For those who know us, there will be no surprise that Dr Jason Arday’s book Great and Unfortunate things is our book of the month. I read this book three months ago after spending an evening with Jason. When we met it was like connecting back with an old friend, we had so many similar passions. We talked together and ignored the other people at our table, at one point I said. “Aren’t you supposed to be telling me all about your book?” He shook his head, he wanted to talk about people and how we could do more to support those whose voices had been silenced. When I had to leave we exchanged numbers and it was then he pressed a copy of his book into my hand and smiled and said “I hope you like it.”

I started reading it on the way home and I loved it and knew that Jason and I were going to be great friends . We started posting about it immediately and were planning an event with Jason for Black History Month.

I cannot express my heartbreak at the way Jason was treated and his death. I am grateful to his family and his publisher for making the hard decision to let his voice be heard by you. That was what Jason cared about, that is wat they took from him. His voice.

RIP Professor Arday