A Celebration: Steven Oram

https://headliner.ai/a-celebration-mp3

Uyi

Hey, guys.

Steven

Uh welcome back to the point of view My name is Uyi Agbontaen and in today's episode, I sit down with Steve Oram, who is the founder of a notforprofit organization, Proud and Gifted, which celebrates the successes of young people. He is such a positive, charismatic guy, you can't help but be charmed by him. It was a pleasure to talk to him. Doing really amazing work onto the show. I really hope you enjoy it.

Uyi

Where are you from? East London.

Steven

East?

Uyi

Yeah.

Steven

Always.

Uyi

Yeah. Original, Hackney. So yeah, always.

Steven

Always, yeah.

Uyi

Grew up in Hackney. Moved just up the road in Leyton. Yeah. Um, because still lives next door, next to my family. My in laws forgot my ring wife and the gold medal when she was but it's cool because in my job, we could talk about that. I support and assist young people and vulnerable adults at police stations. So I was at Leighton, which is around the corner from my, uh, house. So I was just in and out of my house all day, coming to the room. Then when I left off of the tube, I thought I left worrying. What?

Steven

No worries about, we'll edit your hand. Or maybe we'll just put a ring on there in post.

Uyi

It's all right. When I sit there, I guarantee I'll get a picture of a wife to say, look what you left.

Steven

First of all, Steve, I want to thank you for coming down. I know you're a busy man. You've taken the time out, that's cool. And I like doing, like, face to face conversation, so it's great that you're here.

Uyi

Yeah.

Steven

Second of all, there's one thing I want to say to you. Pride and Gifted, what do you do?

Uyi

Celebrate young people's achievements. Yes.

Steven

I've been waiting to say that.

Uyi

They try to catch you at once. I've been caught out once in four years.

Steven

Oh, really?

Uyi

Yeah. I said pride and gifted. Never forget that.

Steven

But you've got a new campaign going, right? It does say pride and gifted, doesn't it?

Uyi

No. What if I do country flag logos? M. And I got a Pride T.

Steven

Shirt as well, so maybe they didn't catch you out.

Uyi

This was like two years ago before I even designed it.

Steven

You were ahead of the game. You're ahead of the game. You know what, I love what you do and we'll talk about that. And I love your Instagram page in particular.

Uyi

Oh, thank you very much.

Steven

Very super inspirational. And I love the shout outs that people say, proud and gifted. What do we do? We celebrate young people's achievements.

Uyi

Before I leave it, we're all going to do my video, so it's 100% we do cool.

Steven

Sometimes, though, you get like a little Blooper one in it.

Uyi

Yeah, I've got loads. Have you? Yeah, and then I just put them all together sometime and show behind the scenes.

Steven

Really?

Uyi

Yes.

Steven

Have you done like, a little compilation? Yeah, I would love to see that. I've seen the old ones here and there fade.

Uyi

When I was invited to event at Parliament. Rio ferdinand uh, no, Anton Ferdinand. He said, yeah, I'll do it. You got it wrong the first time. He was like, no, let's do it again, man. We've got to do it again. I said, no, you don't need to. No, not it's easy until I throw that camera in your face.

Steven

Exactly. So why did you start pounding Gifted?

Uyi

Actually started it before 2018.

Steven

Okay.

Uyi

You put a video out there, m, and you expect it to blow up without putting any work in. And I always had an idea to celebrate young people, but I didn't know how because I got frustrated that I couldn't find a space that celebrated young boys and girls and on the next level, black boys and girls as well. Because I'm, um, dealing with London. Once just something happens, they straight say, yeah, it's got to be a black boy knife crime. So 2018, talking to my sister Esther. She goes, right, find a name that represents what you're doing. Okay? I bought proud. This gifted that. Once I come up with pride and gifted. August 2018. Even SIS said, yeah, she thinks she owns Pride and Gifted. Do you know what family's liking it.

Steven

I feel like she has a stake, right?

Uyi

She goes brought that's it. So, yes, bought the name. And we went to the park to shoot my promo video. It's actually called Ron. He's a, uh, video director. So when we finish it, I said, Ron, you know what? Pride and gives it back. He said yeah. I said, Well, I like to celebrate you. I already bought a medal. And he turned and I said, oh, no one's ever given me anything for what I do. Because pre that he had directed Young Bain and someone else's video. He shot big videos. So when I gave him that award December 2018, the look on his face made me realize, I think I got something here, but it's about being consistent. But that was my first celebration. December 2018 and four years old next month.

Steven

Four years. How long have you been thinking about what I want to make something that celebrates young people?

Uyi

A few years. M, honestly, I kid you not one of a lie. It was always there because in my job, you speak about later when you're ready. I support and assist young people in police stations. So I see both sides to young people and that's what kind of spurred me on to think, right, think of something to celebrate them. But I won't lie. Up until December 2018, I didn't know what I wanted to do. But it's something that I always wanted to do, but I didn't have a structure because I just think young people get a raw deal in the media. And um, four years ago, I always kept saying, I'm not here to fight the media but yeah, four years later yes, I am. I'm here to say you can put more spotlight on young people. The ones that grabbed the headlines, to me they're the minority, but they grabbed that headline and some of us unfortunately play into it and we believe that, oh yeah, most young people are like this and like that and they're not. It's just a minority. But remember M, negative sales, if my page was negative, you'll be bigger than what it is now. I know that for a fact.

Steven

There's no news like bad news.

Uyi

Yeah. I'm telling you the amount of people that always say to me, steve, do you want to join my organization because of what you do? It's really good. But I say, no, I'm good, I'm happy just to stick at celebrating, uh, positive people. M I leave that to the experts. Even though people say to me, you'd be working with young people for eleven years in the police station, you'd be ideal. But now, uh, I'm fine.

Steven

What work do you do with them?

Uyi

Basically I assist and support juveniles 18 and under or vulnerable adults 18 and over and the custody belief you need someone that's independent just to safeguard your rights whilst in police station and that is to check to make sure the police are doing the job correctly. Been doing that for eleven years. Love it, kid you not. Love it.

Steven

That must be really rewarding.

Uyi

Yeah man, um my job starts and ends at the door but I've seen people have everything and lose it overnight and it makes me appreciate my life. M okay, let's just stick with young people. The law states you need somebody that's independent, parents are working, can't attend childcare. They'll call somebody independent. I will go there. They do their rights again in front of me they take the fingerprints, photograph, uh, if they haven't been arrested before, there's a DNA swab because your DNA is unique to you. I will always advise them, I can't make them always advise them to have a solicitor but the pace laws change now every juvenile has to have a solicitor. If one comes and they refuse their services, that's fine because you can't force someone to have something. So we do that and then when they've spoke to their solicitor privately, going to interview I'm just there to make sure the police don't get aggressive because sometimes you get the odd one. We're thinking, um, but remember, you're independent so I've got to sit there and think about are they pushing it? And it doesn't happen a lot happens. Odd time. Yeah. So that's the role of an appropriate.

Steven

Adult and the thing to remember in my mind is that these are young people, these are children. Trust me, they're children. And I think especially when it comes to black children, people adultify them. But essentially this is a child 17. That's still a child.

Uyi

Yeah, that's right.

Steven

They don't have life experience. They don't have maturity yet. They still need support. And so it's great that there are people like you who are there to give them that support. Parents may not be available. Guardian may not be available. Going into that situation, in my mind, it must be hard initially to break the barrier down when someone doesn't know who you are yet.

Uyi

That's true. And with me, I never let police or custody introduce me. When they start saying, Steve, I said, Tell them shit now, bund that. I tell them who I am. Everyone's guard is always up. But this is me as a person that I can deal with anyone on any level. So after a while, I've had people kind of rooted me. I don't know. AA this, that, this, that. So I told you I'm good. I'm just here to support you and make sure you're looked after. The Lord, believe it or not, is there to still protect you whilst you're in custody. After a while, when I've just explained who I am, I've had people say to me after, you know, Sorry, but, uh, I said, God, it's cool because I haven't been in a cell for, say, 18 hours, because they can hold somebody up to 24 hours. And don't get twisted. Some people get processed on 23 hours. It's not regular, but they do. I haven't been sitting in that cell to feel that frustration. So I tell them, no, it's fine. But it's interesting, as you said, go back to young people because they're 17 and they're street savvy. People believe, oh, they're all, Nah, all right, they're street savvy. But strip that away. Some of them say, do you feel I'm going home?

Steven

Like, yeah.

Uyi

Do you feel I can go home with you? I explain them no, but you see the person for who they are after a while. Remember, the main thing everyone needs to understand if you've been arrested, it's just an allegation. Even if you get charged in a police station, it's for the court to find you guilty.

Steven

Yes, that's a good point, because obviously we've seen what's happened in the media over the past few years. Black Lives Matter.

Uyi

George ah.

Steven

Floyd and there's the presumption of guilt when it's supposed to be the presumption of innocence. Just because you're arrested doesn't mean you're guilty.

Uyi

I can leave here today. I can phone the police if I can convince them that you to stop me from leaving. For starters, if they believe it's in the public's interests, anyone? I keep telling people we all can get arrested if the allegations in the public interest, because some people believe that can never happen to me.

Steven

It happens.

Uyi

Cool.

Steven

You're condemned as soon as you're arrested.

Uyi

People forget that. Don't get wrong. When I walk at the police station, it's the funniest thing. It still happens today. If they mandam in the reception of all my people, they always look at me like I'm a policeman. And I've walked out and I can hear them calling their name. And I'll just say to them, I've just attended to that person. It's just more to let them know the person is okay in custody. And they'll say to me, oh God, thank you, Bombaston. Nice call, but don't think I'm a policeman because I won't have a building. Come on.

Steven

You also have to potentially deal with the people waiting outside. Yeah, man station. So their family, their friends, or just strangers.

Uyi

Yeah, strangers. When the George Floyd happened, I was in Staunch police station and they just started a protest outside. Yeah. Sometime you come out and you're thinking, just finished a little job and now I've got people looking at me, but I've got broad shoulders. It's m cool after eleven years as well.

Steven

Do you sometimes maintain relationships with them? Have you maintained or you're not allowed?

Uyi

Job starts and ends at the door, right? I'm over East Hole Westfield for young people shot in the shops that are like, mom and I got arrested. That was my adult. It's funny how young people don't bat an eyelid to say that the parent might say to you sometime, thank you so much, it's a nice call. I remember some people, but I act like I don't remember them. But the job starts and ends at the door. It's a bit of a shame, but it's cool. I get it.

Steven

Has anybody reached out now that you're essentially a public figure?

Uyi

A few people DM me on Instagram. To say I remember you from the police station is a chance I can have a conversation. But I've let them know, not really, because when it comes to young people, I don't play that game. I'm safeguarding.

Steven

Yeah.

Uyi

Adults always act like they don't see you. Which is funny. It's only last week when I was at the station, my client, he goes to me, why am I not following on social media? You know?

Steven

Oh, really?

Uyi

And I looked at him, I was like, now you don't follow me. He goes, yeah, you're gifted or sufficient with the young people. But the first I said to him, if I see you on the road, I'll walk past you. He goes, Why? I said, no, because at the end of the day, this is confidential stuff. If you choose to holler at me on the street, fine, but always let them know. But it's funny that, yeah, this will come out of lockdown. A few people said to me, or they're adamant they've seen me, then they clock. Yeah, seen you online.

Steven

People must be stopping you now, right?

Uyi

Yeah, you know what?

Steven

Did you get stopped today?

Uyi

No, but someone looked at me at Stratford, like to say they pointed to my finger, said like that, but yes, change.

Steven

When did that change happen? Like, you started in 2018 and then people start to, like, pick up, oh, you're that guy.

Uyi

Good question. I'm going to say before Lockdown, I actually went harder on celebrating young people. I figured I would celebrate, like, one a month in person. Um, don't, if you saw during Black History Month, they had this thing called the World Reimagined with these globes. They put them all in Chicago Square on Sunday. So me and my wife went down there, and I think within five minutes, these kids would say to him, mom, that's the guy. And I said to him, thank you. Always tell people, thank you so much, because I think it's a big deal to still talk up to somebody, to say, See you online. Love what you do. So yeah. So took pictures with the children, and I done my video with them as well, and I posted it on my actual page. Not even in my stories. I like to give young people maximum exposure as I can. And I think the mum messaged me on Monday afternoon, oh, thank you so much for putting the brother and the siblings on your actual page. I said, nice call. Even my friends said they didn't realize the level of the work I'm putting in for people to recognize me, and I appreciate it because I said, they don't have to. Yeah. Ah, it's my daughter.

Steven

And now it must be, like, really frequent, right? You're meeting people when they're like, Steve.

Uyi

Steve, I'll be on you on Sunday. This girl said hello to me. She goes, I'm saying hello to you. Like, I know you. I've never met you before. I said no, it's cool. We had a good conversation. Regards, engagement.

Steven

The way you come across on your page, you're such a charismatic person. Anyway, your energy levels are, like, up here, and you're very engaging. So I feel like oh, I know you. Yeah, I know who he is. It's the first time I've actually met you face to face, but I feel like I know you just because of your content.

Uyi

Thank you. And people that I've met, they've said to my family, god, he's the same guy in person. But that's just me.

Steven

I think that comes across, though.

Uyi

You know what? I kid you not. When Bob Marley had the exhibition went there, and the way I was engaged with the kids, because you could write your name and pin it up. Yeah. So, you know VNA. Yeah. Ah. VNA. Yeah. So the dad goes, he really engages. And, um, my wife said, yeah, that's just Steven. I've always been like that. I'm still the kid in my family. As I said, what age are you meant to grow up? I'm 52. There's no age.

Steven

Good point as well, because actually because we started off talking about your work and talking about young people wherever they're teenagers. But even when you're an adult, sometimes you still feel like I'm still a child.

Uyi

Yeah. You know, I don't act young, but just that person where, um, you get one chance at life. We all know that. I know, but that's what I live by. And you got to enjoy that, man. Look what COVID done to us. Took real liberty. Could have gone visit your parent or family member one day. We was calling it the next day announcement, don't go out unless you have to. Lucky for me, I watch a lot of content like Gary Vee and them type of guys, and I take bits and it's very inspirational. Gary v, trust me, man, most of what you see on Proud and Gifted is taken from what he says. M I still reply to every DM. I still like every comment. If there's a percentage rate, I reckon 98%. I still engage online.

Steven

I remember there was one video where this woman stops him and says, can can you just give me a quick piece of advice? What kind of free things should I think about to make me do what I want to do? And he said, you're going to die. And then she clocked, oh, you mean time is short? He goes, yeah, you're going to die. That's what you need to remember. You're going to die. Do what you want to do now. Because life is short.

Uyi

The questions people ask, because we're all different. Gary he's right. We have to answers ourselves. Why do you need reassurance? We all do it. We have the answer. Mhm but it's like we want reassurance. That's why I'm at this crack on.

Steven

Also, looking at your Instagram page, your content is a reflection of the people you celebrate. For some people, their page is a celebration of themselves, which is not wrong. That's not a bad thing, but it's very clear that you are about the people you're celebrating.

Uyi

It's hard, though. Mhm. It's hard because you can easily make it become about you. My biggest step overall is a scholarship.

Steven

Okay.

Uyi

Amazing. So I'm getting educated on that. I've celebrated 468 young people from beginning to end. And that's not including any I've celebrated my stories because that's 24 hours disappears.

Steven

Yeah.

Uyi

If you run an audit on my page, you account 468 celebrations.

Steven

Wow. When you say you celebrate young people's achievements, tell us what you do.

Uyi

Yeah. So in person, I would find a young person's story. People send me stories, but I actually studied to make sure it's not parent led or legal guardian led. In the beginning, it was easy. I'd, uh, go to an event. I tell you why I do that. Because when I celebrate a young person, I want that room to see this young person for what they're doing and, uh, for them to have that spotlight. If it's for five minutes, call. That's why I do it in public. And I present with a certificate. They get a medal or trophy engraved, and they all get a merchandise now. And by doing that, I want them to know that outside, uh, of your domain or your family members, friends, there is a stranger who believes in what you're doing and they're proud of you. And I must admit, the first time I wore a proud and gifted T shirt, I'm going to tell you this. It was June 2020. My friends had an event called Cocoa White. I was so excited, I made the T shirt. Do you know, when I got there, I couldn't get out of the car because something came over me. It's like I felt funny wearing my T shirt. Um, so, yeah, when I first wore it, took me about ten minutes to get out of the car.

Steven

Was it like a self doubt?

Uyi

Yeah. But once I wore that top from June 2020, that's what I wear because I'm my walking billboard.

Steven

Thinking about that, what was the doubt in your mind? What was stopping you from stepping out of your brand with who you are?

Uyi

Honestly, I don't know. But something came over me. I don't want to say it's an embarrassment, but you can put it down to that. I doubt it. Wearing my top foot, when I first put it on in the house, I thought, yeah, boom, I've never done that before. And then once I got at the car, I think that's what it changed for me. Um, my friend's going to love that. But, yeah, that's when it changed. When I first wore my T shirt.

Steven

And then seeing now people wearing your T shirt, how does that feel?

Uyi

It doesn't really faze me that much. Uh, it's weird. I love it. People think I'm sending a lot of merchant, that I'm not. Don't get rid of it's nice when people send me back a picture. Tell you what I've done, though. My friend Marianne, she's into PR. She says, Steven, you've been true to what you want to do. I never wanted influencers or celebrities in the beginning, to shout at the platform, um, did you see that I carried the baton for the Commonwealth Games?

Steven

I did.

Uyi

My friend Gary, I call him my advisor, he just simplifies any idea I have. He nominated me for the Commonwealth Games. So I got the email. So ignorant I was. It said Birmingham. So I was thinking, I don't live in Birmingham, they're not going to pick me. So on the final day of the application, I thought, right, someone's nominated me. Let me just fill it in, send it off. I kid you not, the Batten people contacted me via email and they ranked me to say, the one shot is interested in your story. Regards being a baton bearer. So I was like, cool. We arranged to meet, done it at a youth club, the Lift in Islam. They came down, my daughters with me, bring out the big cameras. She was more bothered. Like, I don't want to be on, I'm telling you, because I can't. Like, they bring out a big lights.

Steven

Big camera, real cameras.

Uyi

Yeah, it was big lights. She was set to me up and I said, dad, how do you do this? I said, Rewrite, why should that snaps into pride in a gifted mode? It's cool. And they saw me do it. It's the funniest thing. I said, they give me 30 seconds. I said, Boom, prada gifted, what do you do? I, uh, did question, why do they want to film me if I've not been chosen yet? I thought overlooked that it's life. As long as it gets shown on BBC, I'm good. Then the man said to me, what did it feel like? I said, yeah, well, boy from Hackney City, boy carrying the baton, yeah, it'd be good. Gave me an envelope. Life on telly, yeah? And I was like, just sitting on my daughter said, Re, look, I think that's one of my sweetest moments, just looking at my door. And her face was like, wow, dad. Yes. I carried it in tow of London. They treat us really well on the day because we carried it the day of the Queen's platinum, um, jubilee concert, uh, at Buckingham Palace. But they asked a few of us before doing my bringing on stage at the concert. So I was like, yeah, went there again. They looked after us. They admit they didn't highlight it too much because I don't think they want to overshadow the Queen's celebration. But the baton is part of the Queen. But it's cool. Finished that. Then they said that we got to leave. When I saw who was performing only on the day, only on the day I saw who's performing, I was like, Leave? Cool. Went outside with them. I went back to the gate, the guy said to me, yeah, he was on stage. I said, yeah, but they did ask us to leave. So he said to me, no, come. Took me back, got my pass and yeah, went in there and I kid you not, how can I put it? This is when your street mentality kicks in. So I'm, um, there now, uh, and I see all their dressing rooms. First I saw Swiss husband just sitting in my car in the bar. And, um, if I take a picture, she said, yeah, no problem. Picture with him as it went on. Took, um, pictures with Rod Stewart Leasha, uh, keys. Roger was a mad eye compact. It was Alicia Keys. She came out and changed with him. I said, Lisa, I showed herself, Just take a picture with your husband. She goes, no problem, brother, come back here and I'll take on with you. Cool. I better ideas. I would have met her when she come off the stage. Oh, wow, uh, yeah. So when she came off the stage, obviously she got Paparazzi's. I said, Alicia. She goes, Come here, my brother, talk to yourself. Is with her. Cool says, sir, thank you very much. She goes, no problem.

Steven

And I was like, Elisa Keys.

Uyi

And she put her hand on my left shoulder as well.

Steven

Yeah. I was like, yeah, beautiful as well.

Uyi

Oh, my God. Amazing ain't the word, but I just think the way she was so polite I wish her to meet my brother is fine. Come. Perhaps I had to wait. Yeah. So I took quite a few pictures. That's when I realized, okay, Stephen, you've reached at, uh, such a place now. You need influencers and celebrities to engage to take to the next level. So that's what you'd be seeing.

Steven

Add that endorsement to that message.

Uyi

Yeah. Uh, that's what I've learned at the end of the day's, endorsement. My sister Esther, she does events so GRM gala, I was there. I got pictures with loads of the young influencers as well. That's because of Esther and her friends in Kensington Palace as well. Kensington palace. Private Grant Maya JAMA olive. I always ask him first, do you mind taking a picture? Yeah. Yeah. That's the next stage for proud and gifted. As you asked before, it's now about some serious endorsements. It's still self funded, by the way, but, uh, I'm a believer that you put the work in. Look at the work. It's got me here today, which I appreciate.

Steven

I appreciate you being here.

Uyi

Trust me.

Steven

A man. I think the thing that most people want to do, I definitely want to do with the podcast, I think you want to do with your brand is keep it authentic authenticity.

Uyi

Everything's changed for me because people, they're getting the message. That's why I do it. If I wake up to when there's a hundred pound of gift, there's no problem because there's only one Stephen or now. It's harder. It's harder to a degree. This is a gold day. They don't know who pride a gift it is. I just know there's a way to celebrate somebody and still catch them off. God.

Steven

Yeah. So for interruption, because people now recognize you. Right. They see that, uh, I know who.

Uyi

This is and you might be here for me.

Steven

You never know. Yeah.

Uyi

Yeah.

Steven

What's the reaction?

Uyi

Um, I had a young lady called just Pinky, Southport boxer. I think she's 13 now. Celebrated her in the gym because I don't like to change environments. She started to cry. And another young lady called Princess Kay, she's a dancer. She introduced Stormsy when he performed at Gladstone Brewery. She was over 100,000 followers. But her mom always said to me, from February 2019, steve, I like to celebrate my daughter. I couldn't see why, because I'm now looking at her social media man's got like, 1500 followers or 2000. She had 170,000. And I saw them look at her page and they reckon, no, her views are genuine. They're not boxed on my thing. When I finally celebrated her, uh, she turned and said to me, no one's ever given me a medal at school before. And the mom said to me, that's why I want you to celebrate my.

Steven

Daughter. And I was like, wow.

Uyi

You're just like, wow. Because I was going by her social media presence. But you said something interesting earlier. Uh, a child is a child. And we tend to forget that. This girl's social media life, but stripped that away. She's that ten or eleven year old. And the reaction when they're playing with their medal after or shame their friends. Young people don't have to be entrepreneurs. You can have a young person that's been late for school for a whole term, and then they've turned it around for the next two terms. That's an achievement. And I keep saying to parents, we overlook things. It could be anything. We could praise young people around us much more. I just think I'm a speaker for my culture as well. Generation wise, we know what our parents and grandparents alike, but we can celebrate them more. Young person come from school, decides to wash the dishes. Wow. Don't say what we normally hear. Just say, you know what, thank you. Well done.

Steven

That's a good point. I have Nigerian parents. I can relate.

Uyi

Is that expectation?

Steven

You're supposed to wash the dishes.

Uyi

Yes, the dinner. So you got to wash the dishes. We all are like that. But I just think sometimes we can strip things away and realize, you know what? Uh, there's a world of good kids around us. Get a certificate at school for being good. Bang it out in the family group, even though the kids not going to see it because they're not in the group. But as a parent, you are. Bang it out in the group. Don't feel funny. For kids doing well.

Steven

We should celebrate people enough. Not even just children, but yeah, of course kids. They're young, but we don't even celebrate each other enough. Yeah, people don't celebrate people. It's room for all of us, but.

Uyi

It'S about being consistent. And after I gave up my first award, said to myself, if you can be consistent, Stephen, this can work. Consistency is hard, man.

Steven

Yes, very hard.

Uyi

But I love what I do.

Steven

How can people nominate?

Uyi

I'm begging people, just go on my website, it says nomination page and that's it. Nominating. Enough.

Steven

And what's the website?

Uyi

Bradleygifted Co UK.

Steven

There you go.

Uyi

And there's a nomination page. Drop down. What I've done is not relied on nominations. When I get the odd one, it's beautiful. During Black History Month, I just celebrate a load of kids on the reel and just tag them all for them to see, oh, look, someone celebrated me. There's so much more I can do. That's why I'm trying even more. But I celebrate a young person on my page without exaggerating six days a week, or seven, to be honest, about exaggerating six days a week. Short changing myself. But yeah, it feels good. And it's getting me to places and conversations like this. One of my friends sent me a message. Evan, it's true. I'm changing lives. I never looked at it like that. But she called Steve. You are. You're changing it in a way where you're showing that you believe in them and you're proud of them. And I was like, I never looked at it like that. Uh, I know I'm doing something really good, but it's still about being grounded, uh, and not making it about me. And it's nice to hear when you said, you can see the page ain't about me, but I've got a bean camera to gas up my platform. I keep telling people, don't leave it to other people to do. And then when it doesn't happen, you get upset.

Steven

Do your own work, m, it's amazing what you do. And obviously, going into this, you said that you weren't seeing those stories before.

Uyi

No.

Steven

Especially when we see representation of the black community, inner city kids, it's often negative. Right.

Uyi

Gang affiliation. Exactly.

Steven

So in the media, traditional media, newspapers, the news, it's gang crime, knife crime. But the world isn't full of criminals. The kids are kids. Right. It's like a tiny, tiny, tiny section of a community who were still people. They're still vulnerable children anyway, which is another conversation altogether. Uh, but that grabs the headlines. Right. And that's often what people's perceptions are. So to see you now flip that paradigm and show, no, we're going to celebrate these people because, man, they're doing great things, but no one else is highlighting that.

Uyi

It's a big deal. I think my Instagram is on 15,000. To some people, it's like, wow, that's a lot of followers. I appreciate every single follower, but I think if we wake up one day, see my page on 200 fires, you might think, yeah, he's widening a bit more. Yeah. Because remember, we all started with zero followers. And I have to remind people of that. We all started with zero followers. So I'm just getting lucky and bust overnight and whatnot. But we all started with zero followers, so I know what it's like when a bigger page shares something for you, m, I'm always sharing my stories.

Steven

What are some of the memorable celebrations? Who sticks out in mind to you?

Uyi

Um, or Mario McQueen Dipalicious, you might have seen him. Young vegan chef. Mario's just he's at his own shop in Box Park, Wembley. Um, Josh, who applied for Eaton College himself because he saw another black person there, so he applied for himself. Obviously, family got involved, went to meet him at Eaton. Um, thought I'd be there for about half hours, there for about two, 3 hours. I still got content I've never even shared. He walked me around the whole place. His name is etched in the library. Because what is I don't just celebrate them, forget them. I still I still follow them. I followed Josh. He left Eden and he's just finished Cambridge. And I followed him over the last two years, sharing his stuff and that, and there was this young girl called Amazing Angel. Motivational speaker, fearless. Other things could still hear it in my name is Amazing Angel. That was my second celebration, and that made me realize I have to up, uh, my game when I'm with gentlemen like yourself, because the way these kids are in interviews, wow. I believe in the next few months, when a certain person sees the page, they're going to jump on it. A certain high profile person don't know who it is. Remember, people want positive news yet, but there's still sufficient mindset regards the negative side. So that's why all I'd be doing is targeting people. That just gives that a positive message because I could target anybody, but if they don't align with what you're doing, it's pointless.

Steven

They say, obviously, social media, it's all based on algorithms. It gives you a lot of feedback loops. Right. So what you look for, it will.

Uyi

Feed back to you.

Steven

That can have negative effects on people. There are issues with social media.

Uyi

It's great.

Steven

It connects people, exposes people to a lot of stuff. You can learn, you can network. But also there's a lot of negativity. But when you have a positive profile on there, man, that's amazing. That changes your day. So what I saw you're doing recently as well, you're not just celebrating people, you're investing in people as well.

Uyi

Yeah. My friend Dextar, well, it was again, I was had an idea. I phoned Dexter, said, Dexter, we need to do more than just gain life. He said, Steve, I've got an idea. Let's give between 100 to 500. And people were hanging onto the five. It's weird, but he said, just keep saying 100 minimum to 500. And you're right. The whole thing was just about young people to come live, pitch their idea to us. Whoever wins on that day, they just go through to the final, and we invested 150 pound. A young person, he doesn't explain nothing. After we just hand you the money, you don't have to report back to us to say what you've done with it. And the young boy that won, Joshua, he wants to be a pilot, and he's just started his apprenticeship with BA as he goes. Yeah, because he's been applying for it. But his idea was made us realize that, yes, it's about investing in a business. But he made us realize, sorry, it's about investing in yourself. Yes, because to be a pilot's not a business. But then we realized, okay, yeah, some people come live and don't get me wrong, one week, no one came live. Because what it was, they were in the comments saying, oh, my son or my daughter does this. And we're saying they need to come live. And if they come live with you, if they're under 17, we want to see a parent, but they have to talk to us. But, yeah, it was really good because we planned to take it on the road.

Steven

Oh, really?

Uyi

Yeah. It wasn't yeah. Um, in the first week, I said, Right, if someone's got to come live, I'll give you a free T shirt. Guy came live. He ended up winning it. I met him on Sunday with his dad, and I gave him his free T shirt because they were traveling all around London. So I said to them, we could pull it off. I said, I'm cool. That said nah. Steve, Joshua said he wants to meet you. Just a call. I met them when he saw me, said, Steve, so I'm glad I've met you. To me, I'm just doing what I love doing and, uh, which is celebrating and uplifting young people. And if that's how they feel, then I'll tell them straight. Thank you again, even if that's a Steve, I feel like I know you, but Gary V taught us one thing people buying to you first, then your business.

Steven

Exactly.

Uyi

When I heard that one, I think.

Steven

Gary V, are you listening to me?

Uyi

Okay, I got it.

Steven

Where will proud and gifted go next?

Uyi

What's the next go next? I'll give you an exclusive if I'm I'm going to be honest, a short film. I start that conversation already. There's a particular short film that no one's really doing. And I'm going to stop dragging my feet. I've got my program to go into schools already. Talk about nothing but positive stuff. I do everything myself. People do offer to help and love everyone for that. But the day I get a team behind me, oh, you're going to see the growth. But until then, I'm fine to crack on, but short documentary, going to schools, and I'm learning. As I say, go to the end and work yourself back. And I think a scholarship will keep praying and gifted going for as long as possible. Love it, man.

Steven

That's amazing, man.

Uyi

Nice.

Steven

That's incredible. Super positive. Just to celebrate people, young people, what do we do? Celebrate young people's achievements.

Uyi

Boom.

Steven

Um, I was on the pressure there.

Uyi

Right?

Steven

Where can we find out more about what you do? Where can we follow you?

Uyi

Okay. 100% of my content is on Instagram. I'm trying to move away from it, but I can't lie, I still love it. Man. Um, so it's proudly gifted on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok. I can only thank everybody that's been on this journey with us, and if people's listening for the first time, welcome. Um, it's what we do. Man. Uh, just celebrate uplift. And I just believe that what you see with us is the majority of positive young people.

Steven

It's massively inspiring. We need more people like you to lead that example of celebrating each other. Let's celebrate and especially celebrate the young kids who don't get celebrated enough. Man steve, thank you very much.

Uyi

No big love, man.

Steven

I appreciate you coming down.

Uyi

Pick it to both, man.

Steven

Keep doing what you're doing. You did an amazing job and I.

Uyi

See in a few months time.

Steven

Yeah, 100%. Okay, guys, that was Steve Orrum, as always. There's more details about my guest in the show notes. If you like this episode. Episode, I recommend you check out episode 13, grown Roots of Michael de Souza. Uh and episode 19 classically British with Mark Eli. As always, thanks for listening. I will see you in two weeks time.