JJ Bola is a writer, poet and advocate for refugees. His second novel, The Selfless Act of Breathing, interrogates  themes through the lens of mental health and is being adapted into a feature-length film.

After arriving in the UK as a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and growing up on a council estate, JJ worked as a youth worker, supporting young people with behavioural and mental health problems. He privately maintained a passion for writing, crafting poetry in his spare time.

JJ pursued his talent by studying Creative Writing at Birkbeck. He has since published further poetry collections and novels that incorporate themes from his family background and experience as a youth worker: “I’m fortunate to have a unique lens on the world that reflects my many conflicting identities — refugee, anglophone, francophone, Black, working-class. With my work, I hope to offer an alternative perspective on issues across lines of race, class, ethnicity and sexuality.”

JJ is also a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Ambassador and advocates for the importance of education in society.