Sutra Magazine 005: Onward

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CONTENT 002.

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Contributors

Bukiie Smart

Toyosi Alexis

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Letter from Chis + Coco

Eudaimonia Wellness Hub

Posts We Love

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Doyin Adeyemi

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Tolu Adewale | AnEatersPlayground

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Rolake Asumah

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Kandace Banks

Sihle Bolani

CC Playlist

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Tiwa Sagoe | The Halo Hub

Black Women

Danielle Mbonu

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Mazino Malaka

BUTORS

CONTRI

COCO + CHIS Bukiie Smart Danielle Mbonu | Dan Mbo Tolu Adewale | AnEatersPlayground Toyosi Alexis Mazino Malaka Kandace Banks Tiwa Sagoe | The Halo Hub Doyin Adeyemi Eudaimonia Wellness Hub Sihle Bolani Rolake Asumah Abiola Renée Saleema Sanni Seta The Label + YOU SUTRA FAM

JUNE 2020

ONWARD

Hi Sutra Fam, Change is always uncomfortable. That's what we believe 2020 has represented; change. The rawness of this year has caused a lot of us to grow in ways we never thought we could. A lot of the plans we had for the year were disrupted and most of us have had to restructure our lives. We know this has been extremely difficult for a lot of us. Adjusting has been hard. Amidst the pandemic, we are also in the middle of the fight against racism and sexism. The recent killings of Black people as well as sexual assult and rape stories, especially in Nigeria, have riled up so much anger in our community; rightfully so.

Even though this is not the way we all intended to start this new decade, we employ you to keep pushing. Do not give up. There is so much more to come and we believe that things are going to get so much better eventually. More importantly, make sure you take time off social media periodically to recharge.

We all have a responsibility to unlearn a lot of things. You are personally responsible for becoming more ethical than the society you grew up in.

We hope you enjoy this issue and are able to feel optimistic about our future as individuals and as a community.

Love always, CC x

SELF-COMPASSION, SELF-ACCEPTANCE & SELF-FORGIVENESS

PRACTICING INTENTIONALITY by doYIN aDEYEMI

The person I was in March 2020, when COVID 19 was first declared a global pandemic, is different in many ways from the person I am today. So much has changed in the world at large and in my personal world. We’ve all, to an extent, had to experience the loss of how our year was supposed to go.We had plans for 2020 - things we planned to do; places we planned to go to. A global pandemic? I can imagine that was in none of our plans. Collectively, we experienced loss. The world that we knew and lived in before the pandemic is no more and we all had to grieve that loss and so much more.

We are not the same people we were before we experienced this collective loss and had to collectively grieve. To some extent there has been change. For me, change has looked like releasing shame and clinging closer to my spirituality. I came into this year with an idea of how it was supposed to go and what it was supposed to look like. There are things I was holding on to closely coming into the year, that have now lost meaning, and I’m grateful for that.

ONWARD

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JUNE 2020

This year, I have truly seen the importance/value of intention. I’ve come to understand that in many ways intentionality precedes resilience. It was in the last year, I truly got to understand that unlearning is an act of resilience. Unlearning for me, is defined as uprooting with intention. When we unlearn we leave things behind, and whatever is left behind - could be a lie, bad habit, a destructive thought pattern, behavior, a dysfunctional way of being and doing things - whatever is left is a loss. We lose parts of ourselves when we unlearn; we are transformed and grow as we move through this uncomfortable process of unlearning.

There is a great deal of loss involved in this process and all losses must be grieved. Grief is an uncomfortable part of growth and we must be willing to embrace it. As Lisa Olivera said, “grief is experienced not only during death, but also in times of significant transformation.”

I understood what this meant when I came to the realization and acknowledged that I was grieving parts of myself I’ve lost as a result of unlearning. I had to call the grief out for what it was, and embrace it. Feelings of loss can sometimes make us feel paralyzed, but knowing what we’re experiencing and being able to fully embrace it helps us move forward. It's sometimes hard to notice that we’ve left things behind and grown but taking time out to reflect on your personal growth is essential and a form of self-care.

Change in this season has also looked like being more intentional about certain practices. As I’ve grown and released things, created room for better and embraced new things, I’ve recognized the importance of three practices: self-compassion, self-acceptance, and selfforgiveness. Unlearning is the act of change that has solidified my understanding of these practices. Over the last year, and especially the last couple of months, I’ve spent time reflecting on my definitions and understanding of them.

ONWARD

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JUNE 2020

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SELF-COMPASSION Shailene Woodley once said during a Big Little Lies roundtable, “Truth without compassion is cruelty…if I’m going to force myself to face a truth but I’m not being compassionate towards myself in that truth, it’s cruel.” It is true. I believe the process of unlearning requires a great deal of facing hard truths - things that would be easier to hide, ignore or pretend don’t exist. Part of getting to the root of things is coming face to face with hard truths - there’s no escaping it. Selfcompassion is necessary for sitting in, accepting and releasing those truths. Sometimes facing a hard truth can look like acknowledging certain ways you’ve come to be that are not in alignment with who you want to be; acknowledging that how you came to be those things is rooted in something you learnt unconsciously and as a defense mechanism. Understanding the roots of things creates room for compassion for self and offering of grace to self.

SELF-ACCEPTANCE Self-acceptance does not equal complacency. When I think about selfacceptance, I think about self-awareness. I think that it is important we keep working to become clearer to ourselves and to accept all the things that make us who we are. Acceptance does not mean believing this is how you will always be, it means acknowledging the reality of things so that you can clearly assess what needs to be worked on and unlearnt. I truly believe for change to happen in a way that is lasting and meaningful, self-acceptance needs to be what is driving it. All parts of you are deserving of acceptance.

ONWARD

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JUNE 2020

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SELF-FORGIVENESS There’s a famous Maya Angelou quote: “Forgive yourself for not knowing what you didn’t know before you learned it.” It’s one of my favorite reminders that I keep at the front of my mind at all times. I’ve recently derived my own quote from that reminder: “Forgive yourself for what you held on to before you allowed consciously unlearning to be a choice.” I understand now, that there is forgiveness in what I needed to learn and what I needed to unlearn too.

Continuous and intentional dedication to these three practices creates the foundation for self-love for me. I am outside of love when I am not practicing intentionality with them. When that foundation is set, I am able to better care and show up for myself and to keep walking in my purpose and my calling.

As things are resetting and we move onward into the new normal, I hope you remember to practice intentionality with self-compassion, selfacceptance & self-forgiveness. It is easier to be compassionate, accepting and forgiving when it comes to others, but when it comes to ourselves we are only going to be able to really practice these things when we are intentional about them. I am so excited for the next half of the year. 2020 still has so much in store for us all, I wholeheartedly believe it.

KANDACE BANKS

" .tcepser sti nrae yademos ot gnipoh maerd noihsaf-hgih eht gnisahc gnola tnew I tub ,tlef syawla ev'I taht timda ll'I taht gnihtemos saw sihT .noitpecni rieht ecnis elpoep kcalb rof dragersid tnatalb rieht rof tuo dellac gnieb era snoitutitsni noihsaf fo tol a ,gnineppah s'taht noitulover tnerruc eht htiW "

Calvein Klein x Coachella Photographed by Curt Saunders Styling & Modeling by Kandace Banks

What is your earliest fashion memory?

My earliest fashion memories are definitely all about my grandmother. She was the first lady of the church (my grandfather was a widely respected pastor) and she had multiple closets full of furs, shoes, hats and scarves. There are pictures of my sister and I playing with her accessories in our family photo album.

She was a very classy woman.

What's your favourite part about being a stylist?

The best part of styling is seeing everything come together after all the sleepless nights.

Whether it's a tv show or an editorial, seeing the finished product just makes it all worth it.

What's it like styling a shoot compared to a Tv show like HBO's Insecure?

Editorials are a piece of cake compared to styling a tv show.

With a show, there's an insane amount of preparation that goes into each episode over an extended period of time. With a regular shoot, there's usually just a couple days of prep before spending a day on set. Don't get me wrong, shoots can be strenuous as well, but it doesn't compare to a whole show in my opinion.

How did growing up in Indiana shape your relationship with style?

I'd credit Sunday church services for sparking my interest in fashion more so than Indiana as a whole. Black church was my first version of a fashion show, which happened weekly. It was my introduction to putting thought into my outfits. I was taught from a young age to be conscious of my appearance and to keep myself as immaculate as possible. I even had a journal where I wrote down everything I wore so I could make sure I never repeated a look. As I got older, my mother taught me to sew on her sewing machine, because her mother had taught her. It was inevitable that I would end up in fashion.

What was your inspiration behind styling Teen Vogue's Black Girl Church documentary?

What did you want their clothes/styling to show?

The creative director (MicaĂŠla Verrelien) came to me with a very specific vision in mind. She wanted strong colors with everyone coordinating, reminiscent of Destiny's Child. Since I was styling a range of beautiful body types, I went to a brand that worked for everyone's shape (Son Jung Wan).

The furs were magnificent and very appropriate as it was shot in February.

Photographed by: Camille Shaw | Creative Direction by: Micaela Verrelien | Hair by: Cille | Makeup by: KKB, Daphney | Models: Kelly Augustine, Audrey W, Marissa Pina, Marjon Carlos, Genesis Vega, Micaela Verrelien | Styled by: Kandace Banks

Expanding on the conversation around Black women, we often see people describe us as 'fearless'. How true is that description to you?

I know a lot of strong and fearless black women, and I truly believe we are the backbone of the culture. But I also think that we should be given a little grace to admit when we're feeling weak. As for myself, there are certain things that I will fearlessly attack head-on, and there are definitely things that scare me. And it's okay to feel both ways.

You looked absolutely stunning in the Madam CJ Walker x Sephora hair campaign! How has your relationship with hair developed over the years?

My relationship with my hair has stayed extremely safe over the years. I did go through a short phase where I bleached my hair blonde after high school! But for the most part, I've always kept it very simple and pretty much the same. I've had several people tell me that the pixie cut is an iconic look for me, so I'll be rocking this for a while. But who knows... maybe I'll have another phase where I drastically switch it up in the future.

What was it like being in-front of the camera as opposed to being a part of the group behind the scenes that plans and puts the image together?

I was extremely shy on set at first, because there was a very large crew with a lot of people watching. I knew the photographer though (Adrienne Raquel - her work is legendary!) so she came over a couple times to give me encouragement outside of everyone's earshot. It was a wild feeling to be in the center of a photoshoot on that scale.

What are the best and worst things you've done to your hair?

I'd say that cutting my hair off in 2017 was the best decision I ever made. The worst was bleaching my hair at home. I didn't care for it properly, and it ended up becoming so dry and brittle that it fell out in my fingers. I knew it was terrible I was all dressed up in the club one night, and I heard some girls dragging me because of the bleach damaged blonde! That was almost 10 years ago, and I've definitely stepped my hair care up since then.

Photographed by: Adrienne Raquel | Produced by: Que Duong | Hair by: Robyn Michele | Makeup by: Kisha Augustine | Model: Kandace Banks | Styled by: Christiaan Choy

What's the story behind how you choose to wear your hair?

I wore my hair natural for years. My 4c hair has trouble retaining moisture, so my nightly routine was an hour long in order for my curls to stay healthy. It got to a point where I just decided to chop it off! I went to my Trinidadian stylist in Flatbush and she gave me the pixie cut. That was 3 years ago, and I haven't looked back.

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Tell us one way you've invested in yourself since quarantine started?

I've taken up pottery during quarantine. I'm very interested in interior design outside of fashion. I decided to start making little things for my home, and it's beautiful because it's made from my own hands with love. It's been a great way to relax and take my mind off of everything.

In your opinion, what's one important thing we should be taking away from everything going on around us - Covid-19, Racism - systematic or not, Black men and women being killed with no justice, a broken system etc ?

This is a heavy topic. The main thing that we need to take away is that we can't ignore our history. Once we (as a nation) understand that America has whitewashed the truth and passed along an edited version for generations, we will realize that America was never created with black success in mind. They created this for themselves. White people built this country on our backs with the belief that we weren't even fully human. So the idea of us owning homes, receiving an education, becoming entrepreneurs, and just enjoying life in general literally makes their blood boil. They pushed us out of their society through segregation, then came and burned our wealthy neighborhoods to the ground once they saw that we can actually thrive without them.Yes, we have come a long way.

We've come so far that a lot of people don't understand why we should still be mad today. We have many black influential figures who are so successful that it's easy to believe that oppression is in the past. We're allowed to live in white neighborhoods now, so everything must be okay.

Our schools are integrated, so our children must be getting a proper education by now. We have streets and schools named after Martin Luther King, so we should be grateful that racism ended once they put up some street signs in his memory. I believe we're at a turning point in our nation's history. Everyone is waking up and realizing the multitudes of ways our government has kept racism alive through laws that sound harmless by using colorful language to "legally" target the black community. White people are being called out and forced to face the ugly truths that the media has swept under the rug for decades. People are on the ground recording things that are happening in real time, and using their platforms to broadcast the reality that we're living in. Thank God for the ones who are using social media to shine a light on the truths that America doesn't want us to see. Hopefully things will start to drastically change for the better. We are really living through a revolution.

Once the global health pandemic hit, a lot of businesses and individuals were forced to improvise and come up with new ways to continue working while staying safe. As a stylist, how do you think your job is going to change when the pandemic is over?

I'm definitely one of the people whose life was completely uprooted during the pandemic. I made the decision to leave New York, because the dense population there seemed like a breeding ground for the virus. I've been quarantining back home in Indiana with my family. It seems that being a stylist is a past life for me now. With the current revolution that's happening, a lot of fashion institutions are being called out for their blatant disregard for black people since their inception. This was something that I'll admit that I've always felt, but I went along chasing the high-fashion dream hoping to someday earn its respect. I now know that this is something I can no longer be content with if I truly want to be fulfilled. My friends and I have been discussing other ways that we can use our lives to make a difference and uplift our people.

I've made arrangements to move to LA once the pandemic is over, with less of a focus on styling.

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TIWA

SAGOE

Natural Hair

THE HALO HUB protecting, nurturing, cherishing and loving our crowns

FACT FILE

Q: When did you go natural? Did you do the big chop?

A: I’ve actually been natural all my life, however I had very bad natural hair practices. Most of us growing up during the late 90s and 00s were not privy to the knowledge we have now on how to take care of our hair and because of that I found my hair to be a real pain to manage. I straightened my hair all the time. Not proud to admit that I even used to straighten my hair while it was still damp because I just couldn’t be bothered. So you can imagine I had pretty bad heat damage. I basically restarted my hair journey in 2015 - I was too scared to big chop (even though that’s what my hair really needed) so I just cut off all my heat damage. I think my hair was about cheek length when stretched.

Q: One natural product your hair loves?

A: This is so hard to pick! But my hair absolutely loves the Carol’s daughter Coco Creme Coil Enhancing Moisture Butter. WOW. A real shock because I was not a fan of any of the other products I used from their range. I was so skeptical but gave in because of the great reviews and I’m so happy I did. This is a holy grail product for me for so many reasons. I love it mostly because its a one and done product. I literally don’t need to layer this product with a leavein or even seal because its packed with moisture. It’s got mango seed butter, murumuru seed butter and coconut milk . I love the consistency - it looks like whipped cream and melts into my hair so easily. With this product I feel like I’m not making a trade off between having well moisturised hair and curl definition, it gives me both which I find a lot of creams cannot offer.

Q: Hair curl pattern?

A: I would say I have a mixture of 4a and 4b. My nape and crown are 4a, but the middle of my hair and the sides are the coarsest parts.

Q: Hair porosity?

A: I have low porosity hair Q: Do you use heat on your hair?

A: With my experiences with heat growing up, I’m pretty scared of getting heat damage and having to start all over. I haven’t straightened my hair since 2016 but I blow out my hair 1-3 times a year, normally when I want to put my hair in braids, do a length check or give myself a haircut.

Q: Rank in order: Wigs, braids and natural hairstyles A: Natural hairstyles, braids, anything else, wigs - sadly they really don’t suit me.

Hydration and moisture are two of the most claimed features of curly hair products. I feel like a lot of brands use these words interchangeably that I, for the longest time thought they meant the same thing. I think it is crucial for people to understand the difference between these words so that they can use the appropriate products for their hair needs.

HYDRATION - This is more easily explained through the analogy of drinking water.

Humans are supposed to drink approximately 2+ litres of water a day. Hydration is a continuous act - if you stop drinking water you put your body at risk of dehydration and the same thing goes for hair. Your hair needs to be replenished regularly with water especially type 4 hair, the driest hair type, in order to thrive.

Water is the most hydrating ingredient you can put in your hair - that is why you tend to see it as one of the top ingredients in hair products. If not water, you will probably have seen other hydrating ingredients e.g aloe vera and coconut water which both have a high water content and can penetrate the hair strands.

HYDRATED HAIR

Benefits of hydration: (Re)defines curls Makes hair more manageable Adds shine to the hair

Tell tale signs that your hair is dehydrated: Dry Frizzy Dull-looking Stiff

The real struggle with hydration is keeping it in your hair. The reason why hair tends to feel dry using some of these ingredients solely or products that are majorly waterbased is because the hydration penetrates to the inner shaft of your hair but doesn’t coat the outer layer. That’s where moisture comes in.

ALL SUMMER

MOISTURE MOISTURE MOISTURE I feel that there are two functions of this Hydration retainer - there are certain ingredients that enable maximum hydration absorption to the hair. Products that make hair feel ‘wellmoisturised’ usually contain humectants such as honey and glycerin, which work by pulling water from the air into the hair which makes it feel softer and moisturised for longer.

Barrier - I’ve understood moisture to be a ‘state’ of your hair. This can be explained using the environment. The air in Lagos for instance is quite humid, which means there are high levels of water vapour in the air. To keep those high levels of water in your hair, a sealant needs to be used to coat the outer layer to stop hydration from escaping the hair shaft.

Sealants such as mango & shea butter or even oils like olive oil or coconut oil keep your hair in a ‘state’ of moisture. While acting as a barrier these various sealants have other benefits such as enriching the hair with vitamins, nutrients and strengthening the hair.

Benefits of moisture: Softens hair Makes hairstyles last longer Improves hair elasticity Strengthens hair Tell tale signs your hair needs moisture: Hair feels weak Tangles easily Dry Breakage

WARNING: It is important not to overuse sealants as they can be quite heavy, causing build up and may leave your hair feeling weighed down and greasy.

There are certainly some crossovers with products that offer both hydration and moisture but ultimately both are needed for healthy hair maintenance.

That is why we see a lot of products mix ingredients with hydrating and moisturising properties to achieve certain styles and looks and depending on your hair type/what you hair needs, certain products will work better for you. For instance I find that products created for wash n go’s tend to have more hydrating properties than moisturising ones.

This might explain why some of you may have experienced dryness trying some of these products. I think its all about striking a balance so here are some products I feel do a good job of balancing both!

Pre-poo I feel like a lot of naturals forgo this step and jump straight into shampoo resulting in loads of tangles and unnecessary breakage. On wash day my hair is usually a bit dry and tangled, depending on how I’ve just worn my hair, so my hair needs to undergo a process of detangling before a cleanse.

STEP 2

African Pride ‘Moisture Miracle’ Aloe & Coconut Water Pre-Shampoo DIY - Pulse (in a blender) Raw aloe vera with some olive oil

Cleanse If you feel like you may have build up caused by over-moisturising your hair, try a claryfing shampoo like Redken Clean Maniac Shampoo OR Klorane Anti-Pollution and Detox Shampoo (contains sulphates).

The Mane Choice ‘Easy On The Curls’ Hydration Shampoo (AMAZING) - hair feels soft/tangle free and leaves curls defined DIY - Bentonite Clay mixed with a water and ACV

STEP 3

STEP 1

MOISTURE + HYDRATION HAVEN

Deep Condition Curls Dynasty Pumpkin Mint Deep Treatment Masque - clean and rich ingredients list my hair eats this up! It leaves my hair feeling super soft Affordable alternative - African Pride ‘Moisture Miracle’ Moroccan Clay & Shea Butter Heat Activated masque (contains silicones) Add-ons to existing deep conditioners to make them extra moisturising - honey, ghee and olive oil

STEP 4

Leave-in Conditioner Miche Beauty ‘Lavish’ 3-in-1 leave in conditioner (WOW) this product is so amazing. It was recommended to me by fellow natural hair bloggers @thebloomingfros and wow.

Mind blown. This does everything it claims to do and is buildable - if you use enough you can go without using a styler and just seal.

Affordable alternative - African Pride ‘Moisture Miracle’ Coconut Oil & Baobab Oil Hydrate & Strengthen Leave-in Cream

STEP 5

Style Twist or Braid-out - Carol’s Daughter Coco Creme Coil Enhancing Moisture Butter amazing and can be used (depending on your hair type) without layering a leave-in conditioner. Naturals with 4c hair I would recommend pairing this with a water-based leave-in e.g. As I Am Leave-in Conditioner.

Moisturised Wash N Go - Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Cream - I love this because unlike gel wash n go’s, this doesn’t leave my hair with a gel cast or any flakes. I would have to pair this with heavier sealant like mango butter, (olive oil will suffice if you don’t like butters)

STEP 6

Seal Oil Mix (in an applicator bottle) - Olive Oil, Peppermint Oil and Castor Oil - I like to warm these up in my hands then apply to my hair Butters - If you haven’t tried so already I would recommend using whipped butters instead of butters in their raw/natural state. Whipping softens the butters and I find they apply more easily to my hair that way. I can be a bit heavy handed so whipping also ensures I’m not putting too much sealant on my hair.

WASH DAY ROUTINE EDITION

finance writer + podcast host,

BUKIIE

SMART

" The ABCs of Personal Finance was inspired by the everyday interactions I was having on social media by talking about my journey with personal finance. I realised that a lot of people asked the same or similar questions so I put a lot of the questions together on a word document and wrote some answers I could always refer people back to, and it turned into a book! "

Y C A R £ T T I N L A L T R IA O C P N £ M A I H T IN $ O F A £ T H S T U J $ A IS $ £ C F I I S L A N B I

Did you have any previous experience with writing? Sort of. I've been writing informally for as long as I can remember. I cowrote an unpublished book when I was much younger, think 7/8 with a friend and then another one at 12/13 which didn't materialise when my computer crashed and I lost everything! Since then, I've always found mediums to express myself mostly through blogs, and then more recently on social media, but I've always wanted to be a 'proper' writer / author!

Financial freedom - we love that you help women achieve that through 'The Save Spend Invest Podcast'. Why did you choose a podcast? (As opposed to a blog.)

I actually did (do?!) have a blog when I started off (www.savespendinvest.co.uk). But a lot of the content I was writing needed more context and I always had more to say than I thought I should be writing because people didn't want to read as much as they wanted to listen or watch something.

So one day I downloaded a podcast app and started recording a blog post I was going to write about. I posted it and it got great feedback so I've just kept on going really as it's what a lot of my audience prefer, at least for now.

Your February 2020 episode was titled 'Are we going back to budgeting this year?'. How has your perspective on budgeting changed from the first episode 'Stop Budgeting. Start Amounting' to now?

Haha, my first episode was September 2018 and since then A LOT has changed, and keeps changing with my views as I grow up. In my first episode, I was realising that instead of just doing "budgeting" which people actually don't really enjoy, you could be automating things directly from your bank account and so you didn't need the spreadsheets or apps after all. In the most recent episode in Feb 2020, I've realised that a lot of us aren't as disciplined as we'd like to be, and changing monthly situations means we can't just set it (the automations) and forget it. So a rolling budget, where you can change things each month based on what's happening in your life is more realistic and useful.

Talking finances can often leave people feeling vulnerable as everyone has a different experience and goal with money. Is this something we should be scared to share with others?

Absolutely not. I think vulnerability breeds power, whatever area of life we find ourself. There's no reason we should be scared of sharing our journey with money, as it makes us feel helpless and we don't benefit anything by keeping quiet. Instead, when we talk more about it, we get more comfortable and stand to get new stand points and even helpful things others are doing that could help you so much.

What is your tip for someone who wants to spoil themselves with an expensive gift but is worried about how others will react to it?

Do YOU! As long as you're staying true to yourself, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. People will always have an opinion about you, with or without the expensive gift. But if you can afford it and you want it, then get it and enjoy it! I believe it's important to not let other people's opinions of us judge us from making or not making decisions for our own money. That said, I always say to people - always think about your why. Why are you buying this?

To show off? As a treat for yourself? Just because you can afford it? Once you've thought through the why and you still feel like you want it, by all means please get it. I believe that people work hard for their money and should therefore enjoy it too!

MONÂŁY TALK

FUTURE OF FINANCE How do you think the OF FINANCE What's one thing about FUTURE Covid-19 pandemic has changed or will change people's relationships with finance in the future?

finance that you believe will change in the future?

Technology for sure. I FUTURE OF FINANCE I think (& hope!) that people's mindset about what's valuable and worth spending on will shift dramatically. That we don't need all the things we used to spend on to feel like our life was great. That going out and having shopping hauls is nice, but it's not a 'do or die' like I think most people before would have thought. I think also that people are more aware of the importance of emergency funds and having backup savings because anything can go wrong and you want to make sure you're very well secured in the face of the worst.

believe that technology can help people increase financial literacy and remove barriers for doing better with their personal finances. From smart digital banks like Monzo and Revolut to roboadvisors that help you start investing with as little as your spare change, like Moneybox, I think the more people use it, the more it will change lives. It definitely has changed mine already.

KLAT Y£NOM

Can you explain how the word finances is a broader term that includes money? Often people only think it's about money/cash.

Finances mainly describes money, but personal finance encompasses much more than that. Personal finance really is about your mindset to do with money, your relationship with it and how it affects you personally. I usually say personal finance itself is 80% about mindset and 20% about money or other technical terms. It's important for people to know that because a lot of the problem young people have to do with money, is completely unrelated to money itself.

It's not about how much money you make, or even save, it's about what you think about money. If you're only saving money to spend it on things that dont add value to you, then what's the point? The fundamental issue is your mindset about how you think money can benefit you. For me, it's always been a tool to buy back my time freedom so whenever I'm making decisions on how to save, spend or invest it, my mindset is always - how will this get me closer to my goal? If I think buying coffee will help me get in the mind space to work better and therefore get my work done more efficiently, then I'd buy it! If I think saving 30% of my income will help me invest in assets that will get me passive income and eventually outgrow my active income, then I'm doing it!

How do you stay disciplined in a world that is so loud?

GIRL. It's an ongoing battle. I'm very motivated with my financial goals because of my long term vision (time freedom), and so that really keeps me disciplined. It's easy for me to say no to buying nice things for myself, or going out with friends every time because I'm trying to get somewhere. Not to say I don't still have fun or enjoy myself, I definitely do love having fun and hanging out with my friends, and buying a nice thing or two, but for now, it's in moderation. I splurge on travel for example, but that's about it. Everything else I know will come in time and the closer I get to my goal, the more disciplined I am.

a wellness brand focused on helping africans in and around the diaspora to achieve human flourishing

MINDFULNESS with Eudaimonia Wellness Hub

It is defined as the act of “ maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens”. For us we see it as a really simple and effective way to stay in tune with yourself and make sure that you’re always listening and being mindful of your body, mind and soul, it can be easy to stay constantly in the past or in the future but never in the moment. Lets face it, our generation lives life through a series of videos and photographs, whether we're at a concert, spotting a rainbow, making a smoothie or even taking a bath, many would think about how to capture the moment rather than how to live in it. Not to mention the success and productivity driven culture which makes many of us obsess about and plan for the future at every moment. It gives our mind and bodies no time to live in the now or take in the present, let’s learn to place less of an emphasis on the past or the future and focus on the here and now.

01 Mindfulness helps to improve our mental health , when we take time to check in and listen to our bodies, we’re able to notice mood changes and triggers much more easily which allows us to respond to them quicker. Practicing mindfulness will reduce the risk of reaching a burnout or experiencing panic attacks

Mindfulness also helps to improve our general health & well being , if we are aware of our body and how it is reacting to anything from food to scents it makes it easier for us to determine how to nourish ourselves, when to rest, how to self are and so on.

03 Mindfulness helps us to be happier. When we live in the moment we notice the wonderful things that we would ordinarily ignore, beautiful natural scents, scenes, sounds and tastes, noticing the beauty in nature is a guaranteed mood lifter and will always give you something to be grateful for !

s ti f e n e b

02

3 Ways to Practice Mindfulness

Journaling This helps us to write about our thoughts and feelings, as well as being helpful in releasing things from our mind, it also allows us to process and access what it is that we feel and the emotions we are experiencing.

Tip: Try to give yourself 5 minutes at the start of the day to journal about how you feel on your phone, laptop or notepad.

Gratitude This helps us to look around and observe our current surroundings and circumstances to find appreciation in it.

Tip: Try to practice gratitude by writing down or saying out loud a few things you're grateful for daily

Mindful Eating This helps us to listen to our bodies when it comes to food, it tells us to stop eating when we feel full, to concentrate while eating to avoid overeating & to consider the nutritional value and origin of the foods we eat.

Tip : Try to eat without distractions (tv shows, podcasts etc.) so we can focus on the meal and our bodies messages.

TOLU ADEWALE

What's your favourite cuisine?

Italian. I could eat pasta and tiramisu every single day, but at my core I love a good meal from home; yam pottage, beans & dodo (fried plantain), rice & okra (YES), amala & ewedu. I could go on.

What's your favourite recipe on your website?

I am incredibly indecisive so I cannot choose one. It changes, but right now I’d say the Goat Cheese & Goat Meat Flatbread, the Thai Cod Red Curry or the Triple Chocolate Brownie Browned Butter Cookies.

An Eater's Playground

What's a strange food combination that you love?

I personally don’t think it is strange but people seem to think rice and okra is a strange combination. I LOVE it.

The perfect brunch meal consists of...

Sweet & savoury. I always opt for a nonbasic French Toast paired with quality sausages, eggs and maybe smoked salmon. Also mimosas, mimosas are important.

Five essential ingredients you can't live without?

Hmmmmm. Onions, garlic, scotch bonnet, olive oil and honey. Cinnamon if we’re also talking baking.

In your opinion, what's the most underrated and overrated food?

Overrated - bacon, waffles and sometimes chicken. Underrated - bulgur wheat.

Are there foods that you eat specifically on self care days?

Fruit & veggie smoothies, apple crumble and I just generally satisfy any craving I have that day, within reason.

Imagine Rihanna knocked on your door and asked you to make her something, what dish would you make?

Rihanna strikes me as someone who loves to try new things and appreciates different cultures. She’s well travelled so I have no business making something from Italy or France. She’s from Barbados so she doesn’t need my Caribbean food. I would definitely make her a Nigerian dish.

Of all the Nigerian food I make my beans are the absolute best so I’d do one of my variations - seafood or a fresh take on Ewa Agoyin, with fried plantains.

Shrimp & Prosciutto SPAGHETTI

THE INGrEDIENTS 8 ounces Spaghetti 6 slices Prosciutto, finely chopped 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves 1/4 cup white wine/white wine vinegar 1lb Shrimp 1tbsp honey dijon mustard 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt & pepper to taste 1tbsp olive oil

THE METHOD

1. Boil pasta till al dente. Set aside 2. Heat up olive oil in a large pot. SautĂŠ the onions and garlic for 2 minutes till fragrant, then add shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes then set aside. Add in prosciutto. Brown the prosciutto for 3 minutes.

3. Add white wine to deglaze the pot. Add tomatoes and honey dijon. Simmer for a few minutes then add heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes 4. Add in shrimp and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in el dente spaghetti and gradually mix in cheese. Allow to cook for another 5-7 minutes.

Covid-19's Impact on our Relationship with Food

Has the current global pandemic changed your relationship with food in any way?

Definitely. I have always appreciated food - at its most basic and at its most extravagant but this has made me even more appreciative. Being in a situation where something as basic as flour cannot be easily accessed is very humbling. It makes you more appreciative. For a week I was out of flour and couldn’t make half of the things I had planned to make that week. It just puts things into perspective.

I've also had conversations with strangers like delivery drivers who have expressed the issues they have had with getting groceries for their families. As they deliver my own groceries - again, I'm so much more appreciative.

I have also gotten more creative and I use up every last ingredient.

Post Covid-19 do you think people would eat out at restaurants less?

I don’t necessarily think so. There will be some restrictions so I do think people will be more cautious but I also think when they do go out they will (or at least should) savour the experience more than ever. Not just because of the food but because of the privilege of being able to sit in a restaurant with other people after all that has happened. I also think people now realise that a lot of things can be made at home.

Photographer: Abiola RenĂŠe | Top: Seta The Label | Hair: Sutra by CC | Hair Styling & Makeup: Lush Locks LTD | Set Director: Saleema Sanni

Who is

Sihle Bolani " I’m the author of ‘We Are The Ones We Need: The War on Black Professionals in Corporate South Africa', a corporate communications strategist and organisational transformation advocate based in Johannesburg, South Africa. I am also the founder of Konnekted, a career development platform for Black professional women and workingwhileblack.co.za, an online career hub for Black professionals as well as a podcast called The Workplace Revolution with Sihle Bolani. "

What sparked your passion for black professionals in the workplace?

My own personal experiences of racism, discrimination and pay inequality in the workplace, having followed all prescribed institutional protocols in the pursuit of justice, made me realise that the corporate world/private sector thrives off the silencing and “divide and conquer” tactics used against Black professionals. My passion has been fuelled by my commitment to contributing towards a better reality for future generations who must reap the benefits of the work we do today.

Your book delves into the challenges you faced and what you believe many Black professionals in South Africa’s corporate environment experience as well; can you discuss this a bit? Do you think it’s worse for black women?

There are different examples and experiences that I share in the book, including being paid 2-3 times less than my white counterparts whilst doing double/triple the work without the support resources they had. I was cussed out by my boss and when I reported it, I was told, “she’s just passionate”. I was told I’m not a team player, I’m unapproachable, I don’t add value - all because I told my boss I would not tolerate being disrespected and abused in the workplace. She had a reputation for being a bully, but nobody had stood up to her the way I did. I do believe that Black women have it worse, absolutely, because in addition to racism, we must deal with misogynoir, comments about our hair, being sexualised in the workplace, being labelled “angry Black women/hostile/aggressive” anytime we use our voices in ways that create discomfort, being reduced to pop culture caricatures of Black womanhood as though Black womanhood is monolithic. We’re also the most underpaid group of people, although in many cases, the most educated, hard working and skilled.

Sihle

Bolani Do you think that the experience has changed for young black professionals in South Africa?

Not at all. What our parents experienced still exists because the systems that birthed the social, economic and professional oppression of Black professionals still exist. And the culture of fear for speaking against the system, the fear of job losses is still very prevalent. Corporate remains unwilling to listen to or acknowledge Black experiences.

Watching how corporations have responded to BLM has also provided an opportunity to clearly see who really cares about Black people and Black professionals.

What resources, if any, are available to help curb these inequalities?

We have to create our own resources. We have to build our own funds and we need to help build our own businesses. Slowly, more Black professionals, entrepreneurs and educators are creating platforms for the advancement of Black professionals and development of meaningful communities online and offline. From a legislative perspective, a lot of work still needs to be done because the current system just doesn’t work equitably or fairly for Black professionals.

When policies are developed without proper consultation with marginalised groups, whether at a government or organisational level, we will not achieve real change.

Amidst everything that’s going on right now, how do you feel about it all? Do you think we would ever get to a point where black people are treated as equal; be it in the workplace or in society in general?

Like so many others, I’m exhausted.

It’s ridiculous that Black people still have to spend so much time and energy explaining why equality is necessary and why our lives matter.

That’s why representation is so important. White people can continue to feign ignorance or confusion or respond with anger to our calls for justice, equity and equality because they are the ones in control, and they will do everything to evade accountability.

Being a black female during this time, in light of such horrible stories such as those of Tshego Fatso Pule, Tina, Oluwatoyin and Uwa to name a few, How have you been practicing self care & empowerment with everything going on?

I’ve had to remind myself that as much as I care about everything that’s happening, I can only do so much at a time.

I’ve had to learn that resting, switching off, finding moments of joy amidst the pain are all also revolutionary.

As much as I’m vocal about activism and am actively running various initiatives to advance that activism, I have embraced simply being an RT activist sometimes; retweeting posts that resonate with me, sharing others’ voices on my platforms and just listening.

BLACK WOMEN.

The most disrespected, unprotected and neglected woman in the world is the Black Woman.

R.I.P Breonna Taylor Uwavera Omozuwa Tina Ezekwe Oluwatoyin Salau Belly Mujinga Vera Uwaila Omozuwa Regis Korchinski-Paquet

1905 - Madam CJ Walker born (Sarah Breedlove) created specialized hair products for Black Hair.

This led to her becoming the first Black self-made American Woman to become a millionaire

1898 - Lyda Newman first patented the hairbrush. Her brush was the first to feature synthetic bristles rather than animal hair

1966 - Donyale Luna becomes the first Black Woman to cover British Vogue

1951- Christina Jenkins created the "HairWeave" - aka sew-in

1973 - Actress Cicely Tyson wears cornrows on cover of Jet magazine.

1974 - Beverly Johnson becomes the first Black Woman to cover American Vogue

1980 - Theora Stephens was granted a patent for "a more efficient pressing and curling iron"

1975 - Tracey "Africa" Norman, a transgender model, was featured on Clairol's Born Beautiful products.

2018 - Black hair care industry (U.S.) is worth $2.51 billion

1992 - Veronica Webb becomes first Black model to have a major beauty contract.

BLACK HAIRSTORY.

The history of all Black hairstyles originates in different ethnic groups across Africa. In history they represented status, tribe, identity, religion, marital status, age and even fertility.

When Black people had their hair shaved off on slave ships, they were stripped of their identity.

A Tignon - A type of head covering.

In the 1700s, the Tignon Laws were passed to regulate Black hair. The elaborate and beautiful way we wore our hair caused a lot of jealousy especially from White women. Black women followed the rules but still were creative with the fabrics they chose and how they chose to wrap or tie their hair. Till this day, black women across the world continue to embrace head wraps as it represents our pride.

Rice, seeds and sometimes gold were placed on the scalp within braids so that they would have something to eat, if caught. escaping slavery. The seeds and gold would also be used to help start their new life, having escaped.

Bacon grease and butter were used to oil and condition the hair.

DEAR APPROPRIATORS

Black hair is a part of our history and culture. It is not yours to re-define, especially when you get all the credit for it.

The blatant truth is black women still need to worry about how their hair is perceived as it has meant the difference between life and death in many situations.

Black hair has always been at it's core, a representation of Black identity - a beauty that was birthed from our struggles.

On Average, black femaleowned business earn an average revenue that is $118,900 less than white female-owned businesses.

Black Women own over 50% of female-owned businesses. However, White female entrepreneurs bring in an average annual revenue of 1.4 trillion compared to our 422 billion.

Black women account for approximately 90% of new businesses being birthed everyday.

SHIFT YOUR

SKINCARE Buttah Skin MoonXCosmetics Black Girl Sunscreen Arami Essentials Grn Goods NolaSkinsentials Bolden Simisola Naturals

HAIRCARE Mielle Organics Eden Bodyworks Natural Club Avocurl Nature's Locks Afrocenchix

LIFESTYLE Curl Box CRWN Mag Actually Curious

MAKEUP Beauty Bakerie Mented Cosmetics Lips by Kimmie Range Beauty Propa Beauty Mohini Beauty Co.

Motee NYC Lola Ade Zashadu 3rd Eye View Zuri Lagos

FASHION Kai Collective Kilentar CLAN Seta the Label Gëto Matte Brand Hanifa TLZ Femme Mowalola

CANDLES Pretty Honest Candles Good Day Scents Lit Brooklyn

FEMALE HYGIENE Honey Pot NeNe's FemHealth

SPENDING POWER

ACCESSORIES

RAPE CULTURE RAPE CULTURE RAPE CULTURE

An environment in which rape and sexual violence is normalized and excused in the media and popular culture.

Examples Blaming women for how they choose to dress or how sexy their pictures are.

Shorter or even no sentences for rapists .

Journalists who use the word 'sex' in place of rape.

Accepting the 'boys will be boys' attitude.

Blaming women for being intoxicated.

Women being told to take measures to prevent rape.

Standing Against Rape Culture Creating a culture that is of enthusiastic consent.

Understanding that silence or defending these behaviours is part of the problem. You need to be an active bystander.

Redefining masculinity.

Stop Victim Blaming. Name the real problems.

Listen to women who are vulnerable about their experiences.

End Impunity.

Do not only speak up when you know it's affecting/might affect your mother, sisters, cousins etc

THE STATS 1 in 3 women experience sexual assault in their lifetime.

Approx 60% of Black girls experience sexual abuse by age 18.

1 in 5 Black women have been raped in their lifetime.

50% of deaf women have reported being raped, compared to 25% of women who are hearing.

40-60% of Black women report being subjected to coercive sexual contact by age 18 In the U.S., 38% of Black women experienced sexual violence other than rape during their lifetime.

40% of confirmed sex trafficking survivors in the U.S. are Black.

*Stats for the U.S

For every Black woman that reports her rape, at least 15 others will not report their rape.

TOYOSI ALEXIS Toyosi Alexis is an inspirational advocate and self-love activist specifically focused on those who struggle with disabilities as well as self-acceptance as a result of insecurities they are faced with. “Confident, outgoing, go-getter, a woman of her word,” are the words that come to mind when she thinks of herself.

She loves herself a girls night with some good lobster spaghetti, lots of vlogging and partying.

Also, she enjoys horseriding and playing football when she’s in the sporty mood.

Alongside being a law student, Toyosi works with Phonak as a hEARo ambassador creating content for young people with disabilities by inspiring them to embrace themselves for who they are.

“I do this by showing them the fun side of being unique by teaching them that one can have a disability and still live a normal life”. Alongside that, she has worked with other companies such as Audacious Mobile Network, which matches your personalized hearing profile to your phone calls.

Overall, Toyosi would describe herself as a digital creator and advocate.

She felt she would have been better off had she had a young relatable woman with hearing loss to look up to, so, wanted to normalize disabilities in today’s world.

“Essentially, I create content on Instagram which is focused on lifestyle, beauty and fashion blogging and have a Youtube channel that I recently started”.

What has growing up with hearing loss been like?

Growing up with hearing loss has been a blissful yet challenging journey, I must say. There are good days and bad days but in all,it really helped me to be more determined. At a young age, I always felt I had to do more than others to be ahead.

I have struggled with severe hearing loss in both ears since the age of 4.

Growing up, learning sign language was not really a conversation that I had with my parents because it often had negative connotations as people who signed were referred to as ‘deaf and dumb.’ However, recently,I took the big step forward and have started learning basic sign language on an app on my phone.Now,I am more focused and outgoing.

We read online that one mistake hearing people make is talking really loudly to people with hearing loss. Is this true for you?

Yes, it is.

One tip I always give my family and friends is to speak clearly rather than loudly. Most hearing people assume that when a deaf person can’t hear, the solution is to shout but most times, that doesn’t work.

Have you had anyone react in a negative way to your hearing aids and how did you navigate this?

Yes, definitely I have.

I was bullied for quite some time, from about the age of 11 till 14.

People would pick fights with me and use my hearing loss as a way to bring down my self-esteem and truthfully, it worked because I did not know better then.

I overcame this by realising that this is who I am and there is nothing I can do to change that fact. Therefore, I had to embrace myself to practice self-love while developing my selfconfidence and my ability to assert myself.

When did you start wearing hearing aids and how useful have, they been? (can you control the sounds in your surroundings that you hear? etc) I started wearing hearing aids at the age of 5.

They have been super useful because I now have the potential to be afforded similar opportunities rather than me being placed at a disadvantage.

My hearing aids also have built in microphones which place me in control, so my hearing aids’ directionality function automatically focuses the device’s microphones on the conversation in front of me, instead of the one going on behind me.

Becoming an ambassador for Phonak has been an empowering experience and allows me to connect with other people around the world from distinct cultures.

Sometimes, when I get overwhelmed, remembering that I have a purpose and people looking up to me, has helped build my story and kept me pushing on.

It has helped massively in my aim to break the stigma surrounding hearing loss. Coming from a religious background, I used to pray to get my hearing back every New Years’ till I stopped and started embracing myself for who I am.

This year was the first year I didn’t do that, I’m proud of myself!

Does having a loss in hearing make you feel lonely at times?

Yes, it does. This is mainly because most of the people I’m surrounded by don’t struggle with hearing loss. In public settings, I get anxious when having conversations with new people, because I usually have to explain my disability to them which I may not feel like doing at the time.

Because of this, sometimes I choose not to actively engage in conversations unless it is necessary

In what ways do you think society could accommodate people with hearing loss more?

The most important way society could accommodate people with hearing loss is by subtitling their videos. I was guilty of this at first because I did not realise how much it affects deaf people.

That being said, it would literally take you no longer than 2 minutes to include captions in a video and that way, social media would be set up to also include deaf people.

Another way society could do this is through understanding that being deaf is not a choice.

Hence, when communicating with a deaf person, do not exclude them or make them feel any less than what they are.

How do you find meeting and talking to people out at events and clubs?

Meeting and talking to people when out at events and clubs can be difficult because I don’t cope well in noisy environments.

This means pretending to hear what people have said in order to avoid asking them to repeat themselves.

It can be frustrating because I miss out on important bits of the conversations.

But my friends are usually very accommodating and understanding, so when I can’t hear, they’d usually repeat it to me.

Nevertheless, when meeting new people, I get nervous because as much as people claim to understand that those with disabilities don’t have a choice, they still manage to make us feel like a burden. I mostly ignore the eyerolls or the questions such as, “why can’t you hear me, isn’t your hearing aid working?” because I’ve come to the realization that these people are not as educated as they think they are.

"Reminding myself to love myself" How do you ensure that you're always being authentic in everything you do?

In order to ensure that I am always being authentic in everything I do; I embrace my vulnerability. Most people wear masks and pretend they’re something they are not, but I’ve come to realise that your audience wants to witness your challenges as well as your successes. They want to know how you get through the bad days and in order to be 100% real with them, I show them that side of me as well with no filter when I feel comfortable doing so.

Another way is through selfawareness by reminding myself to love myself for all of me and not just the parts society readily accepts. Being selfaware comes with getting to know myself and how I view my intrinsic worth, not just my outward appearance. This helps me remain authentic because my brand is focused on who I truly am and along with my purpose, and this reflects in my work.

How are you practicing selfcare this season?

At the start of the season, I was practicing self-care by creating a daily schedule which I only adhered to for about a month! I would wake up, do my devotion, tidy up my room and reply to emails. In addition to that, I’d do my makeup, dress up to still feel pretty especially on down days.

As the months went by, I took a break from Youtube and have just been journaling daily to re-learn and re-discover what I want out of life and what I want my brand to be focused on.

All in all, I have mostly been praying, watching Youtube videos, catching up with my friends and doing up the most extra skin care routines when I feel sassy.

POSTS WE LOVE

EVOL EW STSOP

Rolake's summer LOOKBoOK

LOOK 1 very easy to achieve and can be switched up to a night time look with a pair of heels.

Top: thelinebyk Mom Jeans: Levi’s Shoes: Nike LD waffle Bag: Marc Jacobs

CASUAL EVERYDAY LOOK

2 KOOL

SUMMER DATE NIGHT I elevated my casual look by swapping the jeans with a mini leather skirt and some white heels + my pink purse for a pop of colour Top: thelinebyk Skirt: houseofcb Shoes: Zara Bag: jacquemus

LOOK 3

MONOCHROME You can never go wrong with a pair of classic black wide leg pants. I stuck with white & black for a clean and effortless look.

Top: thelinebyk Pants: Zara Heels: Zara Bag: Marc Jacobs

LOOK 4

SUMMER BEACH DAY

Imagine yourself on vacation by the beach with a cocktail in your hand.

That's where I was going with this.

This outfit can easily be transformed from day to night. I'd rock this barefoot during the day + change into some matching orange heels at night.

Top: Vergegirl Skirt: Hanifaofficial

Odunsi (The Engine) ft Amaarae, DETO - Body Count

CC

Megan Thee Stallion - Girls in The Hood

Lil Durk - Where They Go

City Girls - Jobs

Chloe X Halle - Forgive Me

6lack - Elephant In The Room

Drake - Landed

Tems - These Days

Fireboy DML - New York City Girl

DRB Ft. Ladi Donli - Ma Pariwo

Drake - Time Flies

Chris Brown - Make Love

Teyana Taylor ft. Davido - Killa

Chloe x Halle - Do It

6LACK ft. Lil Baby - Know My Rights

PLAYLIST

Ladipoe & Simi - Know you

Danielle Mbonu

CC: In your own words, what do you do?

DM: My main thing is taking pictures, so photography, but I’d say I’m a multidisciplinary creative, as I have find myself expanding expanding my range of work - directing, styling, creative direction, music soon maybe

CC: What are you currently studying in Uni

(if you are) and how do you see

the degree helping you as a photographer/creative?

DM: Law, it’s definitely helped me understand the financial/ legal part of things with regards to my work, which has made working with people a lot easier for me.

CC: Tell us about your first camera and first photography experience?

(don’t actually remember which one) I got it that year professional cameras were such a thing (2012 I think) & I just started taking pictures of my friends & kind of documenting everything

DM: My first was a Sony,

SHOTS

DAN MBO

BY

CC: How would you describe your editing style?

DM: I don’t think I have a specific style, for me when editing it’s about who and what I’m shooting, sometimes it has a grainy dull retro look, sometimes I go with really bright look. I just try and go along with what I think works best for each particular image

CC: What's your favourite shot you've taken?

DM: Everyone always asks this and I don’t really have one if I’m being honest, maybe top 10 favourites, but I don’t think there could ever be a perfect picture

CC: How has growing up in Lagos influenced your perspective on photography?

DM: Most of the images I have taken have been shot in Lagos, Lagos itself inspires most of my photography

CC: Prior to directing Naira Marley's "Aye" Music Video, had you always been interested in directing? Or did the opportunity present itself and you took it?

DM: I actually did portrait direction on the skepta, wizkid - energy video with two other photographers and that was the first music video I ever worked on. Meji Alabi directed the video, and he told me I’d be a good director. He’s such a major inspiration to me so Kind of held those words with me and ran with it lol!

CC: The way we work in the world has changed drastically because of the Coronavirus, and will continue to change. How do you think this will affect the photography experience and the work of photographers?

DM: Honestly it’s been very difficult to create due to all the uncertainty and restraint right now. But I guess it’s about finding what works best for you and staying motivated. I personally try to take precautions and work with really small sets, as I haven’t really been able to wrap my head around the whole FaceTime shoot thing. Some of them look really cool, but some don’t really make a lot of sense

controversial topic. What is your perspective on photographers working with digital models as opposed to real life human models?

DM: It’s always going to be absurd to me. But I guess different strokes for different folks.

CC: Do you feel Nigerian photographers are making any progress in terms of representation?

(of the

different 'Nigerian experiences'

)

DM: Yes and No, we’ve definitely come a long way internationally, in terms of having a voice on a global scale and representation thanks to social media, but at the same time a lot of Nigerian photographers are telling narratives they think will “sell” as opposed to organic stories

dan mbo dan mbo

CC: Digital models, a very

CC: What's one online publication you hope to have your work published in?

DM: Vogue!

CC: Drop some advice for photographers who are eager to create in a time of crisis: DM: Just chill, try and stay motivated

& get creative. Take some self

portraits ! Photograph your family ! Document !

"There are so many gifts in our hands that we often neglect or downplay as we let the world dictate what creativity means. We are empowered and endowed with such diverse expressions of creating. Daily we must work together to unearth what has been placed within."

MANIFESTING with Mazino mALAKA

The earth needs me.

Manifestation. This word has been thrown around and misused for years. It's been complicated in some instances and over simplified in others. We all seem to struggle in understanding what it means to manifest. We find it difficult to identify what it means for there to be manifestation of our gifts on a personal level. So let us try and break it down using one of my favourite bible verses.

Romans 8:19 TPT says "The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters.

When I read this verse, I feel so seen. Something riles up within me to unleash all that I am, not because a select few would like to see it, but because the entire universe needs it.

This perspective of manifestation isn’t only worried about the joys of manifestation to one's self, but it acknowledges that the earth needs us to pour out all that has been placed within. Our gifts are evidence of God dwelling in us, freely given and to be used not solely for our benefit but to bless others.

For many of us, we wonder why the creator of the universe would need anything we have to offer. For years we have disregarded our gifts whilst in the same breath, enthroning the uniqueness of our neighbours. But I write this to tell you that your gifts are needed for the entire earth to function in unity and oneness.

God displays His glory not only in creation but through creations, of course through us as his prime and most proud creation. Our very existence and the creation of this world and all that is in it, all that we experience and appreciate, inevitably points to one of God’s qualities; creativity.

From making the heavens and the earth to creating light, land and water, God identifies himself as an artist and an engineer. We are made in His image and likeness, and one of the ways God reveals His nature and His power is through this gift(s) which he has given us.

There are so many gifts in our hands that we often neglect or downplay as we let the world dictate what creativity means. We are empowered and endowed with such diverse expressions of creating. Daily we must work together to unearth what has been placed within.

Contrary to popular belief, creativity is not limited to the arts. Creativity is expressed through various means and takes on many forms that are unique to us.

Our drive to create can be seen in various ways; from literature to art, economics, medicine and so much more. Our ability to create is as an expression of Him in us because when we see the works of His hands, we see Him. By acting out on this creativity we allow His purpose to be revealed through us.

Personally, I see the manifestation of God’s Spirit when I paint. Through me, He paints a picture that speaks not only to my soul, but others that come across it. I see the manifestation of Gods spirit when I write poems and short stories, every word flows out like I’m pulling honey from heaven. When His word comes to life through each colour, His nature is revealed.

This process of unlocking this creativity and running with it as God intends can be quite daunting. The road that leads to the manifestation of these gifts placed inside of us is never the easiest. It is often the road less travelled. Often the path is crooked, with many stops but His grace abounds throughout because we must all satisfy the groaning of the earth.

I need you to keep going. The earth needs you. Take this is as my hearts cry in words, pleading with you to never stop unravelling the treasures within you. The manifestation may take a while, it may not happen within a day, but we just have to believe, that even if we cannot see it, God is working. All roads will lead to manifestation.

The End.