Page 65 - Future Leaders Magazine

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Image: Lennon Gregory how to balance my time and to say “no” to
performers such as A.G, DJ Darkstepper, “It’s been a learning
Souljah, Flohio and Melz representing the
females in grime. There was also a great live curve for me to know
interview with Art Director Lotte Andersen how to delegate,
about the challenges of finding self-confidence
and your inner voice. This event was hot on the balance my time
heels of our first-year anniversary of starting
the online magazine, which we marked with and to say ‘no’ to
the launch of our first print edition. certain things…”
The V&A actually asked us to do two events
with them, so we did the second one in a venue
in Stratford Circus in February 2017, as part of
LAST YEAR’S NO. 1
the launch of their new venue there. This one
had the theme Friday late and focused solely
on film, but in lots of different forms including
music videos, virtual reality, and many other
things. I oversaw the curation of this one,
which was put together by the gal-dem team.
This event was also different to the first one.
That was about providing knowledge and this
time we concentrated more on the skills people
they could take away that could help them in
the film and TV industry.
Other things I’ve done have included hosting
a panel for Gap which was on inclusivity and
diversity within the creative industries, and
speaking at a conference for Mumsnet. I also
featured in UK Vogue in May 2017, alongside
five other young creatives, and I filmed a clip
for BET for their Black Girls Rock campaign.
In terms of further recognition, gal-dem
won a Screen Nation for Best Entertainment
Site, and we won Comment Site of the Year
from the Editorial Intelligence Comment
Awards, beating the Financial Times, which
was amazing.
Right now, we are about to launch our
second print edition of the magazine, and we
are moving into our own offices in October
so I am meeting with investors and sorting
that kind of stuff out, focusing more on the
business side, so it is pretty busy at
the moment.
The advice I’d like to give to young people
reading this is, when it comes to ideas or
starting something, if you feel like there is a
gap somewhere or that something is missing
or could be done better, just give it a go. A
lot of things may not work but it’s just about
throwing things at the wall and seeing what
sticks and then you can also work out what
you are good at and what you enjoy. When
you are young, you have the energy, flexibility
and fewer of the commitments that you may
have later down the line, so now is the time to
explore different things.
But I would also say, don’t bite off more
than you can chew. I see so many young people
putting themselves under too much pressure
and actually you are not going to be at your
most productive if you are burnt out. It’s been a
learning curve for me to know how to delegate,
certain things, otherwise I’m not going to be
able to do what I am supposed to well.
I was really surprised to be named number
one in the Future Leaders magazine last year,
but very happy.
I think it is a really important platform
to showcase all of these amazing students of
colour, how well they are doing and the strides
that they are making.
It’s a lovely sentiment to have something
endorsed by a lot of reputable organisations
and important to have these legitimate ways of
showcasing people. FL
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