Featured Young Social Leader: Arbër Qerka-Gashi

Arbër Qerka-Gashi

Young Social Leader, Curator, Writer, and Researcher and Co Founder of Balkan London Collective.

What do you do?

I am Arbër Qerka-Gashi, a London-born curator, writer, and researcher of Kosovar heritage. Much of my work is focused on expressing the individuality of my lived experience, particularly the intersections of my identity as the child of Kosovar refugee parents, a member of a Muslim-majority community, and someone who identifies as LGBT+.

I also set up the Balkan London Collective in late 2022 with my friend and colleague, Tamara Vujinović. Our collective produces a diverse range of events to engage members of the Balkan diaspora community in London and across Britain. Our initiatives have included Balkan-inspired club nights, an annual Balkan LGBT+ pride event, healing and sharing circles, panel discussions, book clubs, and mini exhibitions.
Our goal has been to create safe spaces for members of the Balkan diaspora to explore and celebrate their cultural heritage and identities without the problematic ideologies that you might find in traditional Balkan diaspora cultural spaces.

Why do you do what you do?

Growing up as part of the Balkan diaspora in London, I was exposed to problematic ideas such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and other violent systems of oppression. While I cherished engaging with my culture—its music, food, history, and more—the spaces that represented my culture often didn’t feel safe. Tamara experienced the same.

We recognised the urgency of creating a space where members of the Balkan diaspora community could connect with their cultures in an environment that felt safe, accepting, and welcoming of all aspects of their identities.

We wanted people to enjoy their cultural foods, listen to music that evoked a sense of nostalgia, and dance to traditional folk songs in a space that prioritised their safety. Our space adopts a no-nonsense stance towards harmful ideologies, including ethnonationalism. I believe that approach has drawn many members of the Balkan diaspora to this community, and opened the door for their non-Balkan friends and allies to appreciate and celebrate our rich cultures.

All of this, and so much more, continues to drive us. We want to ensure people who have historically felt marginalised within their communities can finally embrace and be embraced by their cultures. It’s also about fostering solidarity across ethnicity, race and religion, which has long been lacking in our communities.

What is something you are working on, learning or have an interest in at the moment?

Recently, the Balkan London Collective has been working on further diversifying our events programme. With The Feminist Library, we recently organised a film screening and open conversation. We aimed to create a space for members of the Balkan queer community to engage with cinema that explores Balkan and trans identities, as well as historical experiences.

Is there a book, tool or resource that you would recommend, related to the theme or for other young social leaders?

I highly recommend a fantastic book by Bernardine Evaristo titled Manifesto: On Never Giving Up.

As someone who works in the cultural sector, producing events for vulnerable and underrepresented communities can be challenging and emotionally taxing. Evaristo’s book offers a raw, honest, and accurate depiction of the challenges involved in producing work that addresses highly sensitive themes. It’s a source of encouragement to continue my efforts, understanding that while the path may not always be easy, it remains profoundly worthwhile.

Originally featured in Young Social Leaders Newsletter Blog Series - here