hello can you hear me yep hi my name is NAS and before I got asked to do this
NAS and before I got asked to do this
NAS and before I got asked to do this talk I actually had to Google the word
talk I actually had to Google the word
talk I actually had to Google the word perseverance to find the definition
perseverance to find the definition
perseverance to find the definition because you know I had to make sure I
because you know I had to make sure I
because you know I had to make sure I wasn’t signing my life away to something
wasn’t signing my life away to something
wasn’t signing my life away to something so growing up it was hard for me I mean
so growing up it was hard for me I mean
so growing up it was hard for me I mean I was born in Finland and I came here at
I was born in Finland and I came here at
I was born in Finland and I came here at the age of 8 so being in a country where
the age of 8 so being in a country where
the age of 8 so being in a country where you don’t understand the language that
you don’t understand the language that
you don’t understand the language that is spoken it was very difficult for me
is spoken it was very difficult for me
is spoken it was very difficult for me and I had to catch up really quickly
and I had to catch up really quickly
and I had to catch up really quickly with the pupil in my school and stuff
with the pupil in my school and stuff
with the pupil in my school and stuff and so the first time I kind of realized
and so the first time I kind of realized
and so the first time I kind of realized that I was different was when I was in
that I was different was when I was in
that I was different was when I was in year 3 and I used to wear a headscarf
year 3 and I used to wear a headscarf
year 3 and I used to wear a headscarf and when I was playing in a playground
and when I was playing in a playground
and when I was playing in a playground this girl actually just came up to me
this girl actually just came up to me
this girl actually just came up to me and pulled my headscarf off my head and
and pulled my headscarf off my head and
and pulled my headscarf off my head and for me that was a significant impact
for me that was a significant impact
for me that was a significant impact that had on my life so growing up I kind
that had on my life so growing up I kind
that had on my life so growing up I kind of had these battles with my ethnic my
of had these battles with my ethnic my
of had these battles with my ethnic my ethnicity and my culture because I was
ethnicity and my culture because I was
ethnicity and my culture because I was Somali and I was born in Finland and
Somali and I was born in Finland and
Somali and I was born in Finland and then I had to come here and learn the
then I had to come here and learn the
then I had to come here and learn the culture in the UK then secondary school
culture in the UK then secondary school
culture in the UK then secondary school I was picked out I stopped wearing the
I was picked out I stopped wearing the
I was picked out I stopped wearing the headscarf and then ii was like wearing
headscarf and then ii was like wearing
headscarf and then ii was like wearing the headscarf again and my head head of
the headscarf again and my head head of
the headscarf again and my head head of house came to me and said why wearing
house came to me and said why wearing
house came to me and said why wearing that so again it was a spat with who am
that so again it was a spat with who am
that so again it was a spat with who am i do i need to fit in what do I need to
i do i need to fit in what do I need to
i do i need to fit in what do I need to wear and things like that
wear and things like that
wear and things like that so after I finished school I attended my
so after I finished school I attended my
so after I finished school I attended my a levels and I met a woman called Lisa
a levels and I met a woman called Lisa
a levels and I met a woman called Lisa and she introduced me to this charity
and she introduced me to this charity
and she introduced me to this charity called integrate Bristol which allowed
called integrate Bristol which allowed
called integrate Bristol which allowed me to kind of explore my creative side
me to kind of explore my creative side
me to kind of explore my creative side and I was involved in a play called my
and I was involved in a play called my
and I was involved in a play called my normal life which kind of explored
normal life which kind of explored
normal life which kind of explored gender violence and violence against
gender violence and violence against
gender violence and violence against women and things like that so I started
women and things like that so I started
women and things like that so I started to explore the creative side that was in
to explore the creative side that was in
to explore the creative side that was in me and growing up I didn’t see a lot of
me and growing up I didn’t see a lot of
me and growing up I didn’t see a lot of women who looked like me who were Muslim
women who looked like me who were Muslim
women who looked like me who were Muslim who were black in the creative
who were black in the creative
who were black in the creative industry so this kind of inspired me to
industry so this kind of inspired me to
industry so this kind of inspired me to go forward with it we managed to do a
go forward with it we managed to do a
go forward with it we managed to do a petition to Michael Gove and to get him
petition to Michael Gove and to get him
petition to Michael Gove and to get him on board to educate the young people on
on board to educate the young people on
on board to educate the young people on FGM which is why female genital
FGM which is why female genital
FGM which is why female genital mutilation and this petition actually
mutilation and this petition actually
mutilation and this petition actually got over 200,000 signatures so this was
got over 200,000 signatures so this was
got over 200,000 signatures so this was such a big we got a lot of attention for
such a big we got a lot of attention for
such a big we got a lot of attention for this and we kind of realized as young
this and we kind of realized as young
this and we kind of realized as young people we could actually make a
people we could actually make a
people we could actually make a difference and this inspired me to
difference and this inspired me to
difference and this inspired me to further continue with what I wanted to
further continue with what I wanted to
further continue with what I wanted to do at the time after I finished my
do at the time after I finished my
do at the time after I finished my a-levels I went into college to study
a-levels I went into college to study
a-levels I went into college to study fashion and I actually ended up getting
fashion and I actually ended up getting
fashion and I actually ended up getting kicked off the course on the final day
kicked off the course on the final day
kicked off the course on the final day because I wasn’t really going in and I
because I wasn’t really going in and I
because I wasn’t really going in and I realized it wasn’t something for me and
realized it wasn’t something for me and
realized it wasn’t something for me and growing up a lot at the time I was told
growing up a lot at the time I was told
growing up a lot at the time I was told I couldn’t do something and I couldn’t
I couldn’t do something and I couldn’t
I couldn’t do something and I couldn’t achieve a lot of things and so after I
achieve a lot of things and so after I
achieve a lot of things and so after I failed that I actually applied for
failed that I actually applied for
failed that I actually applied for university to see if I could get in but
university to see if I could get in but
university to see if I could get in but with the port failure that I had and a
with the port failure that I had and a
with the port failure that I had and a lot of the industries that I’ve worked
lot of the industries that I’ve worked
lot of the industries that I’ve worked with I actually managed to go into
with I actually managed to go into
with I actually managed to go into University so I went back into my
University so I went back into my
University so I went back into my fashion course and to collect my folders
fashion course and to collect my folders
fashion course and to collect my folders and things like that and I was just
and things like that and I was just
and things like that and I was just saying to the teachers like yep I’m
saying to the teachers like yep I’m
saying to the teachers like yep I’m going to university even though after
going to university even though after
going to university even though after they told me I couldn’t make it so that
they told me I couldn’t make it so that
they told me I couldn’t make it so that was one of the battles I had to face
was one of the battles I had to face
was one of the battles I had to face then after in university I kind of
then after in university I kind of
then after in university I kind of looked around and throughout these
looked around and throughout these
looked around and throughout these institutions I realized there wasn’t
institutions I realized there wasn’t
institutions I realized there wasn’t other girls like me there wasn’t girls
other girls like me there wasn’t girls
other girls like me there wasn’t girls who were black and Muslim in these
who were black and Muslim in these
who were black and Muslim in these places I was going to and it kind of odd
places I was going to and it kind of odd
places I was going to and it kind of odd me to start my youtube channel and with
me to start my youtube channel and with
me to start my youtube channel and with my youtube channel it was put in a
my youtube channel it was put in a
my youtube channel it was put in a representation because a lot of people
representation because a lot of people
representation because a lot of people have this conception that Muslim women
have this conception that Muslim women
have this conception that Muslim women are oppressed and you know they’re not
are oppressed and you know they’re not
are oppressed and you know they’re not allowed to do certain things and things
allowed to do certain things and things
allowed to do certain things and things like that and I wanted to fight that
like that and I wanted to fight that
like that and I wanted to fight that stereotype so I started making my
stereotype so I started making my
stereotype so I started making my youtube channel and just posting rants
youtube channel and just posting rants
youtube channel and just posting rants and things like that and I actually
and things like that and I actually
and things like that and I actually managed to become partnered with YouTube
managed to become partnered with YouTube
managed to become partnered with YouTube so making YouTube videos I get paid from
so making YouTube videos I get paid from
so making YouTube videos I get paid from it and I had a lot of young girls coming
it and I had a lot of young girls coming
it and I had a lot of young girls coming up saying you inspire me and there isn’t
up saying you inspire me and there isn’t
up saying you inspire me and there isn’t a lot of girls out there like who I can
a lot of girls out there like who I can
a lot of girls out there like who I can actually look up to and things like that
actually look up to and things like that
actually look up to and things like that so after I managed to do that
so after I managed to do that
so after I managed to do that I kind of took it upon myself to make it
I kind of took it upon myself to make it
I kind of took it upon myself to make it a mission to have to inspire young
a mission to have to inspire young
a mission to have to inspire young people to actually get up and do
people to actually get up and do
people to actually get up and do something with their lives to pursue
something with their lives to pursue
something with their lives to pursue their passions and things like that so I
their passions and things like that so I
their passions and things like that so I started right in like right and music
started right in like right and music
started right in like right and music and spoken were there things like that
and spoken were there things like that
and spoken were there things like that music was something that I was into I
music was something that I was into I
music was something that I was into I was still part of the campaign so one of
was still part of the campaign so one of
was still part of the campaign so one of the one of our things that we do is kind
the one of our things that we do is kind
the one of our things that we do is kind of try and engage young people through
of try and engage young people through
of try and engage young people through media and social media platforms and
media and social media platforms and
media and social media platforms and things like that so we started making
things like that so we started making
things like that so we started making music videos and I was actually
music videos and I was actually
music videos and I was actually fortunate enough to be the rapper in
fortunate enough to be the rapper in
fortunate enough to be the rapper in some of their songs and that kind of
some of their songs and that kind of
some of their songs and that kind of gave me more of a confidence boost to
gave me more of a confidence boost to
gave me more of a confidence boost to continue doing what I was doing because
continue doing what I was doing because
continue doing what I was doing because it I’ve received like a lot of feedback
it I’ve received like a lot of feedback
it I’ve received like a lot of feedback from that so I’ve read little spoken
from that so I’ve read little spoken
from that so I’ve read little spoken word that I want to read out to you guys
word that I want to read out to you guys
word that I want to read out to you guys and so it starts off as Apollo rocket
and so it starts off as Apollo rocket
and so it starts off as Apollo rocket flying out into space stars and moons
flying out into space stars and moons
flying out into space stars and moons the fire burns to appeal to my inner
the fire burns to appeal to my inner
the fire burns to appeal to my inner state it’s good to be great but it’s
state it’s good to be great but it’s
state it’s good to be great but it’s better to be greater greater like the
better to be greater greater like the
better to be greater greater like the kitchen utensil knife forks spoons and
kitchen utensil knife forks spoons and
kitchen utensil knife forks spoons and menus chefs creating souffles and
menus chefs creating souffles and
menus chefs creating souffles and desserts is my metaphor for whipping up
desserts is my metaphor for whipping up
desserts is my metaphor for whipping up spoken word but this is more than a
spoken word but this is more than a
spoken word but this is more than a moment this is history is potent
moment this is history is potent
moment this is history is potent meaningful like African elephants and
meaningful like African elephants and
meaningful like African elephants and the smallest of rodents we’re all part
the smallest of rodents we’re all part
the smallest of rodents we’re all part of the same ecosystem driving forward
of the same ecosystem driving forward
of the same ecosystem driving forward with pistons and engines like the inner
with pistons and engines like the inner
with pistons and engines like the inner city of Detroit before the economy went
city of Detroit before the economy went
city of Detroit before the economy went bust and his government’s had enough but
bust and his government’s had enough but
bust and his government’s had enough but I’m relevant to the people I’m teaching
I’m relevant to the people I’m teaching
I’m relevant to the people I’m teaching my community is what I’m reaching
my community is what I’m reaching
my community is what I’m reaching powerful character I’m speaking Plato or
powerful character I’m speaking Plato or
powerful character I’m speaking Plato or Aristotle for a reason no treason no
Aristotle for a reason no treason no
Aristotle for a reason no treason no case no courtrooms no bass no treble
case no courtrooms no bass no treble
case no courtrooms no bass no treble I don’t watch face while I’m empowering
I don’t watch face while I’m empowering
I don’t watch face while I’m empowering the youth today I’m from the Horn of
the youth today I’m from the Horn of
the youth today I’m from the Horn of Africa where we blow trumpets just to
Africa where we blow trumpets just to
Africa where we blow trumpets just to make noise but I’m now resonating in
make noise but I’m now resonating in
make noise but I’m now resonating in London youth empowerment I made a choice
London youth empowerment I made a choice
London youth empowerment I made a choice to help those who feel cold who are
to help those who feel cold who are
to help those who feel cold who are always told they can’t even make it
always told they can’t even make it
always told they can’t even make it let’s face it preach truth don’t fake it
let’s face it preach truth don’t fake it
let’s face it preach truth don’t fake it see an opportunity take it
see an opportunity take it
see an opportunity take it bad habits get them and break it
bad habits get them and break it
bad habits get them and break it showcasing talents though raw positivity
showcasing talents though raw positivity
showcasing talents though raw positivity so rule but my passion is so raw like my
so rule but my passion is so raw like my
so rule but my passion is so raw like my mindset so raw and my tongue is so raw
mindset so raw and my tongue is so raw
mindset so raw and my tongue is so raw and my soul is so rule thank you
”
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