EAST YARD - ISSUE 2 - DEC 2017

The Founder of Divine Chic Hair and Image shares her journey in creative business.

ANNA ALLEN TALKS ENTREPRENEURSHIP We focus on the multi-faceted approach of Placemaking and how it was used in designing EAST YARD.

TURNING THIS SPACE INTO A PLACE A look back at our first few months of operation and the amazing events that are shaping the YARD.

CFAFF 2017, ANIMAE CARIBE , PECHAKUCHA AND MORE

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EAST YARD

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A Purpose. A Place. A Publication

Issue 2 December 2017

FREE COPY

ON THE COVER: ANNA ALLEN OF DIVINE CHIC HAIR AND IMAGE

CONTENTS 07

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT DARE TO BE CHIC Anna Allen graces our cover and shares her entrepreneurial journey in our EY Q&A.

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TURNING THIS SPACE INTO A PLACE

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IN 'DE' YARD A look back at the past events at EAST YARD for 2017.

EDITOR/PUBLISHER: Kevon Foderingham Caribbean Fashion and Arts Feature Festival EAST YARD, 23 Prince Street Arima, Trinidad and Tobago.

868-491-3684 I caribbeanfaff@gmail.com

The evolution of EAST YARD.

EAST YARD

HTTPS://EAST-YARD.JIMDOSITE.COM FB: @eastyardbycfaff IG: @_eastyard EAST YARD is published monthly by Caribbean Fashion and Arts Feature Festival. All rights reserved (c) Caribbean Fashion and Arts Feature Festival 2017. No part of this magazine shall be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Photo: Arc Photography

"Take Responsibility for the Energy You Bring Into This Space." - Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor This has undoubtedly and unexpectedly become my mantra of late. Looking back, it is always something I knew but could not as easily and succinctly articulate. From the moment we set foot in what is now EAST YARD in May of this year, to our first event in September and up until now, everyone who visits always mentions the vibe of the space. They speak of an energy that they feel coursing through the foundation of this space we have transformed into a place.

But what is this energy and where does it come from? To be quite honest I don't have the answer nor do I really need it. What I do know is that this energy, this force that super-charges EAST YARD, must be preserved and allowed to continue taking form into what it is shaping itself into being. All that is left to do is follow the lead and go where the energy is taking us.

In this our second issue we get the opportunity to catch up with the dynamic Anna Allen, Founder of Divine Chic Hair and Image, who is our neighbour in EAST YARD and a creative powerhouse in her own right. We will also share with you our readers our journey over the past seven months in transforming this space from what it was into what we see today.Finally we'll look back at the many happenings and 'firsts' that have taken place at EAST YARD in such a short space of time and also look at what's left for 2017.

With that said, I wish to thank everyone who has helped transform this space to a place. Whether you rolled up your sleeves and helped us mix cement, gave us same plants, cheered from the sidelines, supported an event or even liked the content we have posted online - we value all of it and it has by no small means contributed to the energy that resides in this space. Happy Holidays and a blessed 2018!

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DARE TO BE DIFFERENT. DARE TO BE DIVINE CHIC.

Photography:Â Nkosi Sherman Grooming: Divine Chic Hair and Image Wardrobe : Divine Chic Hair and Image

"LOVE WHAT YOU DO"

Describing Anna Allen as a hard worker doesn't even properly summarize the drive and will to succeed she possesses. A wife, public servant and entrepreneur, Anna appears to be able to do it all but also do it 'Divine Chic'.

We now shine our spotlight on Anna and hope some that divine chic magic rubs off on us.

EY: When did you know you wanted to be get into the beauty business?

ANNA: I believe it was destiny. I fell into it naturally. I started doing my own hair at an early age.

EY: How long have you been in business?

ANNA: I have been in business for 10 years.

Outdoors at EAST YARD EY: What was your first big opportunity ANNA: Doing my first bride in 2013 and she and the groom were both featured in Essence Magazine.

EY: What inspires your work?

ANNA: Nature, people and travel influence me most.

EY: What are you most proud of thus far?

ANNA: I'm proud of how far I've come. Because I started off basically in my bedroom.

EY: How have you found the journey as someone who is also holds down a full time job as well as a business?

ANNA: It has been a great experience thus far. Because of the good and bad times, lots of lessons have been learnt.

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"BAD DECISIONS HAVE HELPED ME MATURE" EY: What advice would you give someone in your position?

ANNA: Love what you do, so when you feel like giving up you can dig deep and remember why you are doing it in the first place.

EY: Why did you choose to set up shop in Arima?

ANNA: Because Arima is missing what we offer at Divine Chic Hair and Image.

Arima folks deserve the quality.

EY: If you had to do it all again what would you do differently?

ANNA: I would definitely make better informed decisions, so I would be further ahead. But nothing before its time. Bad decisions have helped me mature.

EY: Is being a female entrepreneur more challenging?

ANNA: At times it can be depending on what opportunities come your way.

Working with other women who may be unsure about themselves can also become a challenge. Additionally, some men can also pose a challenge when they do not respect your craft or you as a woman.

EY: What's next for Divine Chic Hair and Image?

ANNA: Hmm...I don't want to let the cat out of the bag but what I'll say for now is that we're rebranding and can't wait for the launch of our website and other exciting stuff in the works.

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EY: What is your fondest Arima memory?

ANNA: Graduating from my Primary School, Arima Girl's Government School...The best girl's school in Arima :) EY: What is your most treasured possession?

ANNA: My heart.

EY: What is your idea of perfect happiness?

ANNA: Being satisfied and content.

EY: What is your motto?

ANNA: Before leaving Hair, Make Up, Smile don't leave my Chair; Until you are satisfied.

Divine Chic Hair and Image is located to the front of compound that houses EAST YARD, so when you're coming to visit us, feel free to pop upstairs and say hello to Anna and her team of aestheticians. Divine Chic Hair and Image is also open on Sundays.

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connoisseur SLLAC ESUOH

OD EW

GNIXAW

PU EKAM

RIAH

NOLAS

ECIVRES LLUF

Divinechic hair & image

23 Prince Street, Arima, Trinidad and Tobago Call (868) 385-0216 or Email divinechichairnimage@gmail.com @divinechichairnimage

Open on Sundays

TURNING THIS ‘SPACE’ INTO A ‘PLACE’

EAST YARD

SO IT IS THE INTENTION TO INTEGRATE THE ARTS INTO PLACES WHERE WE LIVE AND WORK, TELLING THE STORY OF A COMMUNITY. EAST YARD has been built on the foundation of creative placemaking, which has its roots in planning and urban design.

The practice is centered on people taking intentional responsibility for creating the built environment or creating these places. The focus of infusing creativity at the heart of these places is more recent. Looking to the arts as vehicles through which communities are built but also as evidence of the pulse of a community. So it is the intention to integrate the arts into places where we live and work, telling the story of a community. Creative placemaking's aim is to show you what’s so wonderful about a city, its food, music and art by using all the above to create value added communities and attract cultural tourism.

A

BEFORE

AFTER

Outdoors at EAST YARD

The big picture is creating a branded city that would attract, local regional and international cultural creatives.

There is a shift happening in terms of understanding the market. Instead of focusing on demographics and traditional marketing means, an emerging trend is to look at the market from a values perspective. An excellent resource for a deeper understanding of the shift in humanity is the book The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World, by sociologist Paul H. Ray and psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson, which was first published in 2000. In it, they describe an emerging market segment that they call Cultural Creatives.

Cultural Creatives like to travel, see nature as sacred, have general green values and view relationships as important.

Success is not a high priority and they are interested in self-actualization and don’t believe in financial materialism.

Although their focus is not on material wealth, they don’t have financial problems, believe in humanistic psychology, have optimism about the future and want creative time. There are literally hundreds of millions of CC’s across the globe, yet what is interesting about this is that they often feel they are alone. This is the fastest growing market segment globally but because they are not talking openly about their view points and values to each other, they often feel isolated. Thus places like EAST YARD become havens.

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Rebecca Solnit speaks about gentrification and the role of culture in cities. "Culture is not only economically beneficial to cities; in a deeper sense, it’s what cities are for. A city without poets, painters and photographers is sterile—it’s a suburb. It doesn’t contain the mirrors of its own inner workings, in the form of creativity, criticism or cultural memory. It’s undergone a lobotomy".

EAST YARD was created to reverse this so called lobotomy using elements of social design, which within the design world is sometimes defined as a design process that contributes to improving human well-being and livelihood. As such the space has been designed to be multi functional and truly engaging.

BEFORE

Created to be a true home for the arts and culture with a purpose in mind for trade EAST YARD is using arts, culture and communications tools to influence positive behaviour change, to impact on the lives of others in the community.

AFTER AFTER

The belief is When we create a localized community we are placemaking. It is often when we become most local that we become most universal.

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

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IN 'DE' YARD Since our first event in September, the YARD has indeed been busy. Here we take a quick look back at CFAFF 2017, EAST YARD Cinema presented by Animae Caribe, Golden Trio Sip and Paint Series and PechaKucha Night Arima Volume 1.

CFAFF 2017

EAST YARD Cinema by Animae Caribe

Golden Trio Sip and Paint

PechaKucha Night Arima Volume 1

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NOMADIC

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