ABOUT SHANIQUA

I'm Shaniqua Benjamin – a coach (Level 5 EMCC accredited), consultant, mentor, poet, writer, mentor, creative workshop facilitator, and curator. Ultimately, I am a catalyst who empowers others and amplifies voices, while spreading love and making a difference in the world.

Between 2014 and 2021, I ran Young People Insight CIC (YPI), a platform to empower young people through creativity, conversation and writing – this is where my journey as a poet and mentor began.

My poetry has been published by Ink, Sweat & Tears, Magma, and as part of Ameena Rojee's photobook Crocus Valley. I’ve been blessed performed at numerous events, including the Trinity College Cambridge Black History Month Formal Dinner, and as part of Apples & Snakes' immersive spoken word show, Rallying Cry.

In 2019, I was longlisted for the Out-Spoken Prize for Poetry in Performance and named to The Blacklist: GUAP’s 30 Under 30 for Black Creatives and Professionals.

In 2022, I became a trustee for Talawa Theatre Company, and I was also awarded the Investing in Equality scholarship by The Black Fund to attend the One Young World summit in Manchester, where I spoke on a panel with Leigh-Anne Pinnock and performed a poem, We, to empower Black women and girls. This led to me writing a poem for Leigh-Anne's 2024 headline show.

From 2020 to 2024, I was chosen to be Croydon's first Poet Laureate, connecting with the local community through workshops, poetry readings and creative projects. As a Caribbean Croydoner, I was proud to collaborate with the National Portrait Gallery and Museum of Croydon on Citizen UK: Croydon's Caribbean Influencers.

I am committed to supporting and challenging people to be the best version of themselves – for themselves, for others, and for their communities.