Our Team

Jess Brough

Founder/Technical Director

Jess Brough is a writer and producer based between Edinburgh and Barcelona. In 2018, Jess founded Fringe of Colour, which has gone on to become a multi-award-winning promotional platform and support network for Black creatives and creatives of colour at festivals in Scotland. Its hybrid arts festival, Fringe of Colour Films, is back for a third year from 23 - 29 June. Jess brings a love of research, user-friendly design and language to their role as Technical Director, having recently finished a PhD in psycholinguistics at the University of Edinburgh.

jess@fringeofcolour.co.uk

Tomiwa Folorunso

Editorial Director

Tomiwa Folorunso is a Nigerian-Scottish writer, editor and creative producer based between Brussels and Edinburgh. She has a special interest in Black-Scottish histories and contemporary stories. Tomiwa is currently a programmer for Glasgow Film Festival, publication coordinator with the International Film Festival of Rotterdam, and in collaboration with Rhubaba is the producer for maud. (2022), a short film about Scottish-Ghanian artist Maud Sulter. She also writes a monthly(ish) newsletter, DEAR LEXI.

tomiwa@fringeofcolour.co.uk

Carmen Thompson

In-Person Director

Carmen is a freelance programmer, curator and creative producer based in Edinburgh. She currently works as cultural curator and programmer for award-winning film exhibition company We Are Parable, and as producer for international sales & distribution company Aya Films, where she recently worked on the UK release of award-winning film The Gravedigger’s Wife (Khadar Ayderus Ahmed, 2021). Carmen also sits on the boards of British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) and Glasgow Film, and is chair of the board of Scotland’s Document Film Festival.

carmen@fringeofcolour.co.uk

Sarya Wu

Captioner/Subtitler

Sarya Wu (she/they) is a musical artist from Taipei based in Edinburgh. A former spoken word performer turned musician (under the stylised name “sarya”), they have been an active member in the Edinburgh DIY music scene since 2017. Their music usually tackles the themes of existential humour, otherness, friendship, and self-care. A multilingualist and hardcore fangirl, Sarya is very passionate about captioning and subtitling for all forms of media, from mainstream entertainment to intermedia video installations. There is nothing more she is more passionate about than QTPOC+/LGBTQIA+ representation in the media and the arts.

Tao-Anas Le Thanh

Film Editor

Tao-Anas Le Thanh is a video producer based (mostly) in Edinburgh. Tao films, edits and does motion design for a variety of clients and projects whether they’re about dance, events, advertising...

Katie Goh

Responses Sub-Editor

Katie is a journalist, editor and author who has covered culture and social issues for publications like gal-dem, VICE, the Guardian, i-D, Prospect and BBC Scotland. Katie is the non-fiction editor for Extra Teeth literary magazine and has previously worked as an editor for gal-dem and The Skinny. They co-host the monthly Culture Show on Edinburgh's community radio station EHFM. Their essay-length book The End: Surviving the World Through Imagined Disasters was published by 404 Ink and shortlisted for the inaugural Kavya Prize. They are currently writing their debut non-fiction book, Foreign Fruit, which will be published by Canongate in 2025.

Natasha Thembiso Ruwona

Programmer and Assistant Producer

Natasha Thembiso Ruwona is a Scottish-Zimbabwean artist, researcher, creative programmer, and producer. Working primarily in film, she is interested in how Afrofuturism and psychogeography can meet through experimental forms of storytelling.

Natasha is currently the Programme Coordinator for the Race, Rights and Sovereignty series at Glasgow School of Art and a Committee Member Rhubaba Gallery & Studios.

Halina Rifai

Before the Applause Producer

Halina Rifai is a podcast producer, music writer, PR & digital marketer. She founded music site Podcart in 2009 and went on to become a podcast producer, working with the likes of BBC Scotland, The Big Light, Mental Health Foundation and more. She works regularly with We Are Here Scotland – a space aimed at supporting and raising the voices of Black People and People of Colour Creatives across Scotland. She also programmes the award-winning gig series AMPLIFI with writer and editor Arusa Qureshi in partnership with The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh.

Halina produces Fringe of Colour’s podcast ‘Before the Applause’. Listen here.

Grace Buckle

British Sign Language Interpreter

Grace was born to Deaf parents and found herself following in the footsteps of her God-mother who was a Social worker for the Deaf. When Grace was 18, she decided to study a BA interpreting degree at the University of Wolverhampton before going into the world of freelance interpreting. More recently, she worked at The City Literary Institute as an in-house interpreter and returned to university to gain fully registered status as an interpreter. Her contact details can be found on the NRCPD website and in her spare time, Grace likes to workout, run accessible fitness classes and enjoy the outdoors.

BSL Interpreter (RSLI) - graceb3000@yahoo.co.uk

Rachel Jones

British Sign Language Interpreter

Rachel was born to Deaf parents and found herself aspiring to British Sign Language Interpreter to help her parents. When Rachel was 18, she started working as a CSW (Communications Support Worker) before going into the world of freelance interpreting. Rachel is currently studying NVQ Interpreting level. Her contact details can be found on the NRCPD website and in her spare time, Rachel likes to listen to music, and translate music into signed song.

BSL Interpreter (TSLI) - newliferj@outlook.com

Reba Martin

Marketing Consultant

Reba Martin is a film freelancer from Bristol, based in Edinburgh. She is passionate about festivals and cinemas; and is currently Communications Manager for Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival.

Previously, she was found advocating for and promoting filmmakers, artists and audiences at Watershed, HOME, Rhubaba, Cinema Rediscovered & as a Youth Juror for Sheffield Doc Fest. As a writer, she has been commissioned by Gal-dem, the BFI, and Club des Femmes.

For press enquiries email press@fringeofcolour.co.uk