Faith Edmunds- Lets us in on being a young black queer woman in South Africa
Set apart for Greatness
From time in
memorial the LGBTQI+ Community has suffered excruciating pain of being discriminated
against, by society at large. Being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or
inter-sex has always been seen as either demonic or some kind of sickness that
needed healing or divine intervention.
The society at large from religious institutions to cultural norms and
African based media publications are known to be aggressively unsupportive and
unaccepting to such a point of hostility.
The LGBTQI+ Community has suffered a lot of
atrocities and being dehumanized to a point of cruelty. In the last couple of
years, we have witnessed the cruelest killings of the LGBTQI+ Community and
countless cases of correctional rape and all kinds of abusive behaviour.
Language also plays a very significant role in how we address issues concerning
the LGBTQI+ Community, the phrases we
use both verbally and written often subject the LGBTQI+
Community under severe violence
and oppression. This perpetuates how we classify people and subsequently boxing
them in being what we perceive them to be or rather how we think they ought to
be.
Faith
Edmunds a young black queer woman born and bred in one of the dusty villages in
Taung in the Northwest Province, she lets us in her life as a young black queer
woman living in South Africa. Faith is a Marketing Strategist and a Business
Analyst. She studied Advertising Management, Business Management Sciences and
she is currently studying Digital Marketing through a women’s empowerment
program.
Coming from
a culturally dominant village, Taung is rich in culture and tradition and
predominantly known for its rich tourism history. Faith is an entrepreneur
at heart, she is a full-time marketing Strategist and the last of four children
born in a diversified family of black and white descent.
Diversity
and freedom of expression has always been part of Faith’s childhood, she hails
from a family that is quite expressive and diverse in culture and beliefs. From
an early age she embraced her outspoken personality which developed her love
for creativity. Her family has always been business orientated from retail
business to agriculture, which created a business environment that Faith became
accustomed too. Business became what Faith says is “her way of life to express
my freedom and instigate change”
Faith has 9
years of experience in her entrepreneurial journey, she is currently spear
heading Colour Me Zalto, which is an all-encompassing digital
transformation hub that provides insight on the four types of digital
transformation namely;
Business Process
Business Model
Domain & Organizational transformation
This is a merger between
herself as a Marketing Strategist and her partner Zanele Nkosi as a
Designer/Coder. Their inspiration derived from the lock-down experience and how
rapidly the 4IR is taking over the digital space. The services they
offer include Digital Design & Branding, Web Development & Design,
Digital Marketing Solutions, Innovative Marketing Strategies, Business Writing
& Design and Digital Tool Training. In this Business hub there is also a
division called “The Colour Me Foundation #THEFUTUREISGENDERLESS which was inspired by her late
niece who identified as a transsexual woman, who later passed away after taking
her own life due to societal pressures. (May Her Soul Continue Resting in
Peace) Colour Me Foundation is a socio-economic movement that advocates for
the inclusion and recognition of the LGBTQI+
Community through entrepreneurship,
creativity, art and entertainment.
Faith further explained the core function of the movement is to create a safe space were different genders, sexualities and personalities can connect and build an economical value chain that will ultimately unlock economic power. The Colour Me Foundation is set to build an economic value chain in a future that is genderless, a future that is collaborative that provides every human being with an environment that creates a healthy space to embody whatever identity they deem fit to be.
Faith discovered her love for entrepreneurship at an early age long before she discovered how complex her sexuality is.
“For me it has always been brains before everything, however my queerness has raised issues in many business occasions and not necessarily from a negative point of view because my work ultimately speaks for itself”
Faith further stipulated how she has chosen to navigate through life with openness and confidence without letting people dictate to her how to experience life because of her sexuality. Being bold and confident in a world that is not as welcoming to the LGBTQI+ Community Faith has managed to persevere with so much poise and without any fear. She believes as an entrepreneur evolution is inevitable and it deserves to be embraced. The evolution of technology and humans in general has motivated both of her brands to move away from their comfort zone which relied more on physical interactions. Both of her brands now hold a strong digital presence that is convenient and allows her clientele to know more about the brands she runs and to have full access of their services more efficiently and effectively.
Like any other entrepreneur Faith has faced numerous challenges in her entrepreneurial journey which is part and parcel of the nature of environment she is occupying. Often times the glitz and glamour of the business world gets more publicity as opposed to the not so glitz moments, like the debt that comes with running the business, suppliers not delivering on time, or just things not working out as planned. However, all that makes up the journey of being an entrepreneur and that is why it is quite imperative for one to take calculated risks and invest in systems that will assist the business and its implementation.
As part of the two businesses Faith runs, she also has programs in place that educates the society about the LGBTQI+ Community and also assists the community to be able to function and express themselves holistically. The QUEER MOM Program is meant for the LGBTQI+ parents those who are either biological parents, guardians or step in parents, the program is meant for parents to share their challenges and milestones of their journeys as parents of queer individuals. This program is also aimed at empowering parents with the full knowledge of the LGBTQI+ Community and how they can better handle the stereotypical mindset about queer families.
Under the same umbrella the Colour Me Foundation also sells apparel, branded with their slogan #THEFUTUREISGENDERLESS which sparks conscious and positive conversations about gender identity and sexual orientation. The concept is well executed through social media platforms, events, business platforms and tourism expeditions and partnerships. These programs help in affirming and supporting people for who they are and how they identify themselves which subsequently forms an integral part of creating equality.
“We cannot have equality if we cannot strive for inclusion Faith elaborated, if our country still can’t see that one can’t work without the other then the road to inclusivity is still an illusion”
As individuals we all have
something that grounds us and keeps us whole, Faith believes in the greater
power that is above all of us.
“It doesn’t matter with what name you refer it to, because we are all created in one image of the Creator and therefore there is no one or nothing that has power over our Creator”
“I do not need validation or acceptance from a human who bleeds just as I do, that power doesn’t belong to you”
In her final words Faith
says “Be responsible for your own destiny, make as many mistakes as
possible in your youth, as long as you can come out on the other side with your
dignity and sanity still intact. Life is a series of adventures and there will
always be a new jar of mistakes waiting for you to happen, take a leap of
Faith, jump while you still have the agility to”
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