Meet the 30 under 30 Black professionals and creatives you need to know #TheBlackList2018

Introducing The Blacklist 2018. As the year comes to a close, we want to end by honouring some of the most talented young black professionals & creatives, both in and outside of London.

We are often told things like “you can’t be good”, “you have to be better” or “you’ve gotta work twice as hard”.  More often than not, we hear this because of societal conditions and behaviours not always working in our favour, and then we end up believing or thinking that we are not as brilliant as we ought to think.

GUAP want to lead the revolution and we want to start by saying it’s not about being good or better, it’s about being great at what you know best. It’s not about working twice as hard it’s about working hard and smashing that glass ceiling because of the value you bring to the table. We want to encourage those after us, that as young black talent in the U.K we have the ability to be excellent, exceptional, elite and all the above.

Which is why we’ve brought to you THE BLACKLIST one of the first online lists to highlight 30 under 30 year old’s from all sectors, achieving great things and creating impact. From Sports to Science, all the way to Technology and Publishing. Yes, just like the Forbes do it. We wanted to make sure that no matter what everyone is  represented, and this is beyond just the creative industries.

But this is for us.

Not because of separation but because of inspiration. These names are here to show greatness, so people of the younger and older generation can actively see how amazing we are doing.

Let us celebrate each other and everyone, because it is necessary and we deserve it.

Thank you for all your suggestions and commentary.

Love from the GUAP GXNG

Special Thank you to:

Bonita Darkoh – Arts and Culture Editor

Zweli Chibumba – Music writer

Ashleigh Simmone- Fashion assistant

Anthea Agyekum – creative (guest contributor)

Ibrahim Kamara – GUAP co-founder

 

1. Temi Mwale (@temimwale)  

Temi Mwale is a Multi-Award-Winning Social Entrepreneur, Educator and Activist. Temi is the Founding Director of The 4Front Project, a youth-led social enterprise on a mission to empower young people and communities to live free from violence. Temi was one of the youngest change makers to be recognised by Forbes Magazine as one of the Top 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs in Europe.

2. Leon Carlton (@postcarlton)

Leon Carlton, a 24 year old DOP, Video Editor and Colourist from South-East London, Peckham. His  interest in film which has enabled him to work with the likes of Converse, Nike, Sony, Decca Records and the most important to him (in his words), GUAP, as well as a host of UK and International artists.

3. Benjamin Poku (@d_benj)

Benjamin is a creative concept developer, does Film/TV production and even being in front of the lens interests Benjamin. His work has been featured on many platforms such as; Essence Mag, AFROPUNK and the BFI.

Benjamin currently manages music artists and has recently started his own production company with a partner known as The Unit.

4. Danielle Faith Raus (@danifaithross)

Danielle is the founder and creative director of RAUS. A Menswear brand focusing on providing luxury craftsmanship that is quickly developing a strong reputation.

RAUS has also been featured in the recent Nike x Jordan ad featuring Lancey FOUXX. This year alone RAUS has been requested by the likes of Migos, Big Sean, Mr Eazi,Wstrn, Burna Boy, Kid Kudi (to name a few)and a custom RAUS Piece was worn by the likes of Stormzy at this years Brit Awards.

 

5. Belky Wara (@belkywara)

Belky Wara completed an apprenticeship, Belky then decided to champion apprenticeships especially within the BAME community. She wanted individuals to know that university is not for everyone. Belky will be launching a jobs platform and podcast for young people catering specifically on equipping them for the workplace.

6. Tobi Kyeremateng (@bobimono_)

Tobi Kyeremateng, 23, is a theatre, live performance and festival producer,  with a focus on socio-political work. She has worked for organisations such as Apples and Snakes, Bush Theatre, Brainchild Festival, Battersea Arts Centre and Old Vic Theatre,.

She is also the founder of Black Ticket Project initiative, that has given access to theatres in London for over 700 Black young people. She has recently received funding to travel to South Africa and New York to conduct research in Black artistic leadership.

7. Chelsea Kwakye (@chelseakwakye)

Chelsea Kwakye is a 21-year old first-class honours History graduate from Homerton College, Cambridge. Whilst studying at Cambridge she was the only black girl in her year group of around 200 people studying history. In her final year she was vice-president of the African-Caribbean Society that ran the successful photo campaign: BlackMenofCambridge which sent the media into a frenzy about Oxbridge’s poor diversity statistics.

Under Penguin’s newest imprint MerkyBooks, she is co-authoring ’Taking Up Space’ which will be a guide and a manifesto for change: tackling the challenges of access, unrepresentative curriculums, discrimination in academia and activism within university walls.

8.  Jazz Crawford (@jazzcrawford)

Jazz is a Law and Business Undergraduate and also International GB Athlete. She has been competing in athletics for 10 years.

She loves travelling the world, so decided to create a Travel Blog;  The Adventures of Jazz. Hotspots all over the world. I’m also the Co-Founder of More Life Clothing an urban lifestyle clothing brand & CEO Jazz’s Champions, inspiring the next generation through sport, in schools.

9. Ore Ogunbiyi (@oreogunbiyi)

Ore Ogunbiyi graduated from Cambridge where she was president of the African Caribbean Society and took the #BlackMenofCambridge photographs. The photo campaign went viral and it was one of many initiatives. After receiving a scholarship last year, She is currently doing a Masters in Journalism at Columbia University, New York.

Also co-writing a book with Chelsea Kwakye called Taking Up Space which is the first acquisition under Stormzy’s #Merky Books imprint. The book tackles some of the issues that black girls face at university, such as unrepresentative curriculums, the challenges of access and discrimination in academic spaces.

10. Shay Sade (@shaysade_)

Shay Sade is  a radio presenter on London based radio station Reprezent with a bi-weekly show. Her time on Reprezent has lead her to interview the stars of tomorrow such as Smino to Sampha and NAO.

When she’s not on air, Shay is leading the music front for GUAP magazine as a Music Editor and reacting to music from around the globe on creative platform The Ubunifu Space plus she is a Brand Specialist at Nike.

11. Amina Sheikhosman (@aminaashiekh) 

As a Water and Flood Risk Consultant, Amina’s work involves working in multi-disciplinary teams advising often high-profile clients on their transport and infrastructure projects about the risk their project may pose on the water environment.

She studied a masters specifically in Freshwater Management specifically.  She now advises on pollution and flooding and how best companies can mitigate against the risks at hand and protect the environment and society as a whole through design, construction and operation.

12. Fola (@folatooloud)

Fola Adeyemi, aged 28 is the co-founder of entertainment company Too Loud Ents and is a day-to-day manager.

Since taking up the profession full time in 2016, he manages Not3s – one of the UKs most prominent talents as well as upcoming singer Kali Claire.

Not3s has seen major success surpassed over 2 million sales in singles and EPs, as well as having Silver, Gold and Platinum certified records.

Fola is also working closely with Kali Claire – another amazing talent (producer, singer and songwriter) who has been under artist development and is set to make her debut in the coming months.

13. Darren Tenkorang (@drnten_)

 

Darren Tenkorang entered and won StartUp Sussex with his app TRIM-IT. Darren is a graduate from the University of Sussex. He secured a place on the New Entrepreneurs Foundation Scheme, being selected as one of the top 50 young entrepreneurs in the UK.

TRIM-IT was designed to revolutionise the barber industry, creating a marketplace to help guys find the best barber or stylist convenient for them, through choice of style, time and location.

14. Asaybi Snape (@asaybi.snape)

Asaybi Snape is 27-year-old,born and raised in Birmingham.

She graduated her master’s degree in international human rights law when she was 23 years old.

She is a youth advocate and consultant; with 11 years’ experience working with decision makers and influential institutions such as; Cabinet Office, House Of Lords, Office of the Children’s Commissioner, and more to influence law and policy that reflect the needs of young people from disadvantaged communities in the UK.

Asaybi founded a youth led organisation; GEMs (Gender Empowerment Movement) to engage young people directly within the community of Birmingham and nationally. She has created resources on the topic, one of which has been added to national curriculum as a part of PSHE to further that education across the UK.

15. Dr Ozak Esu (@esu_o)

Aged 17, Dr Ozak Esu came to the UK from Nigeria in 2008 as an international student to study a BEng Electronic and Electrical Engineering course at Loughborough University. She graduated with First Class Honours and was awarded a three-year scholarship worth £54,000 to advance straight to her PhD within the same discipline which she began in 2011 at the age of 20 and got inro full-time employment at Cundall Johnston & Partners LLP as a Graduate Engineer in Building Services Engineering. She successfully graduated from her PhD in 2016 at the age of 25.

In early 2017, she was promoted to Electrical Engineer, leading the design and construction of award winning national and international building projects.

She was named The Telegraph’s Top 50 Women in Engineering under 35, and was the recipient of two prestigious awards from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) just to name a few.

16. Matheiu Ajan (@mathieuajan)

Mathieu Ajan is a chickpea enthusiast, doer & an artist. Passionate about problem solving, people and the arts he dedicates his time to creating opportunity for emerging talent. Mathieu is currently building Teardusk + Bounce Cinema.

Matheiu has also recently been named Talent Executive for the BFI.

17. Joel Honeywell (@joelhoneywell)

Joel Honeywell graduated from the Arts University of Bournemouth where he obtained a BA in Film Production. As his career started, he was drawn towards cinematography. Starting off as a camera trainee and assistant on set for films such as ‘The Mummy’ and ‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’. He quickly upgraded to focus puller and then in turn a successful Director of Photography.

As a dynamic cinematographer with a signature style, Honeywell has completed various high-profile projects including commercials for Nike, Adidas and Vogue as well as music promos for Stormzy, Danny Brown and Blue Lab Beats. Joel is in high demand for his use of colour, mixed formats and distinctive framing.

18. Kez Coo (@kezcoo)

Kez Coo is an Photographer, Cinematographer & Director, something of a triple threat. She creates content with the purpose of inspiring, engaging and empowering.

19. Amarachi Nwosu (@amaraworldwide)

Amarachi Nwosu is a Nigerian-American self-taught photographer, filmmaker, writer and producer based between Tokyo, Japan and New York City. She is also the founder of Melanin Unscripted, a creative platform and agency aimed to dismantle stereotypes and blur the racial lines by exposing complex identities and cultures around the world. Under her platform she has produced and directed films like “Black In Tokyo”, a groundbreaking short documentary that exposed the black experience of living in Tokyo, Japan and curated events in Lagos, Nigeria and New York at spaces like the ICP Museum under the International Center of Photography.

She has worked with a number of brands and companies in cities like Lagos, Tokyo, New York and London. As a writer and visual artist, Amarachi is dedicated to telling unique stories that bring identity and culture to light. Her work has been featured on platforms like Vogue Magazine, Huffington Post, CNN Africa, Black Enterprise, The Fader and Highsnobiety.

20. Wale Kalejaiye (@walekalejaiye)

Wale came into law from a background in music, he has built a burgeoning music practice representing rising stars from across the globe, working with talented artists, songwriters and producers as well as independent management and record companies.

With an approach that focuses exclusively on protecting his clients’ interests, he has developed a strong reputation for proactively supporting emerging artists in every aspect of their work and business, right from the start of their careers.

Wale’s work in the music and entertainment industry is informed by his substantial experience in live events, branding and social media, having previously worked with social media influencers, digital start-ups, advertising agencies and leading online merchandise companies.

21. Tolu Coker (@tolucoker)

Tolu Coker is a young British-Nigerian Fashion Designer, Textile Designer and Illustrator based in London. Following several successful stints at Maison Margiela, J.W. Anderson and Celine, the London- born designer graduated from the prestigious Central Saint Martins design school in June 2017 with First Class Honours. Her graduate collection, REPLICA, took viewers on a journey across London and Paris, where she self-directed a documentary following the lives of four individuals.

She has won both the Nina Stewart and Sophie Hallette Awards.

22. Caleb Femi (@caleb.femi)

Caleb is an ex secondary school teacher and now he is a full time poet and director featured in the Dazed 100 list of the next generation shaping youth culture.

Using film and music,  Caleb pushes the boundaries of poetry both on the page, in performance and on digital mediums.

23.  Jude Yawson (@judinihoo)

Jude is a Writer from London, Crystal Palace. Essays articles, poetry, film reviews and books. His Best pieces have been the Black Panther and Get Out film review.

In addition to this he has covered topics such as, Depression, Ghana’s history piece and Ramada. The angle of his writing has always been represented identity and insight to a new perspective.

Most recently he has edited Stormzy’s Merky Rise Up book, and it’s been an incredible journey from freelance writer to an author within 6 years. (Since 2012) first immense project too, He has also just been on the renowned British television show ‘The Jonathan Ross show’ with Stormzy himself.

24. Alex Lathbridge (@thermoflynamics)

Alex is finishing his PhD in Biochemistry, researching novel ways to target cancer. Outside of that, he’s showing that science isn’t “pale and stale” and has worked with the Science Museum, BBC, Royal Institution (and more) to create media and events for younger, more interesting audiences.

He’s the creator of Why Aren’t You A Doctor Yet? – the podcast at the intersection of science/tech journalism and millennial pop-culture. He’s also a comedian. Basically, he’s both the golden child and black sheep of every Ghanaian family event.

25. Mariam Jimoh (@WCANetwork)

 

Mariam, 26, is an investment banker and social entrepreneur, founding diversity platform, WCAN, in 2013. WCAN specialises in the professional and personal development of young black women across the UK.

She is a junior M&A banker at boutique advisory firm, Rothschild & Co. As a University College London (UCL) STEM graduate and previous medical student, she has a diverse array of experience both corporate (J.P Morgan, Citi and London Stock Exchange) and in the fintech startup and venture capital environment.

She is also the co-Founder of Ọwo Ifẹ, a foundation dedicated to supporting young girls orphaned by Boko Haram in Nigeria and creator of Foodienne, a food blog launching in 2018. She is a McKinsey Next Generation Women Leader delegate and Executive Advisor for publication, Citoyenne.

26. Kirsty Latoya (@kirzart)

Kirsty Latoya also known as ‘KirzArt’ is an illustrator/artist who specialises in digital art, creating emotive pieces around mental health, identity and self love using just her finger and an iPad.

Kirsty, 27, taught herself digital art 4 years ago and through her art she works to break the stigma of mental health within the black community.

27. Christel Kayibi (@kayibiz)

Christel is a qualified finance lawyer who qualified at 24 and has worked for firms such as Slaughter and May and White & Case. Christel has decided to focus on Africa’s development and moved to Ghana to work for a law firm. She then returned to London to work within the Energy and Infrastructure department of a law firm working mainly for the African Export Import Bank.

She is also a music lawyer and represents artists such as Mr Eazi, YCEE, Legendary Beatz and R2bees.

Christel also runs a business that provides consultancy services to artists and creatives with the aim of educating them on their rights.

28. Sophia Thakur (@sophiatakur)

Sophia was the first poet to be invited to give two TED talks before the age of 20, which in turn led to participation at events organised by The Guardian, The Royal Family, Channel 4, BBC, Viacom, Nike and the Liberal Democrat and Labour party.  She is often invited into work with the creative teams at Nike, Samsung and MTV, Most recently curated, MTV’s 2018 Black History Month series.

Furthermore, Sophia has performed at the Rockin’ Your Teens Annual Girls conference and is a youth ambassador for the betterment of young black girls, whilst leading BET and MTV’s global female campaigns for International Women’s Day and Black History Month.

Now a multi-award-winning writer and speaker, Sophia’s mission is to heal, creating a safe space to be vulnerable by pushing the boundaries of poetry and literature. She has recently signed a major publishing deal, which will see the launch of her eagerly anticipated debut poetry collection, distributed globally in 50 languages.

29. Mata Marielle (@matalabs)

Mata Marielle is a London based MakeUp Artist working in Fashion, Music, TV and Advertising.

Having quickly established her signature aesthetic, Mata’s work far surpasses her twenty years of age and can be spotted in publications such as British Vogue, Paper Magazine, Dazed and Confused, and The Guardian Weekender.

Her trademark glow also proves popular with artists; with clients including Blood Orange, Abra, Nadia Rose, John Newman, Ray BLK and Skepta.

30. Olivia Crooks

Olivia set up a record label on her year out from university, with a passion for business she then went onto complete internships at BBH and Google. Her first job as a graduate was in a creative advertising, Grey London, but with the desire to work somewhere that was challenging the media landscape she moved onto Vice Media.

In 2017, Olivia started Madland Hack, a community for people of colour in the marketing and advertising fields, and Dish -a podcast with Black British creatives voicing their opinions on anything from politics and relationships to social issues. She is currently working at Spotify as Client Services Manager.