Welcome to another week of me unpacking some of the things I’ve seen over the last seven days.
I’m writing on my sofa with my poorly littlest, and I’ve spent the week thinking about purpose and positioning. It’s a place where lots of women around me seem to be as we evaluate who we are as mothers, as daughters, as businesswomen, as leaders, as human beings.
Essentially, it’s been a time to think about who and how I serve the world, how that world shows up to serve us but, importantly, how I serve myself.
Purposeful listening: remembering where you come from with Acestors Said
Discovered the audio version of Ancestors Said by Ehime Ora, which is read by the author herself. What I really loved is that each month is no more than 10 minutes long, and whilst I can’t get my head round playing each day as it happens, I find listening to that month’s affirmations and prompts daily really soothing with Ehime’s calming voice.
Purposeful movement: Stormzy secures money from HSBC for 30 full university scholarships
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a massive fan of Akua Agyemfra (Stormzy’s Business Development Director) and the person Big Mike shows himself to be. Five years ago, he wanted to help young Black people go to uni, Akua made it happen. Five years on HSBC are on board expanding the number of young people who will benefit.
I can confidently guess this is not a deal that would have happened overnight. With so many brands missing the point and bandwagoning, partnerships like this would have to be vhetted to make sure they’re authentic and run deeper than a financial investment. At the end of the day, anyone who has money can bring money, but you also need to eat, sleep and breathe the cause.
I’m a fan of Stormzy’s music, but I’m also a fan of his compassion and business savvy. He can do Glasto and also put our kids through school, get them industry experience (he launched a football careers scheme recently), and impact his community (He also bought his local football club in Croydon). I am consistently proud of him for not only enjoying his life but putting it to use.
Precarious Positioning: Sir David Adjaye’s legacy destabilised by sexual harassment claims
One thing you can be sure of us as a community is that we will champion you as if you are our own. That’s why it was troubling to read an article in The Financial Times about acclaimed architect Sir David Adjaye being the focus of multiple allegations of sexual harassment.
Adjaye is responsible for some of the most celebrated architectural structures of our time using his talents to help anchor our place in history such as designing the home for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC. His work is the epitome of building legacy.
However, to hear these stories of alleged abuse of power and leaving his team – all Black women, if I understand correctly – vulnerable and almost desolate with their children in foreign countries is disturbing though not unusual. Not because there’s any evidence of Adjaye doing this before, but because of society’s general structure.
Adjaye’s story comes hot on the heels of many a story of prominent men of a certain age being outed for their conduct. From Huw Edwards to Philip Schofield in the last 6 months alone, these men seem to represent a period where men in power thought they were above reproach.
The outcome of this case remains to be seen, but I am deeply disappointed by the alleged treatment of ambitious, Black women by one of our own. Why does this matter? Because it plays into the ongoing narrative that we as a people are divided and lack the level of support we should amongst our community.
As someone who’s experienced similar mistreatment in her career, this is all too familiar. From being chastised for being a mother to being ripped off after hiring a trusted associate, it can feel distasteful, always championing and supporting Black men and yet being treated badly.
Dangerous new positioning: What is X about to become?
Collage: TechCrunch / Getty Images
Does anyone else find the Twitter rebrand slightly sinister? I had long distanced myself from the platform as its toxicity had become rampant and though I’m not anti rebrands, this one has me considering deleting all my accounts. I’m not sure I’m comfortable with Elon having this much access to me.
Seems CNN has feelings on the change too.
Purposeful Building: Lina Barker and Jusnah Gadi
One of my favourite things is seeing Black women doing well and wanted to acknowledge Lina Barker and Jusnah Gadi, two Black British women – who also happen to be sisters – building multiple business empires.
Lina (Left) is Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder at Aaron Wallace, the leading groom brand for Black men. It is the most prominent homegrown Black brands we have in the beauty space for men. Lina just launched baby boutique Kai Lullaby in honour of her son.
Her sister Jusnah is not only a lawyer in the music business and founder of the Young Music Boss Awards but she is a Co-Founder of Hot’nJuicy Shrimp London, a mult-branch seafood boil restaurant which just opened its newest branch in Dulwich.
On that note..
I’m leaving you with not one but two videos that I hope will take you into this week with a smile.
