Collaborating with Finite Edition to raise money for BMEYPP

June 2020 I got an message through my website from an unfamiliar email, with the way 2020 was going it wasn’t totally out of the ordinary. It went as followed:

I found you through researching Brighton based Photographers on Instagram. I am local to Brighton and London and have lived here for around 3 years.
I am in the process of launching a charity and artist lead garment printing company. We basically work with artists, illustrators and photographers through limited curations of their work onto garments for selected charities.[…]

I was wondering if you would be interested in contributing some of your photography images or illustrations towards a BLM campaign or charity. Due to the significance of the work I would love to contribute all profits after t-shirt costs to your chosen charity or campaign. The campaign would also include lots of promotion for yourself and your chosen charity.[…]

I was immediately interested and the discussion with Finite Edition about collaborating on a campaign to raise money for a charity of my choice began. If you know me by now, the first thing I had to do was start my research on charities, was I going to choose an international one? a local one? If I was to choose an international one, could I find out enough to see where the money was going? Who ran these charities?… So many things to consider, and how much time did I have!?

Well, with it being the most prominent year this millennia that Black Lives have Mattered, I wanted to spread my work out a little bit, so we opted for doing the campaign the month of October, it was Black History Month in the UK, and by this point hopefully people would get the idea that just a black square wasn’t going to cut it.

Even though Finite and I had spoken about using some of the photography I had taken, particularly from the Black Brighton shoots or White Gaze exhibition, I decided quickly I wanted to do an illustration. I had done a lot over lockdown and really wanted to do something original and new for the campaign.

Going back to my charity research, I had asked a few people in the black/colour community I have, and the charity that popped up the most was BMEYPP (Black and Ethnic Minority Young People’s Project). Doing further research, I found that this local charity’s main aim was “Facilitating the empowerment of BME young people”.

After my White Gaze project and the ism I had with The Argus at the beginning of the year, I had vocalised on multiple platforms how creatively, the black community can sometimes be at a disadvantage due to upbringing and our parents/grandparents views and their own experience of expressing their creativity -or should I say lack- due to the opportunities that weren’t offered to them or not financially possible. Speaking from experience, my grandfather never understood my whimsical and playful attitude towards my future, growing up I wanted to be a wedding dress designer, when I said this to him, his response was “why don’t you be an architecture, it’s still drawing isn’t it” being an architect was a more respectable job.

So after the years work I’d already produced, and the long struggle it was making it into the chosen industry my heart desired, I wanted this feeling, the feeling of my work actually now going somewhere, to be possible for others, easier for others, to have a community where you can grow and be who you want to be. So after a lot of talking to friends and previous volunteers, I sent an email to BMEYPP and got a very warming reply to my proposal. I got full transparency on where the donation would be directed and that they have my full support off and on line. And with it being a local charity – after the campaign – I had it in my thoughts to find my own space at BMEYPP in volunteering and hopefully, inspiring young people to do whatever it is they truly want to do. What’s the point in anything otherwise?

By September, I had the full support of the BMEYPP and the conversation was whipping between Finite and I; the building momentum leading up to the campaign was undeniable .

For the artwork, like I said before, I wanted to create something new – In my style, recognisable – but new. I decided to use a photograph I’d taken for Black Brighton and turn it in to an illustration. I chose a photo from the second Black Brighton shoot of Yolanda. I edited it to how I wanted the final piece to look on photoshop and then drew it on 16×20″ canvas board. Once that was done, I photographed it and edited on photoshop to look like the original.

Now it was time for a little fun, I knew that the price of printing would be differ between mono and colour, but I wanted to try and turn it into a graphic piece like I see is so popular nowadays, I had no idea how most did, and I didn’t want to, I wanted to try my own interpretation, doing this in the past has proven rewarding in finding a new style. Once I had drafted four different versions, I sent them to Finite for a final choice to be made.

Once we decided on the white to be printed a black tee, Finite got on to ordering samples to begin advertisement. Throughout the entire campaign, the dialogue was always open between Finite, BMEYPP and I. Finite and I were always clear on what the other was doing and when (definitely one of the most constructive and consistent collaborations I’ve been involved in).

Due to Covid, the samples didn’t get to us until well into the month of October, but we didn’t panic, we simply saw it as an opportunity to remind people learning about Black History and doing things for the Black community was not to be dedicated to one month. We got over our lateness without worry and drifted into the new scheme with ease and pleasure.
Alongside 3 other artists, and hitting the start of November, the campaign was ready to go! With posts every/other day from Finite with different graphics, full transparency, all the right hashes and tags, an audience was being pulled in.

A few weeks in we hit another little road bump; Finite was planned to come to Brighton to do a shoot of tees modelled on myself and one other, but with lockdown he was there and I was here. He asked if I had any friends in London that might be willing to model the tees one day out in the City. I had a handful of friends, but the first person to spring to mind, who I could trust to be comfortable and confident in front of the camera, was my acting friend Shanice, my one and only friend who I made such a strong connection with on Instagram, we became friends in real life, I wanted her to model, I wanted her to be a part of this project. She was happy and willing to help a sistar and charity out, speed bump averted and another better result!

By the end of the campaign, Finite and I had posted, tagged, photographed, advertised, whatsapped, shouted and raved about the campaign and I’m so happy with the amount of work, contribution, purses opened, words spread and all round time spent on this campaign. Thank you BMEYPP for doing what you, thank you to everyone who took the time and money for such an amazing and needed charity, and thank you so much to Finite for approaching me, being such a dream to work with and doing what you do.

In total, we sold 11 tees and raised £148.50 to go to the BMEYPP. Ahead of that, I hope to work further with BMEYPP, raising more money, and collaborating on more work with Finite Edition, who was an absolute dream to work with. And remember everyone please, Black Lives Matter not just in the USA or in 2020, they matter everywhere, all of the time.

Marleigh in Malawi – Hear About Brighton Girl’s Life Changing Journey Volunteering In Malawi. Where Will The Last Year Of University Take You?

For a lot of you students living in Brighton a lot of you have just started your third year, which means the finish line is only round the corner, and what to do next is probably more daunting then your final grade. A lot of you will go on to jobs or apprenticeships as quick as a click of a finger, some will meander for a bit, enjoying your new found freedom, and some are planning long journey’s and trips to the furthest points of the world. You might plan on a spiritual journey and visit the monks in Tibet or maybe turning to the wild side and doing a road trip cross America. Now, don’t get me wrong, we can’t deny how amazing living in Brighton is, but after being weighed down by endless amounts of books, and studying hours into the night, after University is the best time to do some travelling. Marleigh Price is a born and bred Brighton girl. She recently graduated from Bristol University studying English Literature. It was around this time last year she began to plan her escapes from home, study, and simply the every day life to begin the learning curve of adulthood.

Malawi is a small country in the south of Africa, it is the most densely populated and least developed country in the world. Marleigh volunteered with a charity run by her University BVDA – Bristol Volunteers for Development Abroad. ‘It’s an entirely student-run charity that works with NGOs in developing countries. Our partner in Malawi was Nancholi Youth Organisation, or NAYO.’

So why did you decide you wanted to go on this life changing experience?

A friend at work was involved with the charity, and she mentioned that she’d spent two months volunteering in Nepal the previous year. As I was coming to the end of my degree and was uncertain of my next move, I decided to look into doing something similar with the charity. I’ve always wanted to travel, and it felt like a bit of a unique opportunity.’

Going with an organisation means travelling and spending a lot of time with other people, most of the time you don’t know and you have to spend a lengthy amount of time eating, sleeping and working very closely.

‘There were 6 of us Bristol Volunteers that went out together – we’d had a series of training sessions and fund-raising events over the course of the year to prepare us and allow us to get to know each other a little, but there’s a massive difference between seeing people once a week for an hour and living with them 24/7 for two months! Us girls all shared a room in Malawi, and our mattresses were literally touching. The only time we were really apart was when we were in the bathroom, or asleep, and even then I had a habit of rolling into someone else’s bed! Pretty intense, must be said.

What was everyday life like?

We lived in a house bang in the centre of the village, just off the main market street. Whilst it was great for being so central, it was really really noisy – villages in Malawi quite often have a couple of shops with huge ass speaker systems that blare out music or films pretty much 24/7. so, from about 5am – 2am you’d be treated to a really eclectic mix of music being blared out – Shania Twain was pretty popular, and they loved ‘Forever Young’. If I ever hear that again I might cry.

The house had a kitchen, two bedrooms – four girls in one, two boys in the other – and a bathroom. We did have running water and electricity (on good days) but the water was ice cold, and would routinely conk out, usually right after you’d just got some shampoo going. Blackouts and power cuts happened pretty much nightly, so got pretty good at cooking for 6 people on a little fire! Makes student kitchens look like a bloody luxury!

 

In 2005 President Joyce Banda had exhibited improved financial discipline and signed a three year poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth just over 35 million pounds with the IMF (The International Monetary Fund) an organisations of 188 countries, working to help secure financial stability in places like Malawi. Unfortunately since 2009 Malawi has experienced shortages in foreign exchange which has damaged it’s ability to pay for imports, this financial glitch has then seen Malawi’s government failing to address investments in there unreliable power, water shortages, and the high cost in services, this has resulted in the suspension of general budget support on 2011, and for the warm hearted people of Malawi to live in hardship.

What information about Malawi and the living conditions did you know/read up on before you went? 

We’d had a bit of training on life in Malawi, and also got to meet up with a guy who’d previously volunteered with NAYO in the village we were going to, so that was great. I was quite shocked to learn that 51% of the Malawian population is under 15 – that’s a lot of kids! – and that, as one of the poorest countries in the world, most of the population live on less than a dollar a day. Pretty crazy. As for living conditions, we weren’t really sure! We knew we were going to be living in a house together, but other than that it was all a surprise upon arrival.

Not only are 51% of the population under 15 but 26% of them are exposed to child labour and 13% of children under the age of 5 are underweight.

What were the people you met like?                                                                               

The volunteers that came with me were lovely – given the intensity of our living arrangements, we got on bloody well. The Malawians we met and lived alongside were some of the most generous, warm and open people I’ve ever met. Malawi is referred to as the warm heart of Africa, and I can totally see why. We were constantly getting invited to people’s houses for lunch, and people are just really friendly. Obviously, being pretty pale next to your average African, we caused quite a stir walking through the village, as the literal only whites in the village. Kids would just come running up to you to hold your hand, or cuddle you, and even adults liked to have a good gawp, particularly if one of us girls wore trousers – bit unheard of over there. As for the guys that ran NAYO – I have never met a group of people more committed to their job. They were making so much of an impact on the lives of so many people. Massively inspiring.

Did you make any friends for life?

Definitely became really close with the people I volunteered with, and have kept in touch with them. 2 months spending literally every day with people is definitely a bonding experience. By the end there was pretty much nothing we didn’t know about each other.

What was your favourite day? 

It would probably have to be the sports day we organised for the kids at school. We decided that it was going to be a proper, British affair, with orange slices and cups of juice. Funnily enough, such English traditions don’t translate to Africa. It took my group 7 attempts to run the egg and spoon race without cheating. When we came to the sack race, I was sure we’d be able to get through it with everyone playing fair and square. Not quite…walked along the line to discover that half the kids only had one leg in their sack. “But madam, I run faster with two legs!” was the general response when asked why they weren’t doing it properly. The kids were also much more interested in the sticker prizes than the races themselves, but ultimately, I think they enjoyed it. I also loved singing with my class – you’ve not heard ‘Old McDonald’ until you’ve heard it sung by 65, perfectly pitched African children. ‘EEeee-ah eeee-ahh o’ suddenly became so much more interesting! As did the animals…old macdonald had lions and zebras on his farm!

Do you miss Brighton when you’re away? 

I definitely miss Brighton when I’m away – it’s an awesome city, and I’m always boasting about it. That said, I was very lucky to be in Bristol for 3 years – it’s got the same sort of vibe as Brighton in a lot of ways – quite arty and cultural, great night life, and really really diverse, which makes for some of the best food places I’ve ever found outside of London.

Is there anywhere else you would venture to for a charitable cause?

I’d love to visit India and Vietnam at some point. Finding volunteer organisations that are worthwhile is really difficult though. There’s a massive issue with ‘voluntourism’ right now, with children and vulnerable people being exploited for the profits of big companies, or being exposed to threats such as paedophilia because of insufficient background checks. Volunteering with a student-run, not for profit organisation meant that my only expenditure was my own flights, as opposed to paying masses for the privilege of going out there. That said, there is nothing quite like seeing something concrete come out of months of hard work and fund raising, and I’d love to do something similar again!

Do you plan on ever going back to Malawi?

 I would absolutely love to go back – I really miss the place, and would love to revisit the projects, and all the amazing people we met. Africa is such an incredible continent, and 2 months was barely enough to scratch the surface of one of it’s smaller countries. Going back is definitely on the list of things to do!

It was recorded in 2009 that out of the 13 million people living in Malawi roughly 51,000 people died from AIIDS and 920,000 people HIV positive. With such despair and desperation harbouring in the hearts of the Malawian people, they are still known to be the happiest, most cheerful, and spirited community in Africa. 

Helping people less fortunate then yourself can be something that will not only change the way you think, but you may be able to have the power to help other people see, and change the way millions of people live there lives, It easy to get distracted with all the small problems that get thrown in our face everyday, but sometimes it’s important to be thankful for those small problems, because there are people out there that think and feel just like us, and have to face the biggest challenge of all every day; surviving, but we have the power and the resources to change that.

There are loads of other organisations and charities that offer similar opportunities to the one Marleigh had like The Real Gap; they not only offer volunteer work helping people, but places and wildlife, and a list of destinations, stretching from Africa to Asia, Australasia, Central America, and if you don’t want to travel to far, Europe. If you go to Brighton University they offer volunteer work in and outside of the UK; you can find different paths to take and information on gap years. Sussex University also has volunteer work with their Student Union which offers work in the UK as well as information on different clubs and societies you can join. If volunteering really doesn’t appeal there are other ways you can do charitable work right here in Brighton; The Brighton Marathon is being held in April 2014, the NSPCC – a charity that helps prevent cruelty to children – are still looking for people to run and raise money. Also this month you have Vintage Me; a Christmas fair in aid of Martlets Hospice on the 30^th of November at the Unitarian Church.

What impact has this experience had on your life? 

It sounds clichéd  but it’s definitely made me more appreciative of everything that I have. AIDS and HIV are a massive problem in Malawi, and there’s still a lot of stigma surrounding them. I spent a day at an ARV clinic (antiretrovirals are the drug used to control the HIV infection) and met many women who had walked for four or five hours to receive the treatment, and do so every month. NAYO are the only charity that distribute drugs in rural areas around Nancholi – in other regions of Malawi, sufferers must travel to hospital, which is usually situated in a big city, and can take up to a day to travel to, as well as being an unaffordable expense. Because of this, many sufferers go without treatment. As much as we moan about the NHS, and all the rest of it, we are so bloody lucky to have things like that.

One day at school, I was teaching my class the words for feelings – happy, sad, excited etc. – and getting them to write sentences using the adjectives. The amount of kids who wrote things like “I am sad because there is no food” was absolutely heartbreaking. Definitely puts things in perspective when you moan about being ‘starving’, or throw something perfectly edible out just because the sell-by date has gone. Going to Malawi also helped curb my shopping habit!’

 

Thank you to Tom Haniff for the Photography

Written for: Be Rudy

Published on: 17th Sunday November 2013