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Akua Gyamfi
Founder of The British Blacklist
Akua Gyamfi is a highly skilled journalist and media professional with a diverse background in the arts and entertainment industry. She obtained her education in Journalism at the University of the Arts London and also studied at Hammersmith & West London College. Akua has been involved in various notable organizations, having served as the Co-Founder at S.O.U.L. Film Festival and the Founder and Managing Director at The British Blacklist.
Highlights
I'm truly overwhelmed and blessed to have some amazing people in my corner. Yesterday I finally shared publicly that a woman called Alisha Hall, who runs The Liberation Initiatives has failed to honour an outstanding invoice of £35,000 after she promised to sponsor the black | listed lunch I hosted for black film & TV creatives last October.
Subsequently I've been thrown into debt I've never dealt with before, I've been a general emotional wreck and it's affected my business because of invoices and debts that I can't fulfil. It's been a general nightmare.
However the plus to this is that one, I'm never going to let this stop me, but two the people who have outreached and supported through words, calls, and donations.
I have to thank Andy Mundy-Castle, Sheila Nortley, and Simon Frederick who came together (asked for my blessing) but came together to start a crowdfund to help me recoup my losses.
I've been told, and shouted at, and pleaded with to do a crowdfund on a few occasions during TBB's unstable moments but I've always resisted. Why should anyone shoulder my problems!?
Sigh but ... in this instance my back is against the wall, and I am barely keeping afloat. So, if you can, please do, if you can't I appreciate the support the well wishes and to all of you who've continued to have my back in many various ways since I launched The British Blacklist.
Inspired by peers in the industry who felt they had no other option than to call out an organisation for failing to pay them.
I have to do the same.
October 8th 2021 I hosted the first black | listed lunch to celebrate UK based black film & tv creatives. Hosted during the BFI London Film Festival window, it was a wonderful celebration of us.
During the lunch we honoured the brilliant Malachi Kirby who took home a handcrafted award designed by Junior Phipps.
However, the event has been tainted by a woman called Alisha Hall, founder of The Liberation Initiatives.
Ms Hall was introduced to me by an extremely reputable organisation as a potential sponsor of the lunch.
After having a couple of really good meetings with her, the agreement was set that she would contribute £35,000 towards the event costs.
At the time of writing this post, Alisha Hall founder of The Liberation Initiatives has not honoured our invoice sent in September 2021.
And, after some extensive research it’s been revealed that Ms Hall has outstanding invoices with at least three other companies running into the hundreds of thousands.
Ms Hall’s ruse is that she distributes money from wealthy donors to worthy causes under the spin of diversity and Black Lives Matter.
Whilst I’ve been quite vocal about Ms Hall behind the scenes amongst industry networks, I was reluctant to go public.
Being a small black owned business, one thing we don’t like to to do is put our business in the streets and, failure and mistakes are seen as an embarrassment.
And as a staunch advocate for everybody black, I’m acutely aware that having two black women at war, during this current climate? Now really isn't the time.
But, enough is enough. What this has done to me personally, and how it has had a ripple effect on my business, and personal life has been truly devastating. And although, ‘strong black woman’ is a thing … I’m truly tired of holding up my armour.
The lies, the pretence that the failure to pay is the fault of Santander bank. I've received doctored documents. False accusations. Ms Hall is also continuing to attempt to infiltrate the industry by attending events in the hope to continue networking and making connections.
Please be aware. Please be vigilant. More importantly please get in touch via [email protected] if you’ve been affected by Ms Hall and her organisation.
Thank you to Tasha & Whitney of TWENTY:TWO AGENCY your openness about your negative experiences with Pollen was the final push I needed.
And to my circle of friends and colleagues who have had my back throughout this extremely traumatic experience, thank you my village.
I will keep you updated ...
Akua Gyamfi.
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