OUR TEAM

At Our HeartBeats CIC, lived experience, creativity, and care are at the heart of everything we do.

Our team is made up of artists, facilitators, and organisers who are committed to creating safe, inclusive spaces where young people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds can explore music, build confidence, and grow their creative voices.

Many people involved in Our HeartBeats have lived experience of migration, displacement, or rebuilding life in a new place. This perspective shapes how we work — from how we design our programmes, to how we communicate, safeguard, and represent our community. We believe that those closest to the work should have a meaningful role in shaping it.

Our HeartBeats supports progression and leadership pathways, with participants encouraged to develop into alumni, collaborators, and contributors over time. We value collaboration, mutual respect, and learning together, and we are proud of the collective that continues to grow around Our HeartBeats.

Meet the Team

  • A man with curly hair and glasses stands outdoors on a sunny day with palm trees and buildings in the background.

    Kensaye Russell

    Founder & Director

    A music producer and cultural practitioner, Kensaye leads the organisation’s vision, partnerships, and creative direction, ensuring Our HeartBeats remains rooted in community, care, and artistic excellence. His work focuses on creating inclusive platforms where music, storytelling, and social impact intersect.

  • A young man with blond hair, tattoos on his neck and hands, wearing a striped button-up shirt, standing in front of a dark background with draped fabric, looking at the camera.

    Dmitrii Snegirev

    Director

    He first joined Our HeartBeats as a participant, before becoming actively involved in shaping the organisation’s digital presence and operations. Dima leads on digital strategy, social media, website development, communications, and organisational systems, ensuring Our HeartBeats’ work is visible, accessible, and ethically represented online.