Founder & Hood Mentality Project Lead

Stephen Rudder is an award-winning creative producer and psychotherapist. Under the name Quiet Voice, he creates art documentaries and audio-visual installations working with organisations such as UNESCO, the Wellcome Trust and Science Gallery. He is driven to create brave spaces for community collaboration, which reveal and platform unheard voices. Stephen was trained at Tavistock NHS Trust, he holds a Masters in Psychoanalytic Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and is a professionally qualified Intercultural Psychodynamic Psychotherapist. From both of these foundations Stephen has founded, produced and led several successful projects including, Hood Mentality, Black River Counselling Service and Black Men’s Minds.

Marketing and Business Strategist

Rowyn is a driven and intelligent young man who specializes in business start-up stages and uses multiple model tools to develop early brief ideas into detailed tangible strategies. He was part of the Young Icons team for Iconic Steps where he supported in project planning for events. Rowyn also worked on Hood Mentality’s Business Plan. Rowyn represented Hood Mentality in mental health awareness week for the Lambeth and Southwark Mind's program "build back trust".

Project Coordinator and Creative Facilitator

Germane Marvel is a multi-disciplinary producer-artist. In 2013 he quit a career in corporate hospitality management to become an artist. He co-wrote and performed in Battersea Art’s Centre’s Beatbox Academy’s multi-award-winning, production of ‘Frankenstein: How to Make a Monster’. He is a poet, writer, and host of the award-winning weekly night ‘Steam Down weekly’.

Sports Facilitator

Born and raised in West London, Dawite is of Ethiopian heritage. He is an avid Arsenal fan and enjoys physical activities such as football, boxing, rock climbing, and going to the gym. As a Youth Engagement Worker for Mosaic Clubhouse (a mental health organisation in Brixton), his aim is to aid his clients to recover using a holistic approach. He is passionate about football and created a team for the charity. This team currently plays in South London’s grassroots league. At HM he used techniques inspired by sports to promote confidence, communication, teamwork, and dealing with pressure.

Creative Facilitator

This talented, celebrated artist and HM facilitator was born and raised in London. As a wordsmith, he specializes in poetry, prose, and music. Formerly of Black/Other, he has performed a solo for ‘In Praise of Lyricism’ at the V&A and Jazz Café for the Gil Scott Heron Tribute. He is a naturist at heart and enjoys it in many forms when not being creative. Culture and its progression is of great interest to him, which is why reading, writing, questioning, talking, and listening are his favourite pastimes, and information is stored and reused in his material. This helps to create and paint a puzzling picture, which embodies the diversity of communal life.

Creative Facilitator

This musically talented band leader and HM facilitator was born in London, but is of West African descent. He celebrates his heritage through his music (founder of the Balimaya Project) and has an active role in the black community. In Maninka (an African dialect) Balimaya means “the essence of kinship”, so it is no surprise that family; immediate and extended are very important to him. Yahael is a firm believer in working together as part of the diaspora and actively promotes this.

Support Worker

Rickey has several titles such as life coach, mentor, Ambassador, motivational speaker; along with HM Youth Support Worker and facilitator. His background involves over 12 years of work with minors and disadvantaged families, ranging from gang crime to mental health issues. He uses professional and personal experiences to open his client’s eyes to new experiences. His aim is to build confidence, ambition, and empathy within the community, and aims to be supportive and a role model to many.