Ever since I can remember, I have always been trying to find ways to express myself. Creativity has been a profound and deep part of my identity and helped me embody my authenticity. Drawing and writing are the two lovers of my inner creative world. My grandpops was a superb artist who loved drawing birds and my other grandad had the most beautiful handwriting. Creativity flows through my being and it appears this has been passed down through generations. I don’t know who I would be if I wasn’t creative. I wouldn’t know how to navigate through the world. Being a queer woman, I have reflected upon how much creativity has helped me explore and embrace my queerness. As a teenager, I would draw my favourite queer characters and couples and more recently, I adore writing fanfiction featuring those characters. It gives me fulfillment and nourishment to connect with characters, explore the human spirit and enrich my own queer experience.
Creating Creative Being has been one of the most unexpected gifts in my life. Unexpected because I never thought anything would ever come of it! It was just an idea that I put into motion and thought a few people might engage with the platform but then it would just fizzle out. I have been overcome with gratitude and kindness from creative individuals from all over the world who want to use the platform to amplify their creative voice. The platform has become a community that continues to grow and evolve. I feel truly blessed to connect with so many talented, kind and generous creatives who are using their creativity to create positive change and express their authenticity. Connecting with other creatives has become a healing experience. I have realised that creativity is like water. There is no right or wrong way to flow. Creativity and healing compliment one another like yin and yang, light and darkness. You cannot have one without the other.
I haven’t ever come across any forms of creative expression that I didn’t connect to. I think creativity is such an innate part of my being that I can connect with any form of creative expression. I’m constantly finding new and exciting ways to express myself. Right now, I am enjoying singing and dancing a lot more and getting into expressing my creativity through makeup.
Creative Being is another way I can express my creativity because I get inspired by other creative individuals and do a lot of graphic design for our Instagram. How Creative Being came to be is not a very long story but one I like to reflect upon because it reminds me of how far the platform has come.
Back in lockdown, 2020, I wasn’t able to do any face to face volunteering which is something that’s really important to me. I love being part of a community and one that works towards positive change. A part of me felt lost and empty. So I began thinking about how I could still volunteer and make a positive difference during the pandemic. Creativity has always been an important part of my life and spirit and so I thought, what if we could use our creativity to inspire and encourage positive change in the world. I didn’t know what that was going to look like and I am glad I didn’t because I have been blown away at how the platform has grown and evolved over the past two years. We have over 300 followers, have conducted loads of interviews with inspiring humans and shared the most beautiful creative work.
I don’t use social media but I knew Instagram was more of a visual form of media that I thought could be a fun way to connect with others and build a creative, thriving community. So I started a website and created an Instagram account and started sharing my idea. That’s when I came across Start the Wave. The values that this beautiful community holds align so closely with my own and when I noticed they were looking to fund grassroots projects, I thought why not apply and see what happens? I wasn’t going to lose anything and saw this as an opportunity to develop my idea further.
When I received the email that said Creative Being was going to receive funding, I was in shock. And still am. The connections and friendships I have made because of Start the Wave is insane and I feel blessed to be on this journey with the most inspiring and incredible humans. I will be forever grateful to the Start the Wave team for believing in my idea and supporting me at the very beginning of Creative Being’s journey. I don’t think the platform would be where it is now without their faith, belief and generosity. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
