Post by Salome Tirado Okeze

My two worlds have finally collided. Most of you know I’ve been working in tech and the corporate world for some time now. The other half of you know me as the founder of Tones by Salome: the award-winning platform dubbed the “voice of Gen Z” (shoutout to UNiDAYS). What started as a YouTube series has since grown into a sold-out live show, and now a creative agency and collective. Well, last week, those two worlds came together. I had the privilege of bringing Tones performers to headline the entertainment at the launch of Lloyds Banking Group’s West Yorkshire BOLD Network (Black Organisation for Leadership and Development). Together the Tone's team built a piece around the theme “climbing to the top”, exploring what that means in both corporate and creative spaces. The performance spoke to the struggles many young Black adults continue to face globally, and the resilience it takes to rise in environments not always built for us. I also had the honour of giving the opening keynote for the performance. I shared my reflections on “climbing to the top”: how society often encourages us to compete rather than collaborate, to see each other as threats rather than allies. However, when we buy into that division, we weaken ourselves. In a political climate designed to drive wedges between communities, empathy and unity matter more than ever. A huge congratulations to Nathan Isa-Onojobi, who delivered an incredible original freestyle, and Liayah rochester, who moved the room with her powerful spoken word. A huge thanks to Clinton Ilupeju and Seun Phillip for the opportunity and Celine Boreland and Morgan Miller for organising! #BOLDNetwork #Inclusion #diversity #blacktalent #creatives #Community #LloydsBankingGroup