘get together’ to talk about the world and what’s going on.

The link to join the conversation will be emailed to you after you have registered for your free ticket to attend. When you click the link, you enter the digital ThinkIn and can join a live conversation from wherever you are in the world.

If you have any questions or get stuck, please get in touch with us at memberhelp@tortoisemedia.com.

What is a Tortoise ThinkIn?

A ThinkIn is not another panel discussion. It is a forum for civilised disagreement. Modelled on what we call a ‘leader conference’ in the UK (or an editorial board in the US), it is a place where everyone has a seat at the (virtual) table. It’s where we get to hear what you think, drawn from your experience, energy and expertise. It is the heart of what we do at Tortoise.