Allyship

Hello Friends, I hope you have had a stunning start to the week!

There is a say about keeping company that mentions you in a room full of opportunities, in this journey has been a continuous happening of humans holding space and humans choosing to use their voices to make the arena more diverse.

In the height of Black Lives Matter were discussions around White people using their access, privilege and power to create room for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour to be seen and heard too, and in the hype, many of these moments were documented, however, often past the hype the work and allyship seems to die with the news on television.

So this post, is a thank you. A massive one too.

To the humans who have mentioned my name in rooms,

Used their voice to advocate for diversity in places that are traditionally undiverse,

Shared the mic with me,

Gave the platform offered to them so mine could be heard,

And continuously look to create space for expansion in the ocean space,

The one guy still said ‘how many white men have been written about in Freediving and water and continue to be written about, Zandi’s story needs to be told, there’s enough of me in the world.

The lady oddly smiled and later walked up to me.

Whether the world, hears, sees or takes on your suggestion, perhaps this is less important, what is important is that in a moment, you elected to choose different, and I appreciate this.

I have recently been elected to the NEWF Decade DiveMaster Storytelling Lab, that comprises of 10 Women from across the continent of Africa, being supported towards acquiring their Dive Master qualification, while learning underwater cinematography, photography and the science of conservation, filming and storytelling - this will close with a film created by this crew.

NEWF with its partners over the next ten years aims to create a connected network of one hundred African Divemaster Storytellers celebrating the miracle and wonder of Africa’s ‘life below water’. Inspiring action to conserve and sustainably use our Oceans.

First is to thank everyone who sent messages for me to apply, second is the messages of hope that I make it because the work has been continuous, and the messages of support once the announcement was made.

Thank you for everything, and the hearts that carry this human space.

Xx

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Instagram Live Update : Instagram Lives over the next 3 months will be pre-recorded, I'm so excited to share the phenomenal women that will be featuring in this space, keep your eye out for them!

Happy New Week!