WHAT FREEDOM IS TO ME
By Ahmed Abokor
To celebrate Black History Month in the UK, we worked with Ahmed Abokor a creative director and graphic designer based here in London. Hailing from Somaliland via Sweden his work focuses heavily on conceptual thinking, he takes a project’s strategic and creative ambitions and generates purposeful and relevant ideas - with the goal to always do this with an effective and memorable design, specialising in Art direction, visual identity and photography.
Last year Ahmed successfully raised money to contribute to the Black Lives Matter movement with a T-Shirt design focus around James Baldwin's 1979 quote? How much time do you want for your progress?!? With the 2020 protests and uproar as people were once again reminded of the systemic racism Black people face at all levels, now and throughout history, Ahmed questioned how long people will have to wait for an absolute inclusion & real change, particularly in his own creative field.
Photographer KANE FOLASADE OLUWO, Model LOUIE AKINWALE
Ahmed through his own creative processes pushes for people on all levels to realise the power in representation and how it cannot be underestimated. So This year he choose an infamous quote from Nina Simone? I tell you what freedom is to me; no fear? to create a bold design. This quote has stuck with me for many years, as it is her response to what freedom was to her, a question that can feel loaded, however, she manages to answer it with almost no hesitation, instead, she ignites power and conviction. A beautiful simplicity.?
My design focuses on the power of words, as this quote has become one in which I live by. Although this statement was made back in 1970, I see the current generation adopting it on a daily basis across all creative disciplines, as they strive to push boundaries and find their freedom of expression through various mediums. There is of course so much work to be done but I truly believe we are in an era of a black renaissance and it’s exciting to see how we sustain it whilst still pushing past fear, completely letting go to pursue absolute freedom of expression, that is honoured and embraced!
Together with Ahmed, we choose to honour Nina Simone’s legacy by giving the T-shirt proceeds to Sistah Space a community-based non-profit initiative that was created to bridge the gap in domestic abuse services for women of African heritage. This is a local charity that is close to our hearts, as they strive to protect and create a safe space for survivors and those needing support.