Overview
Explore the importance and impact of Black-owned creative spaces in reshaping Scottish creative landscape. Our panel will discuss the challenges, opportunities, and significance of fostering inclusivity and supporting diverse voices through Black ownership in creative environments.
Host:
Pete Preston
Panellists:
Gig Cowboy
Timi Adegunwa
Natasha Ishaq (The Good Store)
Price
Free but ticketed
About Rise Up!
Rise Up
Rise Up! Festival is a celebration of some of the many diverse voices and visions that shape Aberdeen and Scotland’s Black and PoC creative communities. Join us at the Music Hall and Lemon Tree for three days of art, music, and dialogue that challenge, inspire, and unite. Curated by We Are Here Scotland in partnership with Aberdeen Performing Arts.
See the whole programme here.
Bios
Pete Preston
Pete Preston is a dynamic individual with diverse accomplishments. As a multi-product owner at Settlrz Ltd and Cultural Harmony Ltd, he drives innovation and fosters cultural understanding.
As CEO of One of My Pals Web Design Studio, Pete leads successful projects, showcasing his expertise and innovation in design and coding. He is a renowned speaker on Machine Learning, AI bias, and cultural harmony from a diversity and inclusion standpoint. Formerly president of the Aberdeen Lions Club, Pete is dedicated to community service and positive impact. An alumnus of the University of Aberdeen, his education has shaped his leadership abilities.
As a start-up founder and expert in frameworks, Pete guides aspiring entrepreneurs, leaving a lasting impact on the start-up ecosystem. Pete enjoys competitive gaming, holding the UK’s highest-ever Scrabble game score. He has appeared on British game shows like Countdown on channel 4 and Lingo on ITV, showcasing his love for intellectual challenges.
GidiCowboy
Emmanuel Prince Aniezi also known as ‘GidiCowboy’, is a Nigerian creative entrepreneur who loves horses, media and entertainment and takes on the Equestrian lifestyle effortlessly. He is a Cowboy, metaphorically speaking and believes that ‘being a Cowboy does not have to be literal, but a mindset and lifestyle’. GidiCowboy is a talented voice over artist and MC. He is very passionate about telling stories on horseback through digital media and has a few short films under his belt, including ‘To My Horse’ a poetic short film.
He is also the creative director at new Aberdeen-based event brand, TLP Aberdeen.
He is also the founder of the Popular Afrobeats-themed Clubnight CLUB LAGOS that is held every Saturday in Aberdeen
Natasha Ishaq
Natasha Ishaq is a Scottish-Nigerian businesswoman based in Edinburgh. She is the co-founder of The Good Store, an organic food shop and the first of its kind owned by women of colour in the city. Natasha has drawn on her previous experience in both Finance and Education to establish The Good Store in the food retail market. This has led to recognition in several Scottish publications such as the popular ‘Olive’ magazine and The Heralds ‘Luxury’ magazine.
Together with her sister and fellow co-founder Jamila, she works with other local businesses, charities, and communities to raise awareness of the positive contributions women of colour make to Scotland. They also seek to help provide further representation for young (BPoc) entrepreneurs.
Timi Adegunwa
As a passionate advocate for cultural diversity and inclusion in the vibrant landscape of Scotland, Timi Adegunwa is a Black/African woman thriving at the intersection of technology and creativity.
Hailing from a background rooted in both technology and cultural expression, Timi Adegunwa is the founder of a dynamic, female-led organisation (Black and Scot) dedicated to elevating Black excellence through digital and tech initiatives.
In her role as a cybersecurity professional, Timi brings a unique perspective to the table, seamlessly blending her technical expertise with a creative flair. Beyond her work in the cybersecurity realm, she is a true creative at heart, finding joy in organising events that celebrate and amplify underrepresented voices through her creative platform-ScotAfrique.
Driven by a vision for a fairer, more inclusive Scotland, Timi seeks to bridge the gaps between authorities and Black communities. Her commitment to diversity, inclusion, equality, and well-being is not just a professional pursuit but a personal mission.
Currently based in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Timi envisions a future where digital and tech inclusion is a catalyst for positive change. Her dedication to this vision extends to projects that explore and express the rich cultural heritage of the Black and PoC community in the North-East of Scotland.
With a spirit fuelled by both technology and culture, Timi is poised to make a lasting impact on the Scottish landscape, weaving threads of heritage into the fabric of a more connected and inclusive society.
