Episode #108 with Kemi Lawson

*Content/Trigger Warning: This episode contains issues relating to  knife crime & violence.*

"It's really important (for young people to be intentional with what they plan to do with themselves). A digital project I'm working on now is really geared towards doing that and empowering young people through their phones to, as you said, kind of find that purpose and sense of pride.  Because I think it's important.  There's loads of theory around hope and the fact that hope enables you to be less susceptible to, you know, health challenges and criminality and all of these things and kind of push through and be more resilient. So, I think it is super important."

In this episode, I talk to award-winning youth coach, speaker and filmmaker Amani Simpson.  Amani kindly shares chapters about his life including how a violent, traumatic encounter changed his life and gave him purpose and a new direction in serving others.  Amani talks about the importance of his faith, stewardship, mindset & work ethic, and working with the youth in communities via social enterprises.  We discuss the importance of intention, mentorship and also look at social & health issues including youth crime, poverty and mental wellbeing.  I also chat with Amani about film career as a director, writer and producer.  We also talk about music, The Hunger Games franchise, and of course, Amani shares the quote that continually inspires him. 

AMANI SIMPSON is a gifted youth coach, filmmaker and campaigner with a calling to empower current and future generations. He uses his inspirational story of transformation, creativity, and expertise in youth engagement to challenge, uplift and enrich. Most notably he is the producer and protagonist of the acclaimed short film 'AMANI' starring Hollywood actor, Joivan Wade, which has now been watched over 4 million times. Amani is also founder and CEO of social enterprise, AVIARD Inspires which has produced impactful youth initiatives alongside The Mayor of London, Goldman Sachs and former 2x Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!

"Western chefs use Indian spices from different regions and they'll call it a British cuisine with these spices , but they're the clever ones but we can't be clever because we just know how to make curry?  And so, that's not true.  Why can't we do this with drinks? Why can't that stereotype change? And no, it's not a curry in a bottle; it's depth and flavour.  And again, a lot of these spices are used in other gins.   Just because we've called it a British Indian gin, people automatically go to that assumption.  So it is very cool for us to try to change a narrative, even though it's a big task.  But we thought: 'Do you know what? Someone's gotta start it'."

On today's episode, I chat with the owners and distillers of Crazy Gin, Bruce and Paramjit Nagra.  They recount how a Friday night- in with a bad takeaway birthed the idea of Crazy Gin, how they went about creating the flavours that also celebrates and respects their Indian heritage, including their proud Punjabi roots and also being British. We discuss ingredients, recipes, and experimenting with ideas of various flavours of the gin, and why it was vital to get the branding right for their product. 

The couple also share not only the challenges they faced in setting up the business including the  racism and the lack of women distillers within the hospitality industry, but also their triumphs. We also discuss food and music and of course, Paramjit and Bruce share the quotes that continually inspire them.

What drives someone to pursue a dream that others label as 'crazy'? For Paramjit and Bruce Nagra, it meant having the boldness to sell their home, quit their secure jobs, and leave London to transform their vision into reality. In 2016, they ventured into the drinks industry with Crazy Gin, a testament to their determination to infuse their British Indian heritage into pioneering, flavour-packed spirits. They unveiled the world’s first Clear Lassi Gin and Punjabi Chai Gin, each a celebration of their rebellion against the mundane, skillfully blending vibrant flavours and untold stories into the fabric of the drinks landscape.

 Their journey represents more than just the creation of unique spirits; it's a powerful advocacy for diversity and inclusion within the drinks sector. By challenging established norms and fostering representation and empowerment, they’ve not only broken barriers but have also emerged as pathfinders for South Asian entrepreneurs in the drinks industry. From dreaming big to becoming innovators in their field, their story is a vivid illustration of the impact of heritage, innovation, and unwavering belief.

You can buy Crazy Gin on their website,  at Harvey Nichols and other retail outlets. 

 

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, my guest is broadcaster and journalist Ellen E. Jones.  Ellen talks about her new book 'Screen Deep: How film and TV can solve racism and save the world', and we delve into issues including how racial identity is constructed through the visual mediums of film and tv, issues surrounding representation, narratives and identity.  Ellen also talks about her mixed heritage and her perspective on various issues.

We also discuss certain chapters from the book, including the Western, Horror and Superhero genres, and what she has learned while she wrote the book, and she shares the quote that continually inspires her.

Ellen E Jones is a film and TV journalist and the co-host of the BBC flagship film and TV programme, Screenshot (BBC Radio 4, Fridays at 7.15pm and on BBC Sounds). She writes regularly for The Guardian, The Observer, Empire magazine and others. Her book ’Screen Deep: How film and TV can solve racism and save the world’ is out now, published by Faber. 

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!

"...so we just came together ( with Tolu Olowofoyeku & Olufikayo 'Ziki' Adeola).  The goals were close enough where we all wanted really good African storytelling, so that's the main umbrella (for forming 'Kugali').  But in terms of going into the nuance of it from my point of view, I really wanted the quality to be absolutely good, because Africa has amazing stories.  If you look around the world, people will talk about diversity and all that.  And I'm like, you can have as much of it as syou want: if the story is crap, nobody is going to watch it.  So, it has to be really, really good quality for people to be able to understand it and take it in. So that's why I came in.  That's what Kugali means to me.  It's creating high quality visual stories that's going to inspire the next generation.

On today's episode, I geek out about animation, visual storytelling and culture with Kugali's Chief Executive Officer, Hamid Ibrahim.  Hamid discusses his career, how Kugali Media came into existence from a collaboration from like-minded peers, and why he is a strong advocate for showcasing rich storytelling from all parts of Africa.

Hamid talks about Kugali's collaboration with Disney with their upcoming original animated series called 'Iwájú', set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria.  Hamid also shares what genre of films he loves, comes up with a pretty convincing short story with no script, and of course, he shares the quote that continually inspires him.

Hamid Ibrahim is Co-Founder/CEO of Kugali Media.  He has worked as a production designer with Walt Disney Animation Studios, and also worked at MPC.

Viewers will be able to stream the first episode of 'Iwájú' on Disney+ on the 28th of February 2024.

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!

" 'I SEE HER' is my first film, and it was a response to seeing the spike of cases of women and girls post-pandemic.  During the pandemic, the cases of abuse in women and girls rose to 25%-33% higher.  It was so bad that they coined the pandemic 'The Shadow Pandemic'.  Post-pandemic cases rose by 8%.  There was another pandemic going on that people were not even acknowledging which was in those confined spaces that became pressure cookers for abuse."

In today's episode I chat with activist, writer & director SUKKI.  SUKKI shares stories about her upbringing and her mixed heritage.  We talk about the importance of mental health & wellbeing & body positivity, why she prefers the power of sound rather than language & why music is important to her.  SUKKI also talks about her activism, including her work with The Sharan Project, Enough Campaign & Children of Venus.  She also talks about her directorial debut for the short film 'I See Her', bringing awareness to domestic abuse. 

During the conversation, SUKKI and I geek out over the music of John Williams, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and SUKKI shares the phrase that continually inspires her.

For futher information about the projects that were discussed & mentioned in this episode, here are the links:

The Sharan Project: https://sharan.org.uk/
Enough Campaign: https://enough.campaign.gov.uk/

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!

"There's tons of reasons why people lose hair, there's a lot.  There's hormonal changes, medication, illness, diet, environment, but the overall reason is genetics.   Here's how the genetic factor works: when your body breaks down the male hormone testosterone, it creates a by-product called  'DHT'.  Now, these DHTs are generally excreted through your body, but when it passes by your follicle it gets stuck in a little DHT receptor site..."

On today's episode, I chat with Mahryah Shain, CEO of More Hair Naturally.  Mahyrah shares why he is an advocate for natural ingredients in their products, what causes hair thinning; his perspective on hair & mental wellbeing.  Mahyrah also shares with us his love for the State of California, what his favourite past-time is, and of course, shares the quote that continually inspires him. 

Mahryah Shain is the CEO of the California based company, More Hair Naturally, the world leader in all-natural topical stem cell treatments for thinning hair. 

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!

'It was a hard journey because for those five years  I was earning nothing from writing, and it also feels quite a grandiose thing to suggest to your friends that "I'm going to be a writer, I want to be an author of published books!", so kept I kept it fairly on the down-low; like it wasn't a secret, but I wasn't out there publicing the fact that i had this big dream now to becoming published.  So I used to fit my writing around my work  and it just meant setting my alarm to 5am, being really dedicated...It also meant saying 'no' to things that I just didn't have time to do if I wanted to commit fully to trying to write.'

On today's episode, I chat with author Lucy Clarke. Lucy shares why she wanted to write, and how her love for the outdoors including travel always inspires her creativity.  She talks about the challenges she faced before she had her first novel published, and her reaction to receiving her first printed copy  of her work.  Lucy also talks about her body of work, including tv adaptations of her novels that include 'The Castaways', and we also chat about her latest novel, 'The Hike'.  And of course,  Lucy shares a principle that she and her family try to live by.

Sunday Times bestseller Lucy Clarke is the author of eight destination thrillers. They include Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways, Richard and Judy Book Club pick, One of the Girls, and most recently, The Hike. Lucy's novels have sold over a million copies and are published in more than 25 territories worldwide.

Lucy's thriller, No Escape (also published as The Blue) has been released as a major international show for Paramount+. Set in the Philippines, the seven-part series is directed by Hans Herbot (The Serpent) and stars Abigail Lawrie and Rhianne Barreto as best friends Lana and Kitty.

The Castaways has also been adapted for screen and was The Guardian Pick of the Week. BAFTA award-winner Sheridan Smith stars as Lori, and Celine Buckens plays her sister, Erin. The five-part thriller is available to stream on Paramount+.

When Lucy isn't away on research trips (the real reason she loves being an author!), she can be found writing from a beach hut on the south coast of England. She lives with her husband and their two children.

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!

"People (economists)have put together a number of lost earnings, looking at the interest value of money, and it comes into the trillions; we're talking of a profound amount.  And so....it's not like anyone is expecting a country to transfer a Trillion pounds next week, but that shouldn't put you off reparations but it's getting the conversation started....imagine a Trillion pounds worth of value taken away from you: how would that affect you?" 

On today's episode I chat with entrepreneur and co-founder of The Cornrow, Kemi Lawson.  Kemi shares why she set up The Cornrow with her sister, her interest in history and Black stories.  We both discuss narratives about Africa, contemporary Black Design,  Afro-Futurism and Afrocentrism. As Kemi has a deep love for interior design within homes, it was natural that we talked about her mixed heritage and ancestry, what it means to her being Black British and how it has shaped her style.  We also chat about 'The Black Home',  the negative connotations surrounding mud houses, biohacking, cultural appropriation.  And of course, Kemi shares with us the quote that continually inspires her.

Kemi Lawson is creative director of The Cornrow, an online home and lifestyle store which curates décor which celebrates  the modern Afrocentric aesthetic, www.thecornrow.com. Kemi is passionate about Africa and African diaspora stories and how they relate to our homes. She blogs on @cottagenoir on Instagram. She also has written for numerous publications including Harper’s Bazaar and Living etc and has curated for the Museum of the Home in London Her own home has been featured in a number of interior books and magazines and is designed with an aesthetic she terms “Afro Aristo meets Caribbean nan chic”!

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!

"I think in terms of expectations, we (T A P E Collective) are  just very, very honest.  What we have found...is that there really is a disconnect between a filmmaker's idea and it reaching audiences.  I think people really don't understand how distribution, exhibition and production work...and that is something that I think we're quite good at trying to demystify."

In this episode I chat with Isra Al Kassi and Angela Moneke, co-founders of T A P E.  The ladies share how they met and how their love for film brought about the creation of the Collective.  We talk about why they believe in supporting grassroots projects, the importance of championing under-served films and reaching a wider audience.  We discuss the challenges the Collective faces including erasure, tokenism, microaggressions and being othered, but also their successes as T A P E Collective.  Isra and Angela also chat about their heritage, what makes them tick, and of course, they share the quotes and sayings that continually inspire them.

T A P E - co-founded by Isra Al Kassi and Angela Moneke - is a South London-based curatorial film collective working across film production, distribution and exhibition, challenging traditional ways of filmmaking and looking to demystify the industry for marginalised voices. Founded in 2015 as a response to the lack of representation on screen and wanting to platform and champion under-served films, they curate screening events and distribute underrepresented films (both past and contemporary) and titles which have had limited to no theatrical release in the UK, mixed with cross-arts engagement. T A P E aims to provide greater exposure for these films and to offer the public a more diverse and enriched range of cinematic work. 

Over the years T A P E has curated a number of well-rounded screenings bringing together film, art, music, talks and more into one space and events with a focus on representation, identity and heritage, often with a focus on women of colour behind and in front of the camera.

T A P E has since expanded to include: commissioning content writing; Q&A and panel hosting; consultation on equity, diversity and inclusion; festival guest curation; production; distribution; venue dressing; developing and producing workshops; and running online streaming platform Good Wickedry. Recent programmes include “But Where Are You Really From?”, “Found in Translation” and “Free to Forage”.

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!

*Content Warning: This episode contains issues relating to substance abuse, knife crime, violence & trauma.*

"...I had to just walk away...It was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made because it was the only time that Carl actually had to go out and get it out of his system and work on himself, for himself."

In today's episode I chat with couple Carl & Karla, founders of Project Youth Official.  Carl shares details about his tough upbringing, which included his battles with substance addiction, being a gang member, childhood abuse & domestic violence, how he lost his best friend to a knife stabbing and how he decided to change his life around.  Karla talks about her relationship with Carl and why they both decided to use their experiences to create 'Project Youth Official',  a social enterprise which includes awareness of knife crimes, offering Youth support to communities, and working with the local police constabulary. We discuss issues including stigma, peer pressure, budget cuts, lived experiences, and what the future holds.  Carl and Karla also share why they call themselves 'Two's a Duo', and the quotes that continually inspire them.

@twosaduo have fought the stigma from a turbulent lifestyle to now making a big difference to their local community and beating the odds against them, hitting the media starring in tv shows to co-founding their own youth project. 

For more information about Project Youth Official, you can contact them here:

https://projectyouth.co.uk/
https://www.tiktok.com/@twosaduoofficial

For further information or help about issues discussed in this episode, the following websites can be of assistance:

https://benkinsella.org.uk/
https://www.livesnotknives.org/

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport!

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar, for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at theswingingpalmtree@gmail.com.

Keep Rising & Thriving. Aṣẹ!