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Arise Firebird Q&A with Film Director and Producer Jimi Okubanjo
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Jimi Okubanjo, Film Director and Producer of Arise Firebird talking to Caro Sika.
Our Cultural Mediator, Caro Sika, facilitated the Arise Firebird Feature Film Q&A at the London PAFF festival, which took place in West Norwood Picture House on Friday 6th October 2023. This documentary was directed and produced by Jimi Okubanjo. Conducting the Q&A was a real honour and an emotional moment prompting difficult conversations as we faced deeply entrenched bias and cultural trauma rearing its head in the workplace and impacting personal lives.
ARISE FIREBIRD tells the stories of three Women of Color who were pushed out of the corporate world due to toxic racism and sexism. After working through the trauma of it all, they decide to rebuild inspiring and impactful careers on their own terms. These raw and revealing stories unearth the reality of the difficult decision to "grin and bear it" made by so many professional Black and Brown Women facing abuse at work. It bears a message of hope, "there is always sunshine after the rain" and "nothing is ever wasted".
Click below to watch the Q&A.
More on Jimi Okubanjo
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Jimi Okubanjo is an accomplished ex-corporate executive with over 22 years of operations and management consulting experience. She has worked with prestigious blue-chip companies across 14 countries, including Fortune 500 companies such as Amazon, McKinsey, Shell, and Siemens.
Throughout her career, Jimi has gained a deep understanding of leading organizational change in various industries. Now, as the visionary behind The ARISE FIREBIRD: Women of Color Transcending Workplace Trauma, she is dedicated to addressing the alarming crisis facing women of color in the workplace.
Passionate about driving cultural and business transformations, Jimi partners with leadership teams to equip them with the tools and strategies needed to navigate complexity in rapidly changing environments. She understands that true change starts from the top, and her workshops and keynotes prioritize engaging and empowering leaders to create inclusive and productive workplaces.
Jimi's unique blend of storytelling and data-driven insights enables her to challenge conventional thinking and inspire leaders to reevaluate their policies, practices, and mindsets. She believes in fostering open dialogue and driving lasting change that aligns cultural transformations with business goals.
Through The ARISE FIREBIRD, Jimi aims to shed light on the experiences of women of color in the workplace and inspire leaders to take action towards a more equitable and supportive environment. Connect with Jimi Okubanjo on LinkedIn to learn more about her journey and join the movement towards a more inclusive workplace.
source: https://about.me/j.okubanjo
Click below to watch the Arise Firebird trailer
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Businessman Tim Campbell MBE's legacy of championing the underrated!
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Tim Campbell MBE as an aide to Sir Alan Sugar on the Apprentice. Credit BBC
I remember interviewing Tim Campbell at the Black Magic Awards, hosted by Kojo Anim and Annika Allen in 2019, celebrating Black British Women. Standing with fellow colleagues, I was told that Tim Campbell was the winner of the 1st series of the Apprentice in 2005, a BBC TV reality show in which contestants competed to win a £100,000-a-year job working for businessman Alan Sugar. This definitely got my attention, simply because I was a big fan of the Apprentice (and still love the concept although I have far less time watching TV these days). I asked Tim Campbell for an interview on the red carpet and he was so approachable, humble and personable. What struck me during the interview was his love and greatest respect for his mother and her business sense. It was evident that she was one of his greatest inspiration going into business and for this very reason celebrating the achievement of Black British Women, clearly, was close to his heart.
Since, I have been checking in, from time to time, on Tim Campbell's social media and always delighted to see the content he shares and his devotion to his family and his constant affirmation and appreciation conveyed in this posts towards his wife. It's very endearing and so needed in a world where women, and by extension human beings, are presented as commodities on social media. I have great respect for Tim Campbell and delighted to see that the working relationship that began with Alan Sugar in 2005 (see pic below) is still going strong in 2024, his expertise and skillset being showcased to the nation. Once again, Tim Campbell demonstrates his robust commitment to being a leader and man of excellence.
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Tim Campbell as Lord Sugar's Apprentice and Aid in the current series. Photo Credit: BBC
However, Tim Campbell is much more than the first winner of the Apprentice.
In 2007, he founded Bright Ideas Trust along with Richard Morris, public affairs consultant. Bright Ideas Trust is a charity that helps young people who haven’t had the same chances as the rest of society to start their own business. It has helped thousands of young people, many from disadvantaged backgrounds, to start and run their own business and understand how business works. To this effect, he was awarded the MBE for Enterprise Culture in the 2012 New Year's Honour List. He also is the co-author of one of Amazon's best seller book "What's your bright idea?".
So without further ado, flashback to my interview with Tim Campbell in 2019.
Enjoy :)
Caro Sika interviewing Tim Campbell MBE
