Steering Committee

Stefan Dickers
Stef is the Special Collections and Archives Manager at Bishopsgate Institute and has been responsible for the development of the Institute’s collections on the history of London, protest and activism, and LGBTQ+ Britain. He qualified as an archivist in 2001 and started at Bishopsgate in 2005.
Previous to this, Stef worked in the archives of the London School of Economics and Senate House Library. He will talk at extraordinary length about the collections whenever asked and regularly entertains groups of students, groups and family/local history societies on the wonders they can find in the Special Collections and Archives at the Institute.

Verusca Calabria (she/her)
Dr Verusca Calabria is an oral historian and a trustee of the Oral History Society, a national organisation that promotes best practises in the collection and preservation of ordinary people’s oral histories.
Dr. Calabria is an Associate Professor of Mental Health Histories at the School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University.’
Her PhD research combined participatory action research with oral history to explore the transition from institutional to community care practices. Her research interests include the history of mental health care in the UK, personal and public involvement in health and social care.

Lucia Scazzocchio
Founder Social Broadcasts
As a sound artist, radio producer, community facilitator and educator, Lucia Scazzocchio has been nurturing and curating hyper-local contexts, distilling diverse and disparate stories and conversations that weave individual personal stories to illustrate and explore wider social narratives.
She calls this ‘Social Broadcasting’. Driven by creating engaging participatory radio and audio experiences that she ‘audioscapes’ into imaginative on and off-line broadcast initiatives and formats, Social Broadcasting represents the versatility of audio as an evolving social and artistic medium.

Sanjay Patel (he/him)
‘My Club Kali connection goes way back. I have been a loyal attendee for many years. It’s really great we have CK for the Asian Gay Community, to feel comfortable, to be themselves, enjoy the music and culture, and let their hair down. We don’t get that elsewhere on the gay scene!
I’m a happy and bubbly, a ‘people person’, so CK is a great place for me. I am happy to be part of the CK crew and the project, and what we’re going to be doing, like creating an archive and collecting stories!’

Sakib Khan (he/them)
London Engagement Officer for LGBT+ Consortium
Sakib works for LGBT+ Consortium as London Engagement Officer. They have a background primarily within the creative sector across the visual and performing arts starting out however in fashion. Alongside this, they have worked with the South Asian LGBTQ+ community. Sakib’s work has seen them hold many roles mostly they see themselves as an artist, curator and producer.
One of their favourite activities is putting on the kettle “for a cuppa” rather different from their time ‘living in nightclubs” but they can still be tempted (quite easily – especially if it’s a Club Kali night 😊) out to throw some shapes.

Seán McGovern (he/him)
Heritage Project Manager at the London Borough of Islington
Seán McGovern is a Heritage Project Manager at the London Borough of Islington. He managed the Islington’s Pride project, which collected, preserved and celebrated Islington’s influential contribution to the story of British LGBTQ+ history.
Seán has extensive previous experience as a film festival producer and programmer, working with BFI Flare, BFI London Film Festival, and was head of GAZE: Dublin International LGBTQ+ Film Festival from 2020 – 2021. Community heritage is both his work and passion, with experience in restorations, public art, community engagement, oral history collection and public events.

Sarah Guzman (she/her)
curator
I am a curator with a passion for making culture and heritage spaces more accessible, enjoyable, and relevant to underrepresented audiences. My recent work at a borough council museum has involved securing grants to improve community investment in their heritage, creating a more inclusive and expansive permanent gallery, and delivering temporary exhibitions on a range of historical and art historical topics.