With a population of over 9 million people, there are a lot of voices in London — and a lot of individual stories to be told and heard.
Who better to elevate those community stories than the people who are actually part of them? This is where PRIM comes in (if you don’t know who they are, then you’re in the right place to find out more). PRIM’s starting story is an interesting one, one that’s steeped in heritage and diversity. Brought to life by K Bailey Obazee, PRIM emerged from the rich legacy of OKHA, a pioneering book club from 2019 that evolved into a dynamic hub and groundbreaking platform for Black storytelling. OKHA means ‘story’ in Edo, the native language of Benin, Nigeria, where K’s family is from, so it makes sense that the book club took on this identity.
Fast forward to 2021, K launched the London-based collective and digital platform PRIM with a clear goal: to redefine the narrative landscape by celebrating and amplifying the voices and rich tapestry of the city's African, Caribbean, and Afro-Latinx communities. Taking the learnings from OKHA, PRIM is a testament to the commitment to education, connection, and community.
Yes, PRIM serves as an online catalog with a network of over 70 queer Black writers (with OKHA having over 500), all sharing their work and thoughts on film, art, and literature. But more than that, it’s a place that cultivates growth, organizes events and even brings creative collaborations with Nike and the British Fashion Council to life.
Most importantly, PRIM is a safe space — a family. It creates a home for queer and Black people, allowing them to feel authentically represented and able to share their stories. As K says, “We want to offer space for people to breathe and feel whole. We need to tell our stories because queer black people are still being misrepresented. It is time for us to be the most trusted source for our own stories."
With Nike spotlighting community-based initiatives like Refuge Worldwide, PRIM is the perfect group to highlight when it comes to the queer, Black community in the British capital. We sit down with K, Grace, and Gina, all members of the collective, to find out why PRIM is so important, how it has changed their lives, and why we need to strive for inclusivity and change for the better.
K BAILEY OBAZEE
Founder of PRIM
Tell me a bit about your background. I hear you’re a DJ, how did you get into that?
I started DJing about five years ago. I became obsessed with being outside and partying with an incredible array of new friends I'd made; some were DJs, some were musicians, designers, and artists, and some quite simply were those people who just made things happen - the unifiers. At the time, I was wide-eyed seeing this incredible mix of people all sharing a key thing with me - being queer. A few years went by, and I realized I wanted to be an integral part of building the community like others had done for me.
Talk to us about PRIM. Why did you start it in the first place, and for whom?
It's to provide an alternative. An alternative chance to regularly read books I could see myself in, something healing, educational, and encouraging. An alternative space to build community in, an alternative way of platforming and sharing stories by people of Black ancestry.
KEveryone deserves to be heard, our society is pretty shit. Historically, queer people have suffered tremendously and are still suffering so PRIM is here to change that
Why do you think it’s important that PRIM prioritizes queer voices?
I want to live happily and authentically, and I want that for others, too. We all deserve to be able to thrive, grow, build, love, have joy. Sharing and listening allow us to learn, teach, and cultivate together. We should also always ask how we contribute to making other people feel good and cared for.
How has PRIM shifted from a book club into something bigger and greater?
It was always going to be more than a book club. It's about creating a space where queer Black people can be their authentic selves, learn, share, laugh, play, meet one another — just be.
How do you think the creative landscape in London is shifting? Have you noticed some big changes over the past few years?
I think the biggest change is probably the power of social media to help demonstrate that you're really doing something worth investing in. People are more visible, and their work ethic and energy can be seen more clearly. It also means people can collaborate more with one another, which is just fab — that's how we build.
Do you think PRIM has changed you as a person?
In ways, yes, it's definitely made me want to think more clearly about my purpose, what I'm trying to contribute, and why I'm doing anything. Like why are we hosting a basketball game or events at all? Why is a book club so important to me and to our 500 OKHA members, like what do they need? I question my motives more, which helps me grow and do right by myself and others.
GRACE SAMBA-BANDZA
Marketing at PRIM
What made you want to pursue singing and songwriting? Is there a moment from your
childhood that you remember pushed you to this?
I grew up with five siblings and was heavily influenced by my older ones, who introduced me to music. My dad is a huge vinyl collector, and he had all the classics: MJ, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, you name it! I would also love listening to music from my dad’s village in Congo, especially my aunt's voice. They were super religious songs but nonetheless beautiful in their composition. I admired the harmonies and different layers and tones they would produce and would try to replicate what I could hear. Fast forward to my teens, and I’m stealing my big sister's CDs and performing in my bedroom, waiting till I could be on a stage.
How did you get involved with PRIM?
During lockdown, I really wanted to be deep in Black literature, so I joined PRIM. Up until then, most of my literature was written by a non-black person, and it occurred to me that I wasn’t connecting to the content as much as I could have been. So I was excited for the opportunity to discover incredible Black authors, contribute to PRIM’s mission, and attend OKHA sessions to discuss books I could relate to.
Why is PRIM important to you? What made you want to help build and grow the platform?
PRIM is a safe space for someone like me. Through OKHA sessions, meetups, and curated events, PRIM not only provides a safe space but a supportive one. A space where queer Black folk can connect, learn and inspire one another. I wanted to join PRIM to share my story but also contribute to the mission of sharing other important stories too, ones that are sometimes never heard of.
GracePRIM has helped me be more creative when it comes to making music. I’ve learned not to box myself in and to be more free with my expression.
What does the word community mean to you?
Community means a sense of belonging, shared connections, and a collective bond among individuals. It's a place where we can support one another, advocate for our rights, and celebrate our diversity. In this community, there's a deep understanding of the unique struggles we may face, as well as the strength and resilience that come from embracing both our racial and sexual identities.
How has PRIM changed the way you approach your musical path?
Being able to witness all the different ways that we can tell our stories has inspired me to be more vulnerable and enjoy the creative process more. I do matter, and no one can tell my story better than myself, and that’s a really special feeling.
How do you feel London inspires your creative practice?
London is the only place where I can go to a jam and all the musicians are from different countries in the world. It’s a massive melting pot of cultures that we’re always sourcing from (whether or not people like to admit it). I’m wonderfully exposed to a wide range of artistic expressions, traditions, and perspectives, which is a rich source of inspiration.
GINA BELL
Editor at PRIM
Tell me about how you got into your current practice.
Storytelling through film and photography wasn’t something I got into. It was a path that was chosen for me. I first picked up a camera when I was 18. Two months into a 10-month solo trip through North and East Africa, I found myself in a tight spot. I had broken my phone and desperately needed something to capture and document my journey. I bought a digital camera at a local market in Dakar, Senegal. Initially, I took photographs of landscapes and scenery, but the camera had this magic quality of drawing people in. I was approached by kind strangers with incredible stories, so the camera became a medium between us — a conversation that transcended language barriers. It was universal. Something we could all connect with and understand.
Why did you lean towards film and photography as your creative medium?
There is a level of intimacy between me, as the photographer, and the subject. It creates a profound relationship and bond between us, one that we desperately need to make people feel seen, understood, and connected.
GinaPRIM has created a safe haven, a community for us to connect with each other locally and internationally. It's taking up space in a world where our communities are made to feel small. It's empowering. It's a statement: we are here and will only continue to grow.
What can you express through film/photography that you can’t in regular life?
Film and photography really engage with your imagination in a way that isn’t limited by reality. It exists outside of everyday limitations, giving us the ability to conceptualize and reshape any aspect of existence, whether it’s a parallel world or a vision of the future. Personally, I am drawn to the genre of Afro-futurism.
How did you connect with PRIM? Tell me how you got involved with the collective.
My journey with PRIM began when I attended an OKHA session. I found myself immersed in the profound conversations and was eager to document these dialogues. So, I cornered K at an event and pitched the idea of creating a review page for our books — the rest is history.
What does PRIM give you that you haven’t found in other spaces?
I love the dynamic at PRIM; everyone is a contributor, and all play an equal part in building the collective and fostering this creative environment. There are no hierarchies, just contributors with a world of ideas and a dedication to preserving and uplifting our community.
