The World Does Not Need More Books; It Needs More Truth.

We live in an era of saturated noise, where the stories of the Global South and the African Diaspora are often filtered through the lenses of those who do not carry our scars or share our dreams. For too long, "knowledge" has been used as a tool of enclosure. Guiding Light Pressexists to break those fences.

A Sanctuary for Literature of Liberation

We believe that writing is a sacred act of defiance. To us, Literature of Liberation is not a genre; it is a decolonial mission. It is the refusal to let systemic narratives define our potential. We publish to dismantle the "single story" and to provide a home for voices that have been silenced, marginalized, or "civilized" into submission.

The Three Pillars of Our Resistance

• Decolonial Inquiry: We don’t just tell stories; we interrogate the power structures behind them. We seek work that unlearns colonial logic and reclaims indigenous, ancestral, and independent thought.

• Spiritual Depth: True liberation is not merely political—it is soulful. We bridge the gap between the intellectual and the eternal, seeking manuscripts that offer a "guiding light" to the weary and hope to the seeker.

• Intellectual Rigor: We are not interested in the superficial. We are a sanctuary for the gritty, the researched, and the profoundly articulated. We believe that for a story to change the world, it must first be crafted with excellence.

Why Now?

Because the "Echoes of Our African Dreams" cannot wait for permission. From our headquarters in London, we are building a bridge between the heritage of the continent and the urgency of the diaspora.

Guiding Light Press is not a factory. We are a garden. We are a sanctuary. We are the home of stories that refuse to stay quiet.

About Guiding Light Press

Leadership & Operations

Guiding Light Press is a London-based publishing house and intellectual hub founded in 2025. Operationally led by Oretha Quarcoo, who oversees day-to-day activities and author engagement, the press draws its intellectual and creative direction from visionary founder Rev. Joseph Dennis Nii Noi Quarcoo. Joe serves as volunteer Publisher and Creative Director, balancing this role with his ongoing decolonial research, frontline support work in social care, and book reviews. Guiding Light Press was born from a deep-rooted commitment to UK-Africa cultural exchange.

The Intersection of Theory and Practice

Joe Quarcoo's interdisciplinary expertise bridges Applied Social Psychology and Critical Human Geography. This foundation was forged through high-level international roles, including Research Consultant for US universities, Urban Planning Officer at Ghana's Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, and collaboration with the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre in the Netherlands.

A Timeline of Global Advocacy

These experiences inspired Joe's pre-UK initiatives:

• 2017: Founded the Nkosuo Initiative Foundation in Ghana, focusing on grassroots community development and menstrual hygiene campaigns.

• 2020: Launched Voice1Africa in South Africa—a nonpartisan Pan-African youth empowerment movement.

• 2024: Developed and executed the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) for Africa as a Voice1Africa flagship, in partnership with Sound Mind BuildUp. The programme empowered over 3,000 young entrepreneurs across 35 African countries.

The UK Experience: A Sharp Lens on Cohesion

Since relocating to the UK, Joe's frontline work in the social care sector has revealed stark realities of institutionalized oppression, including the deliberate marginalization of the sector and exploitation of migrant workers. This insight underscored the urgent need for community building and social cohesion. Guiding Light Press emerges as the culmination of this journey: a beacon for "literature of liberation" that challenges entrenched assumptions and reclaims narratives for the African diaspora—and beyond.

Our Intellectual Foundation

We are more than a publisher; we are a community of critical thinkers. Through our Publisher Review Series, we engage deeply with the literature of liberation. We critically evaluate works that unsettle uncomfortable truths and explore decolonial missions, including:

• Unsettling Truths by Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah

• Decolonising Missions by Harvey Kwiyani

• Capital Violence by Wavinya Makai (current review)

Our commitment to decoloniality is reflected in our rigorous selection of works that challenge systemic oppression and the status quo.

Rev. Joseph Dennis Nii Noi Quarcoo, MGIP

Publisher & Creative Director

Reverend minister | Applied social psychologist | Pan-African youth leader | Critical Human Geographer & Urbanist | Recording artist De Joe Quarcoo

YALI Fellow | MINDS Africa Scholar | MasterCard Foundation Scholar | Andrew W. Mellon Scholar | Shalom Club Member | ACEA Fellow |

MPhil Social Psychology (University of Ghana) | MPhil Urban Studies (University of Cape Town)

London, United Kingdom

hello@guidinglightpress.co.uk

Oretha Quarcoo: Operations Lead

"literature of liberation"

Joe Quarcoo: Visionary Founder

Join us in illuminating stories that matter. Submit your manuscript or explore our Publisher Review Series today

Our Curatorial Framework

While Guiding Light Press is led by the visionary direction of Rev. Joseph Quarcoo, our selection process is supported by a rotating Honorary Editorial Advisory Board dedicated to the literature of liberation. This collective ensures that every manuscript is evaluated through the lenses of intellectual rigor, spiritual depth, and transformative social impact.

Our Panel is comprised of:

• Senior Academic Curators: Scholars specializing in decolonial studies, theology, and Pan-African history.

• Faith & Community Leaders: Spiritual voices who safeguard the depth and "guiding light" of our publications.

• Voice1Africa Delegates: Youth activists and cultural architects who ensure our literature remains a catalyst for liberation.

These experts contribute their time and intellectual rigor on a voluntary, honorary basis, fostering a global platform for cross-cultural dialogue from our London headquarters.

Our Home

Guiding Light Press is proudly rooted in London, where stories of hope and transformation come alive.