#YemziGirl Feature 53 (July) - April Alexander, Multi Disciplinary Creative, Caribbean from Essex

Hey April please introduce yourself...who is April Alexander, where is she from and what does she do?

Hi #YemziGirl, my name April Alexander! I am a multi disciplinary creative from Essex, currently residing in South London by way of the gorgeous Caribbean islands of Jamaica, St Lucia and Dominica by way of my grandparents.  

You are a lady of many talents - modelling, photography, writing. If you had to put them in order of passion what would that look like?

This is quite a hard question and one that I believe most creatives with a lot of disciplines would struggle to answer however I am loving photography at the moment. I love being the other side of the camera and being more in control of what I create. The same could be said for when I write and creating pieces of fiction. Modelling is great because I am able to become a different person each day and morph as and when the brief tells me to. My newest love is acting, which is a hobby at the moment but it’s a field I’m definitely excited to explore and learn more about. 

What has been your best booking to date?

My best job to date was booking a featured role in Disney’s Maleficent II. It was a surreal experience and one I’ll cherish forever. 

With the corona lockdown how have you been spending your time (aside from making hilarious TikToks)?

Haha! Thank you, I’m glad you have enjoyed my TikToks. During quarantine I have been trying to educate myself on social injustices, speaking up and trying to get to know myself more. Ironically, it has been a great season to slow down and heal, rest and reset. It’ll be interesting when needing to take what I have discovered in quarantine and having to apply it to my life once the “real world” opens up again properly. 

Where is the first place you're going once Boris releases the reigns of lockdown?

I haven’t really thought about it if I’m honest. I’ll probably just meet up with a few friends for a cold drink in the sun (weather permitting) 

Has the recent #BLM movement had an impact on your life?

Yes, the most recent movement has impacted me much more than I thought it would have. I am pro black and have always been pro black. I have never been one to shy away from uncomfortable conversations regarding race, that’s just how I was raised however these past few weeks have weighed heavily on me. Speaking to a few of my black friends we have spoken about how the most recent events have enabled certain racial traumas we have personally experienced through the years to be unearthed once more, forcing us to face the memories head on again. It has been draining to say the least however, this is exactly what we as a society needed. Especially in Britain. For far too long Britain has ignored their racist tendencies and denounced their apparent white privilege and it has been incredibly damaging to a lot of black and brown individuals. This movement has allowed white people in particular, who have been unaware of what a nightmare we as black people live in from day to day to see and start to understand how they need to change in order for systematic change and for white supremacy to be dismantled. So I think it has been a wake up call for all of us and a start of the education we have all needed. It has been a mirror to the face kind of moment. We all need to speak up for what is right more frequently and we all must fight against discrimination by being actively anti-racist in order to even attempt to lead a life as close to equity as possible. 

7 You have a very calm and peaceful energy, how do you stay so level headed?

Haha! That’s very nice that you say that. I am working on it daily, especially during lockdown. Reading my bible, going to bible study, using apps like headspace, journaling  and to be honest just being ruthlessly honest with myself about myself is enabling me to to get closer to a sense of Self and discovering inner peace. I am not perfect and I am definitely not ”there” yet but I like time think it’s more about the journey and not the destination.  I’m enjoying really stripping myself bare and exploring the real me one day at a time.

For fashion are you a plain or printed type?

I am definitely more of a plain fashion type of person. I mean my clothes have to Be the complete oppoSite to my personality otherwise there’d be too much going on! Haha  but yeah I try to lean towards Classic comfortable fits. I am in the process of evolving my wardrobe and trying to be a bit more feminine so who knows what I may be dressing like next year. 

Favourite quote?

Nothing will work unless you do - Maya Angelou 

What piece of Yemzi do you love or have your eye on?

I love the silk trousers from your latest collection that previewed in your instagram story.

APRIL’S SOCIALS

blog: www.aprilalexander.com (coming soon) 

instagram: @aprilalexander

facebook: www.facebook.com/aprilxalexander  

youtube: www.youtube.com/discreetmusetv 

twitter: @aprilxalexander

& FOR PHOTOGRAPHY…

website: www.aprilalexander.co.uk

instagram: @byaprilalexander

Interview with Ashanti Bentil-Dhue, Equity & Inclusion Consultant, Ghanaian/Jamaican living in London.

Watch here

"If workplaces were more inclusive less people would feel the need to start a business"

0:09 - Hosts intro

1:16 - Who is Ashanti?

1:51 - Training

3:55 - Career drivers

6:28 - Ashanti's two businesses

10:29 - WOC in the workplace statistics

15:00 - Opening up about (negative) corporate experiences

21:04 - White paper on oppurtunity and urgency for UK companies to invest in black female talent

27:29 - Advice from Black women who want to succeed in corporate 31.10 - Sponsorship vs Mentoring 33:2 - Productivity tools

Hey Barbara, lets get straight into it…does being a nanny make you want kids more or less?

Hello Elizabeth !!! First of all thank you for getting in touch with me and for the invite I really appreciate it. Well I helped looking after my cousins and neighbours kids so when I came to London I first started working as a cleaner then slowly I was getting into the nanny life and as long as I remember I always loved it. I always say when I go on interviews that some people do this job because of the money and some other people do because they love being nannies and love what they do and I am one of them, being a nanny it isn’t an easy job as you need to balance the kids, parents and your needs and also you need to always keep reminding yourself that they aren’t your kids and you must do what the parents wants even though sometimes you won’t agree with them. I remember this family that I worked once that was very challenging that got me so stressed to the point that the thought of not wanting kids was being on my mind constantly and people that knows me knows that there isn’t nothing else in this world that I want more than kids so I had to put myself first and move on because I was getting so stressed by kids that are not even mine so when I have mine I wouldn’t be patient and this is not how I want to be when I have my own kids. 

Why did you leave Brazil for London and what do you miss the most?

I left Brazil on 2012 when I was just 23 years old and was the first time I was living way from my family and in a foreign country. I came because a good friend of mine came with her girlfriend and a few months later she invited me to come and I decided to as I wasn’t in a good place back then as I was dealing with depression (only had the knowledge that it was depression years later) so I took some time off from drama university to come to London and have been here ever since. I love London and I feel like home here more than Brazil, I know I came from a beautiful country with beautiful people like me rsrsrs but life in Brazil it isn’t that beautiful like most people see when they watch tv or go on holidays specially now with that guy on the presidency. I really miss the weather of course but I am not complaining about UK weather no no no I am grateful with either because in my perception we must be grateful for everything we have in our lives but I was born there and that weather is part of my culture so I do miss playing outside with my friends as kids or going to a bar as adults OMG!!! If I could only share the images I have in my head with you all would be amazing but besides the weather I miss my family and friends the most but I have made my own family and friends here and where I live Willesden Green I can get all the Brazilian food I want to so I am ok with that rsrsrs. 

Your bared all on BBC's Naked Truth:Tattoos so beautifully, how was that experience?

The experience on The Naked Truth was amazing and of course being naked in front of camera and people I’ve never met wasn’t that easy but the program’s idea of showing to people what tattoos means to us was what that made me want to be part of it. At the time we filmed it I didn’t have my full arm and leg inked and I’ve seen and heard people saying and looking weirdly at me because of my tattoos but imagine now that I have way more tattoos...once I had a nanny job position turned down because my tattoos would influence the kids rsrs crazy huh!? I can’t believe that there are people that still think like that they are more worried about my tattoos than how I am going to treat their kids. I am really happy and blessed with the family I am now and I can say this I’ve had a really hard year before I met them with three different families and I’ve been putting out to the universe to bring a good family that would see me for who I am and forget the stereotypes and I finally found them and I remember on my interview I asked the mum if she had any problem with tattoos and I showed her my arms and I was really worried about her reaction and me and the little girl was love on the first sight and her mum was like “no I also have one so no problem I am more worried how you are going to look after her than about your tattoos” I was in shock and as I am writing this now I have tears in my eyes because maybe for some people this was nothing but for me was her way of saying I don’t judge you by your look. The world it is getting better as much as we think that it is not but it is look at us black people everyday we are making our voices to be hear more and more...yes we have a long way to but hey lets celebrate instead of complain right? I hope one day people understand that tattoo is a form or art and expression. 

As an aspiring plus size model which brand would you love to work with and why?

As long as I remember I’ve been overweight and we know how society treats us plus sizes women  and men so until my 25 years old I thought that being “fat” was bad and no one would love me for who and how I was and that feeling made me doubt myself all the time but then I decided to lose weight and I lost 50kg in a year I went from 126kg to 78kg and you are must be thinking WOW she was so happy right? No! I wasn’t. I was happy from the outside because I never thought that I could lose weight on my own without surgery or pills but I was so unhappy inside because I was treating myself so badly and that made me feel so unhappy and when I got stuck and couldn’t lose more I started gaining again and today I am back to my weight and you are must be thinking WOW she must be sad now right? No! I AM NOT and you know why? Because I had to learn how to LOVE MYSELF I thought that losing weight would make me happy and make people love me because that was what the tv and people used to say to me all the time and I saw that it wasn’t true. Today I learned that the “love yourself “  means literally love yourself no matter how you are, you can be slim or plus or too tall or too short be black or white or be Japanese or African love yourself means be grateful and proud of the life body,s kin that you have but doesn’t mean that you don’t need to look after your health for example today I want to lose weight because I want to be healthy to look after my kids when I have them not to make people to love me. 

So once I started my journey on loving myself I started to have my own plus size inspirations so I thought about modelling so I’ve done one photoshoot for a friend and I loved it so I went and did a workshop for plus size model and I met so many wonderful and beautiful plus sizes women but ever since I haven’t done anything but soon I will be back to it. I always buy clothes from this brand called grassfield it is an online store that I found on instagram they are two sister if I am not wrong from Nigeria and all they clothes are handmade and believe me they are amazing and they have from size 8 to 24 so I would love to model for them plus just know that I am helping my black sis from there I am happy to keep buying from them. 

What should designers who are wanting to cater to larger women pay attempting to?

Well I have large breast so I still think they should be paying more attention to that because sometimes you can find plus size clothes that with fit you everywhere but not on breast area and it is só frustrating and I know all my big breasted sis out there will agree with me rsrs. 

Beauty products your afro can’t survive without? 

OMG!!! One of my favourite subjects rsrs my friends always make fun of me saying that I go crazy if I don’t deep condition my hair at least 3x a week and I look after it like a babe and it isn’t completely true but I do deep conditioning it 1x when I am working and 3x a week when I am on holiday and as I do the low poo method so I don’t use any products on my hair only products that are allowed so I get it from Brazil as we have a huge range of products but when I cannot get it from there I get from Shea Moisture or Cantu they are not cheap comparing to the normal brands but for girls like me that are always dying their hair it’s worth it. 

What does style mean to you?

Style for me means WEAR WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE AND BEAUTIFUL. At least that how I am to be honest, as I mentioned before I have my inspirations but I have my own style that for some people it isn’t cool but it’s fine beca I don’t choose my outfit to please anybody but me and I love before going out I plan the whole outfit in my mind and when I put it on I look in the mirror and I say GIRL!!! You are looking Gorgeous OMG rsrs and I am telling you I go out in the mood and no one will change it. I see sometimes people looking at me thinking “her style is cool or I didn’t like it” but the most important thing is I am feeling myself so F*%# the world rsrs. 

Plain or printed?

Both depends on the occasion

Favourite quote? 

Treat yourself with love and respect, and you will attract people who show you love and respect in other words FIRST LOVE YOURSELF 

What piece of Yemzi do you love or have your eye on and why?

Girl I am getting that Yemzi identity pin!

Watch here

Interview with the best female MC in the U.K Lioness from South London

We discuss her collaborations past, present and upcoming. Her secret talents, collaborations celeb crush 😂ancestry and more

We first interviewed RobinJade August 2018, see here: https://www.yemzi.com/newsevents/robi... A year on (August 2019) we catch with with RJ to see what's new in her world of capturing people on camera. We recap on her journey from club photography to shooting for Vogue; how she discovered lightskin privilege and championed dark skin models, her new self-portrait book and so much more...

Produced by Yemzi Edited by Elizabeth-Yemi Akingbade Videography Micah Gordon Music by Stefan Charty With thanks to As I Am @AsIAmUK, Red Red Stews @RedRedStews and No 1 Living Drinks @No1LivingDrinks

We first interviewed Rhona February 2018, see here: https://www.yemzi.com/newsevents/rhona A year and a half on we catch with Rhona to see what's new in her world of fashion styling and creative direction. We discuss her inclusive magazine THIIIRD and how they've expanded to radio and panel discussions at the tate. Rhona's personal work styling for GQ, LYNX, Anthony Joshua and having her eyes set on styling BadGalRiri. Produced by @Yemzi Interviewee @roena Edited by Elizabeth-Yemi Akingbade @thisisyem Sponsored by As I Am @asiamuk, Red Red Stews @redredstews, No1 Living Drinks @no1livingdrinks Music by Stefan Charty

Check out the interview here.

View our fashion film and one of our silk runway garments on display at Hackney Museum amongst their current exhibition. Show closes January 11th.

Check out the interview here.

Hey Nana Ghana, please introduce yourself...

N: My name is Nana Ghana, I am an actress, writer, director living in Los Angeles

Tell us about the dream you are living...

N: The dream am living is one I feel very privileged to Iive. I live a life full of creativity art beauty and Joy

Apart from following your passions how do you stay fulfilled?

N: Apart from my passion how do I stay fulfilled? I stay Fulfilled by been of service to others around me.

Which places do you call home and what do you love about these locations?

N: Places I call home for sure will be Ghana, where I was born and raised, I also call Venice beach California my home, as it was the place I developed my self and my art and craft..

What makes you a #YemziGirl?

N: You tell me, what makes me a Yemzi girl (LOL)

Do you have a favourite Yemzi piece of clothing?

N: I don’t have favourite piece yet!

Are you more of a plain or printed type of girl?

N: It depends on my mood, sometimes I like plain other times I like print. It all depends

How important do you feel your acting, writing and video direction is as a black woman in LA?

N: I feel it’s important to be a black actor, writer, director because, the balance of unique stories of our stories are scares and it’s really an honour and privilege to be part of the people changing that narrative.

What are your top 3 tips for girls in the film industry?

1) Trust yourself and know yourself and know your worth

2) Work hard

3) Stay humble and curious

And finally, what is your favourite quote?

N:  That’s a hard choice…

I love Oprah’s quote “The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”

More from Nana…

Describe what you do, where you are from and your age 

Fashion Stylist, Film Photographer & Founder/CEO of GRL GNG 27, West London 

Where does the name Naysap come from ? A nickname given to me a long time ago - then when I first made an instagram account I just used it as my name now everyone calls me Naysap lol 

Was Pulse88 radio presenting days key for connecting with the clients you style today? Hmmm yes because the first video I styled was one of our first guests we had on our show and no because I get quite a lot of my clients from word of mouth as well as social media. 

You've styled award-winning young black British music stars such as Lil Simz, RayBlk and MsBanks, who's next to be blessed with your vision? Atm I’m working on a show on KYRA tv doing some styling but I’m hoping to style ASAP Rocky one day or Rihanna so let’s see where the wind takes me.  On Queen radio Nicki Minaj said she rated your styling  for ‘Talk to mi nice’ by Lisa Mercedez, how does it feel to get industry recognition and has it increased your bookings or cost to hire your services? My name wasn’t mentioned but still it was nice to hear that she rated my styling but the thing is as as stylist you never really get the recognition you deserve, it’s a hard one. My price went up way from the beginning of the year tbh I really realised my worth and put my foot down &  I’ve been doing some amazing stuff, I got to work with Sean Paul this year, so that is like one of my highlights this year.  This year you've collaborated with Uber and Adidas, tell us about it… I collaborated with Uber on a project for international women’s day where I started a conversation about the low number on blue plaques dedicated to women around London & I gave them three women that in my book deserve a bigger platform. It was a really good experience, I enjoyed every minute of it and the video was literally everywhere lol. 

I also hosted two t-shirt customisation workshops with Adidas which was fantastic I’ll defo be doing some more workshops from now on I really really enjoyed them. 

GRLGANG is a really dope platform for talented female musicians to perform live. I reached one, maybe two events since 2016 and it's one I also hope to attend again. What's your vision for the event and how do you keep it fresh as well as functioning almost 3 years later? GRL GNG is my baby it’s a reflection of me and my style so it’s always going to be fresh and fun. I plan to do so much with GRL GNG I’m going to travel to world and do events etc there’s so much I have under my sleeve which will be revealed soon. 

I imagine your events and styling jobs would be a great chance to take images and video content. Do you still have time for that or is it something you've now left behind in order to focus?

Yeah I do all the photography for GRL GNG and when I’m on shoots I always take photos I don’t do filming anymore it’s just long and I hate editing videos lol but photography is the one. When you was at college you planned to become a lawyer, I'm predicting it's going to become very trendy to be on the courtroom podium now that Kim K is sitting her bar exams. Give us an idea as to how you'd style yourself for your first day in court as a certified lawyer Looool how did you know??? I wanted to be a barrister or a forensic scientist!! *rolls eyes at Kim K* 

Ummmmm I’d probably wear a champagne coloured or even a mint green satin pant suit with some pointed shiny stilettos to match the suit. And of course gold jewellery. 

From studying Multimedia Journalism at Southampton Solent to where you are today, what has been your most memorable career moment so far? Probably taking the step to become freelance and work for myself I’ve been working so hard these past few years and it’s starting to pay off - believe me it was a struggle in the beginning but it’s getting way better. 

O we certainly believe i! You can take images, make videos, style, host radio shows, run music events, cook #naysapskitchen, what's next to master?

I wouldn’t mind giving DJ’ing a go you know I would be a house/techno DJ with a splash of bashment. 

And finally what is your favourite quote?

You don’t ask you don’t get 

Nigerian Musician Patoranking’s latest single, "Lenge Lenge" is inspired by afrobeat legend Fela Kuti.

Patoranking was dressed in Orange Culture, Lisa Folawiyo Studio, Tolu Coker and Studio 189 and the Queen by Yemzi, Eki Orleans, Studio 189, Taylor Goldenberg and Fordam Rowe.

Extract from Okay Africa: