Today we’d like to introduce you to Oluwasindara Opaleye.
Hi Oluwasindara , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey to creating Lavender Liberty started on October 20th, 2020. Nigeria witnessed one of its largest coordinated protests against police brutality, codenamed EndSARS. However, an order from high personnel from the former presidential administration at the time, led by Muhammadu Buhari, led military tanks operated by military personnel to roll into the protest site and open fire, massacring over 60 people.
5 years later, I started Lavender Liberty because, after witnessing the EndSARS massacre on television, A flame ignited in me. I sought to create a platform that would allow youth to use the rage they felt towards failed administrations and corruption as a catalyst for change by urging them to pour their emotions into the creation of timeless literary and mixed media pieces that ignite a revival and a desire for a better society. In addition, I realised that mainstream media and journalism didn’t cover the story even though several young lives were lost. This observation and belief are the origin story of Lavender Liberty.
What started as a youth politics zine evolved into a youth journalism platform, with literary medium still being a major form of youth expression, but politics was no longer the only focus as we started to realise that perception of youth and the multifaceted issues they face are a result of more than just politics.
Ensuring the longevity of Lavender Liberty and a proper manifestation of its mission, which is: By reporting on politics, public policy, culture, education, technology, and global affairs, we empower young people to understand the systems shaping their lives, think critically, and participate meaningfully in public discourse.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
People normally idolise the idea of being a founder, not noting the fact that it evolves you through discipline, commitment, etc and if you are not okay with that it isn’t for you.
That being said, my position as the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Lavender Liberty has taught me that an organization only grows when you are willing to accept the help of others and not micro-manage every part of the initiative. So I brought on board people who believed in the power of youth voices as much as I did, curating an international team of 13 members. It was easier to run Lavender Liberty with more hands on deck. I delegated work to my assistants, but due to the lack of supervision, our reach plummeted.
Members also engaged less, and scheduling meetings became difficult due to time zone differences and family issues. I am now focused on a new mission of building an organisation that multiplies and does not stagnate by being just as involved in my organisation’s needs and making sure each ambition is fulfilled. I collaborated with my members to create simple content in batches to increase our reach to 50.6k+ with a follower count of over 1000 on Instagram.
As a result, we were burning with the same passion for change as we had before. This experience taught me the importance of compromise, communication, and effective delegation. My staff and I currently have a better relationship established by regular checkpoints and announcements of appreciation, fostering empathy, understanding, and motivation, because we all know that creating political content is an exhausting process.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Apart from being the founder and editor-in-chief of Lavender Liberty, I am a student currently in my gap year, trying to navigate and also consecrate myself in spaces where my minority has been deliberately excluded. Whether that’s posting online to attract opportunities or mentoring people in my generation on how to take the next step to elevate their lives. I am also an aspiring architect with a long-term goal of becoming an urban planner because I believe the built environment can do more than just provide accommodation for humanity, and humans should understand that certain types of architecture are meant for certain geographies.
In addition, I am also currently working on building my clothing brand as well as my social media platform. I love to yap and have a lot of opinions to share, and I am not afraid to say what is on my mind.
Any big plans?
This upcoming college admission cycle is a pivotal point for my career and I just want to give other seniors out there a word of encouragement: Don’t stop doing what you love because a school didn’t gratify it with an admission so many initatives die after their founders gain admission but there is so much more to life than that keep working for what you believe in and continue to grow. There is a reason why you started that initiative in the first place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/thelavenberliberty
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelavenderliberty/
- Other: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHiMBbIk20Q1bkYUNd6cv2myUfBMPzMEPciktBoEe7W2yjlA/viewform?usp=dialog
