Leading Black Social Innovators

I’m inspired by the next generation. I see so much talent in young people, it gives me hope for the future! However, there is also a lot of untapped potential that is lost every day because young people often do not see how great they can be and don’t know how to unlock the greatness they possess. I see my purpose now as being all about helping young people access the tools and knowledge that can make them great. Shining a light on what is achievable and debunking the myths that will steer people away from taking the wrong path. Ultimately, I want to inspire others by being the person I needed to see or know about when I was younger.

I really want to see narratives change for and about young people by taking ownership of it, especially those from challenging backgrounds. Too often labels and limitations are put on what is possible for them and I want mindsets, attitudes and indeed hearts to shift towards finding solutions instead. I want to see people and communities coming together to inspire and support each other. I live by two key sayings for both society and the young people themselves, first, “It takes a village to raise a child” and secondly “if your mind can go there your feet can follow”.

Myself and many other community heroes are working hard to empower the young people of our society, what can you do to empower someone else? 

Can I give you one lesson in two key areas - personal and business. On a personal level - Always be yourself, be authentic, stay in your lane and run your own race. Hone your craft and avoid comparisons. Instead, focus on serving as many people as you can to the best of your ability.

On a business level - DATA IS KEY! Being able to quickly access your network, track your impact and evaluate engagement is so vital. Invest in a good CRM and sales software that will allow you to stay in control as our business grows. There are lots of great free options and workarounds if you have a limited budget initial but as soon as possible invest in a robust system.

Experience inspires me to do what I do.

As a young person I experienced youth clubs, away trips, community safety and a childhood which meant I could venture anywhere without fears of violence. These childhood values shapes my work to date.

We need austerity measures to be scrapped immediately, nothing has done more serious harm or neglect to Youth services than the cuts which have hit £70m and rising. Youth Spaces and adventure playgrounds need to be reopened and investment needs to be hastened to provide safe spaces for Young People and Youth employment must be a major priority. With investment being spent to build more homes throughout the UK and regeneration efforts taking place in many communities throughout England, it’s important for many Young People to train in trade practices, upskill University students who are finding employment restricted after completing degrees and ensure Young People who have trade skills learned within prison are able to gain employment opportunities. Lastly halt the current expulsions immediately as this is a pipeline towards Prison and divest money spent incarcerating Young People within prison and probation and refund grassroots interests and community groups to support Young People earlier and help provide better support for their families.

One valuable lesson I have learnt is start it!

3 years later and we are still learning, you will never be complete or ready but if you're doing community work or serving an under served sector the needs of people will outweigh your knowledge or unhinged an organisation. Your journey will teach you what you have and what you need but people who you don't know and haven't met yet will become aligned once you gain some momentum, hence our relationship with Hogan Lovells! I never heard or knew about Pro Bono practices until Hogan Lovells partnered with us and guided us through legal requirements, funding opportunities, fund raising, networking, creating contracts for our Young People, securing trademarks and more.

This relationship would not have come about had I not decided to start United Borders charity.

You can determine where you start, you can't determine where you will finish.

Start.

If we are going to solve the problems that are affecting the health and wellbeing of our growing global population, then everybody with a willingness to make a positive impact on society should be empowered to contribute. We are encouraged by the incredible Black people that are building fantastic innovations around the world without access to the tools and resources so many others take for granted. They are building solutions to problems they and their families have experienced with a view to ensure that no one else has to experience the hardship that they have overcome. Whether that is a cancer screening app, an educational technology platform, or a virtual mental health coach, we support Black people who want to use their skills to make a significantly positive difference in society.

We want every organisation across the UK to engage in pro-bono support of businesses and community projects led by Black people and other people of colour across the UK and in emerging economies around the world. With more awareness of the lifestyles, innovations, practices and challenges people from different backgrounds have, the better the employees will be at their own roles as they are able to deliver more creative solutions and innovate on the status quo. On the other hand, access to more traditional, big business ways of working with support smaller, underserved organisations as they seek to corporatise, grow and stabilise their businesses in the long-term.

Start with the mission. It has to be something you believe in so ardently that no matter how hard it gets, you will continue down that path to creating the solution to the problem you have made it your mission to eradicate. In that, it is important to realise that consistency is key. Its is all well and good having a great mission that you are willing to work hard for, but ensuring that you are applying yourself in a measured manner so that you can work consistently over time is paramount to the continued success of your work. Running a successful business isn't a sprint, it is a marathon - you have to pace yourself and endeavour to choose the best next step even when the finish line is nowhere in sight. 

The two things that inspire me to what I do is Transformation and Pain, seeing young people transform from living a negative lifestyle to living a positive lifestyle keeps me inspired and motivated. Young people are not born drug dealers, murders or any of the sort it's their upbringing and surroundings that misguides them. Seeing young people transform over a period of time into leaders and positive role models is most inspiring. Pain reminds you in a harsh way why you exist, why you wake up in the morning and choose to live a selfless life rather than a selfish life. Going to my first funeral of a 14 year old boy who was murdered and hearing the screams of his mother as they buried him has never left me till this day. When I feel drained, when I feel demotivated Transformation and pain inspires me to carry on.

I want to see young people growing up in deprivation win. in order for that to happen what needs to change is the accessibility of life changing opportunities in the hood, Kids growing up in more affluent areas have a catalogue of opportunities at their disposal, however it is not the same for kids growing up in the hood. Young people shouldn't have to depend on organizations like boxupcrime to provide life changing opportunities. This should be normal and accessible the same way it is normal and accessible for kids living in more affluent areas.

When starting to embark on the journey of setting up your own enterprise it is imperative for you to have the combination of purpose and passion in order for you to have meaning. Every enterprise or organization needs to have meaning without it there is no substance. Purpose & Passion = Meaning 

The young people I work with. Watching people come to our initial workshops or programmes with no knowledge of programming or a specific technology and learn so much in a short space of time never ceases to amaze me. It reminds me of the clear need for the work we are doing and highlights the immense potential of young people who just needed a chance to learn.

The engaged volunteers, sponsors and facilitators definitely keep me going and their time and monetary support is also inspirational - it's support I want to give to others in the future.

Racially equality treated as a trending topic. We don't all have the luxury of posting black squares and moving on with our lives. The occasional cognizance of what black people go through every day is makes us question how seriously you take our experiences.

There are several organisations that support black people of all ages in several areas of life, providing education, training, therapy, job opportunities and so much more and they need to be supported all year round, not during a certain month or following an atrocity.

If you're really passionate about the problem you're trying to solve and you're in a position to take a risk, do it! Sooner rather than later things will fall into place.