Paula Akpan

Those Left Behind

How a Mental Health Crisis Ended with a Death in Police Custody

Sean Rigg's sister Marcia says that the cops stood there and watched her brother die.
Paula Akpan
8.26.21
Those Left Behind

Her Son Was Shot Six Times, Then the Press Framed Him as a Drug Dealer

Ten years later, police officer who killed Susan Alexander's son Azelle Rodney got off a murder charge.
Paula Akpan
8.20.21
Those Left Behind

After Her Brother Died in Police Custody, Police Returned the Wrong Body

Police removed Christopher Alder from hospital after he'd been assaulted on a night out. Soon after they reached the station, he was pronounced dead.
Paula Akpan
8.10.21
Those Left Behind

Decades After Police Paralysed Their Mother, They're Still Seeking Justice

Ahead of the ten-year anniversary of Mark Duggan's death, we spoke to four generations of British families impacted by police brutality.
Paula Akpan
8.3.21
mental health

How to Process All the Bullshit That Happened in 2020

It's been the weirdest year in living memory.
Paula Akpan
12.24.20
Culture

'Companies Will Have Gone Bust' – How Coronavirus Is Slowly Killing the Arts

Four creatives across music, art, theatre and film reveal the impact of the pandemic on their industry.
Paula Akpan
11.27.20
Black History Month 2020

'They Thought I Was Dead': Voices From Pivotal Moments in Black British History

Events like the Broadwater Farm riots to the New Cross Fire have left an indelible mark on the lives of those who lived through them.
Paula Akpan
10.13.20
Black Lives Matter

Say Their Names: 12 Victims of Police and State Brutality in the UK

Black people in the US aren't the only ones subjected to violence from the state – it happens in Britain, too.
Paula Akpan
6.25.20
Dating

Photos of the Drastic Lockdown Haircuts People Inflicted on Their Boyfriends

"Some might say it’s actually quite damaging to our relationship."
Paula Akpan
6.2.20
Beauty

In Photos: The Afrocentric Hair and Beauty Mall Turning Looks in London

“We want people to come, enjoy, and be educated by their experience."
Paula Akpan
3.6.19