> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.warmandglad.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Mervin Canham - URL: https://www.warmandglad.com/mervin-canham/ - Published: 2026-10-05T01:50:27.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-14T13:52:57.000Z - Description: Mervin is a friend of Warm & Glad, and guest DJ at our Warm & Glad Sessions evenings. Here we ask him about his life. And are completely blown away. - Author: Warm & Glad - Tags: DJ, Thinker, Doer, #focus-5 --- **What name do you go by?** Mervin Canham, or Brother Shabazz when I DJ **Where do you work, and what is the website and IG account?** I have a Non-Profit Company called Holding Space Circles, also known as The Holding Space Project. My IG is [holdingspacecircles](https://www.instagram.com/holdingspacecircles/?ref=warmandglad.com). **What city are you in and what do you like about it?** Joburg. It’s a cool place, I love the energy, the vibes. It’s friendly. It’s got diversity. That’s why I loved Warm & Glad when it was open, it was really diverse. Also a cool place. I couldn’t afford the clothes and stuff you sold, but I did get a collab pair of New Balance’s from there back in the day. **How did you end up doing what you do?** My work has always been around rehabilitation centres, working with alcoholics and addicts. I have been sober for 21 years. It’s always been about helping other people. I worked in rehab and then worked in psychiatric hospital, Akeso Clinic in Parktown. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a0/08/a00814d0-181a-43fd-800c-0df4243336ae/content/images/2026/10/e5cce00b-d2c3-4d70-8b5a-b6eee857e0b4.jpeg) **What are you working on at the moment?** I still work weekly in a rehab centre, and then facilitate the Holding Space Circles which are safe spaces for men. I also do corporate work – Holding Space is an NPC with section 18A approval and so I do wellness work in corporate environments where we help both men and women. We also work with teachers. We have 68 teachers in Germiston who we work with it. We’re also working on a men’s summit aimed at 300 men. My brother chose suicide – there’s a big suicide rate in the country. Women threaten it, but men enact it. What we do is about saving lives. We also work in the GBV (*gender based violence – W&G)* crisis. Men are not dealing with what they need to deal with. Holding Space is about dealing with your shit, being honest and then supporting each other. You then don’t take it out on women and your kids. What happens is men are called to be tough and sort things out on their own, but it shouldn’t be like this. A safe space for men to be supported is critical. **Describe your perfect day.** A great day for me would start with going for a walk which helps set me up for the day. A morning walk helps my clear my head and is good for my body. Then maybe breakfast and connect with a friend. I’d maybe go work at a corporate session for a couple of hours, then go pick up my daughter from school, take her for an ice cream, buy her a book from Exclusive Books. Afterwards, I’d take her home, and in the evening meet in a men’s group. At home I’ll play records as a way to relax, tidying up my space, unwind at night. That’s a great day. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a0/08/a00814d0-181a-43fd-800c-0df4243336ae/content/images/2026/10/ed7d15a2-7c03-4630-8727-c4cba18eef44.jpeg) **Who or what inspired you?** The first person that comes to mind is the guy who introduced me to the [Mankind Project](https://www.mankindproject.co.za/live?ref=warmandglad.com). I was a year clean, he was nine years clean, I came from Eldos (*Eldorado Park – W&G*), and he asked me what I was good at. I was still in rehab at the time trying to get clean. He was kind, wise, he would say he loves me - I grew up where men didn’t say that to each other. It’s brotherly love, or fatherly love. That’s the guy I aspire to. He was kind and wise and accepting of me, and he gave me an opportunity to work at his rehab for about 8 years. He took a chance on me, and opened doors for me. I couldn’t get work at that stage, I only have a standard 8 (*which is now Grade 10 – W&G*), and so he helped set me up for who I am today. I am forever grateful, David Collins. **What's something you do that took years to learn, and would save someone else years if they knew it?** I think what I am learning now is diversity work, I am doing a workshop about it at [Pangea Festival](https://www.tribeofpangea.com/?ref=warmandglad.com) soon. What I am learning in exploring diversity is that everything can exist. What I mean by that is I don’t have the need to be right in my opinions and outlook – every view can exist. I can be open to your views. Both our views and opinions can exist at the same time. Obviously hate and treating people badly can’t exist, but….everything else can exist. It is profound. I used to find I could get angry if people didn’t see my perspective. But now I don’t have to take out the guns. It’s about listening. If I listen, we become equals. We see each other as equals. There is no power struggle, we can see our humanness. We find commonality. Everything can exist. **What are you excited about right now?** I am excited about getting deeper into the men’s work and grow that. If you think of medical aid, you think of Discovery. When you think of men’s wellness I want you to think of the Holding Space. I believe in what I am doing. Men are fucking up, and I don’t excuse myself from that. We need to participate to make the world a better place. We have to get involved. I have two daughters and I never want them to suffer. What men are doing right now needs to be dealt with. How do we contribute to make the world better place? I am excited about that. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a0/08/a00814d0-181a-43fd-800c-0df4243336ae/content/images/2026/10/957c1eef-22de-46fb-91ff-951030782b45.jpeg) **Any cool projects coming up?** I got involved with a charity called Cross the Divide which feeds homeless people around the Rosebank area. Getting involved with this is a passion project – helping homeless men deal with their issues. Who wants to talk about their feelings when they are hungry? So with Cross the Divide they get fed, and then we sit and talk. One guy said recently he hasn’t been asked how he is in 20 years. They all have amazing stories. And they need our help. ### #### Mervin Canham **Links:** [Brother Shabazz Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/brothershabazz/?ref=warmandglad.com) [Holding Space Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/holdingspacecircles/?ref=warmandglad.com) [Mankind Project South Africa](https://www.mankindproject.co.za/live?ref=warmandglad.com) [Cross the Divide](https://crossdivide.org.za/?ref=warmandglad.com)