Picture : Emily Williams
A year ago I decided to step out of my comfort zone career wise and step into the unknown. I joined a start-up company then embarked on becoming a freelancer in the area of film. It’s been exciting and daunting in equal measure from developing events for an indie cinema chain, working as a production coordinator on a feature film and producing & running a film festival.
From building connections with new colleagues, working out how to increase audiences to solving issues on a night shoot, each experience has strengthened my skills and resilience. It has also made me reflect on the things I did in my previous role, working at a university and being part of the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team as the Race Equality Advisor. I was lucky to work with a brilliant team, keen to make a difference and allies who understood why it mattered to have a more inclusive workplace. I was very touched to be invited back for the end of term celebration of the Race Equality Charter being awarded. It was so lovely to catch up, chat about progress and reminisce on the work we created together. I was reminded of the importance of team work, listening to each other and connecting, whatever your background.
Working in film has reminded me of the long way there is to go on increasing the diversity and inclusion – as a black woman of Caribbean heritage I’m in the minority for sure but I’m hopeful that things will improve and I’m proud to be part of that change. I’m still navigating my new world, finding new ways forward and making sure I reflect on what works and what doesn’t – I’ll keep you posted.
I wanted to share what 2022 has taught me :
Be prepared to make changes
Follow your gut
Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself (and others)
Not everyone will believe in what you offer (and that’s okay)
Don’t be afraid
Have some fun
You can say no when it’s not the right fit
Timing is everything
Stay as healthy as you can
Make time for rest
Here’s to 2023 and whatever it has in store :D