#BGFAcademyAlumni — Aleyah Babb-Benjamin
Black Girl Fest Academy is a seven-month community-focused creative programme, created by Black Girl Festival, in association with Today at Apple and The Mayor of London.
Over the past few months, we’ve supported 30 Black women aged 17–25, equipping them with the tools to create events for their local communities. We’re excited to introduce our Academy Alumni sharing more about their event ideas.
Meet Aleyah Babb-Benjamin, creator of the #LevelUp Experience — an exclusive skillshare workshop event for London’s Black-run charities.
Aleyah Babb-Benjamin
Tell us more about your event, How did you come up with it? What impact do you hope it makes for your community?
The #LevelUp Experience’ presents an exclusive skillshare workshop event for London’s Black-run charities, curated to educate and upskill them on how best to revolutionise their organisations in the digital age.
I work in the charity sector and noticed how charities & social enterprises (black-led ones in particular) were significantly behind their industry counterparts in their lack of access technological solutions, fundraising opportunities, archaic approaches to marketing, branding, communications, and more.
I wanted to make a change by curating an event which will encourage a cultural shift and push black-led charities and social enterprises to revolutionise and take ownership of their organisations in the digital age. I believe that this event will empower London’s black-led charities & social enterprises to work smarter — and not harder — in achieving all that they set out to do in the world with added efficacy.
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to sign up to the Black Girl Fest Academy programme?
DO IT! The support you receive is amazing. Be prepared to share an experience with other amazing Black womxn who have such incredible ideas. Don’t hold yourself back, believe in your slay!
What have you learnt whilst being on the programme?
I have learnt to have confidence in my ideas, and that the creativity in the Black womxn London community is immense and boundless. I have also learnt to be resilient, to allow myself to learn from others, to have a growth mindset, and that ‘where there is a will, there is a way.’
Could you give 3 pieces of advice you would give to someone who wants to run events for their community?
Seek wise counsel from those who have come before you and run events themselves. Trust in your ideas and the process. Be open, flexible and willing to grow and learn from your mistakes (both in the lead-up and in the execution of an event).
