HANNAH LLOYD

Hannah has 8 years of experience working with youth to develop their leadership potential and bring their ideas to life. She is passionate about bridging gaps between generations and using storytelling to help young people move towards their future by understanding their history. She works in Higher Education where she develops programmes, strategies and campaigns for youth engagement.

"A Mentor Provides Accelerated Wisdom"

Q: Tell us a few things about your country, and also your life's story!

I grew up in Birmingham, UK and now live in Oxford. I have Jamaican heritage which has always given me a connection to another part of the world and a perspective that stretches beyond my immediate environment, but recently I’m making the effort to learn more about the UK’s history. This week I learned that until 2015 UK taxpayers were still repaying the debt incurred in paying compensation to slave owners!

Some of my best moves have been somewhat accidental and made in the process of just doing the things that I love and am committed to – empowering young people, exploring global perspectives, faith, and finding solutions.

Q: What is your view of the Coronavirus crisis and the world as it is today? How do you define the concept of a better world especially given the hard lessons we have taken from this unprecedented crisis?

The crisis took me by surprise and two key lessons have stood out for me. Firstly, a better world is one in which we push beyond excuses for solutions. Being in lockdown has illuminated the huge variation of lifestyles across the country but also how problems can be overcome with creativity and collaboration - the homeless can be housed and fed, families can connect, and mothers can work from home. Secondly, a better world is one without prideful existence. In the UK there was almost an air of arrogance that the crisis wouldn’t hit us like other countries, but then a great fear when it did. We are still to recognise common humanity - value and fragility - in each person on the planet regardless of where they live, how they look, their income or position in society. Living from this principle can really change the way we connect, communicate and advocate for each other.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently and how do you think CoVid-19 will affect your country?

So far in the UK, nearly 40,000 people have died, the majority of who are older people. While it can’t be said for certain that they all would have survived these few months had there not been a pandemic, it’s safe to say that many have gone to rest prematurely. The UK is currently experiencing the largest generation gap ever measured and the pandemic has exacerbated this. Society, like many families, has lost its grandparents, and with them goes the life stories and wisdom so crucial for the development and mentorship of young people. Especially when shared in the family context, these ingredients are core to building a sense of identity that allows people to show up in the world as their true authentic selves, and it is in this authenticity that magic happens. Some pieces of our nation’s history have been lost, but I hope that the sudden losses will shake people up to build stronger relationships now, not tomorrow.

Q: As a young individual what are a few of the hurdles that you had to overcome up until today?

Being a curious person has often driven me into environments where there weren’t many people that looked like me, shared my background, or that I knew. I’ve dealt with prejudice in the workplace, self-sabotage, and not knowing what on earth I’m doing because of not knowing where to look to for similar ideas. The same curiosity that drove me into those spaces is the same curiosity that helped me overcome the hurdles - being brazen enough to ask ‘what if…?’ gave me hope for an alternative reality and therefore the motivation to seek out friends and colleagues that would hold my corner, reaffirm my potential and help me find tangible steps for action.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you?

I’m the kind of person who likes bouncing and exploring ideas with others to work towards a solution, so having another person to talk to that I can trust is key to creating an environment where I can thrive. A mentor provides accelerated wisdom for your current situation. Often when you are in the middle of a situation you can’t see the full picture, so speaking to someone who has been through something similar and knows what to look for, who can encourage you and importantly correct you when necessary is so valuable in navigating life.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share?

Developing and being secure in your own values, approach and convictions is so important in life and leadership. Engaging openly and respectfully in varied dialogues is imperative but it’s not everyone that you should attempt to learn from or allow to speak over you.

Technology has made it possible for more people than ever to share their opinion – it is important to be intentional in understanding the person behind the message and seek out lessons from spaces and people that align with and further your core values.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives!

Kwanda. This non-profit organisation is ‘A modern collection pot for black communities’. There is a lack of investment in Black entrepreneurial projects, and I think this organisation fills an amazing gap of empowering the community to generate its own wealth to bring to life the dreams and ideas we hold that others don’t believe in.

Find out more: kwanda.co, @joinkwanda

Q: Share with us a phrase, a poem or a story that you love or you find interesting!

If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together.

Q: Share with us a project that you would like to make happen for your country or a cause that you are passionate about?

There are so many! But I would love to bridge the gap between generations and empower young people through the understanding of their history and identity that comes as a result of this connection