Irin Ajo — The Beauty is in The Journey
For the loyal readers of my work, I’m sure you’ve noticed that the theme of community consistently crops up in my writing.
Speaking to some friends about this theme exposed me to a cynical (but valid) perspective on its prevalence. One could argue that “community” has become somewhat of a buzzword in recent times, void of any actual substantive meaning. Organisations mindlessly sprinkle the word like a garnish on everything from ad campaigns to funding applications so they feel like they’re doing something.
However, I think the presence of this recurring theme throughout my work speaks to its universal importance to us as people. Whether I’m writing about music, fashion or a personal reflection — community is always an important factor to explore. People need people, or as the African political philosophy, Ubuntu, states: “I am because we are”. In a society that has unfortunately regressed to the point where we are detrimentally focussed on the individual, attempts to foster community are more necessary than ever.
Step Forward TAG Agency’s Irin Ajo Programme.
Founded by Tumisha Balogun & Alvin Owusu Fordwuo, TAG Agency is a youth culture and marketing agency that “helps brands connect with youth culture (and the young people at the heart of it)”. They do this in a myriad of ways, from 360 Marketing Campaigns to grant opportunities with a focus on community and the creativity of young people. TAG have worked with an illustrious range of brands including the likes of Google and Red Bull, and their excellent work saw them recognised in GUAP’s Blacklist this year.
My first meaningful interaction with TAG was early last year when I was fortunate enough to win tickets in a giveaway they did for Ryan Calais Cameron’s “For Black Boys…”. Little did I know that almost 6 months later, the agency would play such a positive part in my life.
Irin Ajo (Yoruba for journey)is a programme run by TAG Agency which sees a cohort of young black people (for my cohort, it was men) grow together over the course of a year. I appreciate that this may sound awfully abstract, so I’ll paint the picture for you.
Every month, from September/October 2022, I’d hop on the unfortunately familiar London Northwestern train (the comfort of Avanti in this economy would be fiscally irresponsible)from Coventry to the hallowed grounds of Hackney Quest, the sanctuary where our sessions took place. We explored a range of topics together, from personal relationships to what we envisioned for our futures. What was so special to me about these sessions, was how Alvin and Stephan who led our discussions, managed to cultivate a space where we all felt safe enough to be vulnerable with one another. Each session opened with everyone in the room sharing how they were feeling, referencing the emotions wheel so as to encourage specific articulation of our mood.
In these moments we would often learn a lot about each other and what we had been going through which gave us a deeper understanding of one another. Another part of Irin Ajo which brought us closer together was the retreat in January. We went to Shoreham for a weekend where we spent a weekend in a farmhouse in the sticks. We cooked together, hiked together and got to know each other outside of the context of our usual sessions. For me, this retreat was a pivotal moment in my Irin Ajo journey, as I started to forge more meaningful relationships with the other brothers on the programme as we had the time and space to relax and converse — something simple which is often taken for granted. We also got to have a fireside chat with M1llionz and were gifted free Clark’s and a Polaroid… not too bad eh.
Another wonderful element of the programme was the mentorship scheme. We all expressed whether we wanted a mentor and if we did, what we were looking for in one. I was fortunate enough to be paired with an amazing mentor who has become like a big brother to me, facilitating my development on a personal level as well as with regards to my career. This commitment to holistic growth is what I loved about the programme. It wasn’t just about getting our dream job, it was about encouraging us to become the best version of ourselves.
What made Irin Ajo work so well was the fact that it was run by people who understood us and genuinely had our best interests at heart. The genuine care for us as people translated into every element of our time together. This wasn’t just another volunteering exercise for the leaders to slap onto their CV to feel good about themselves. It wasn’t a voyeuristic exercise in making black men open up. I felt like I was genuinely being seen in every session, and in that process I was getting to know an amazing group of guys.
When I look back on the programme, I can say that I got everything I wanted and more. Holistic growth is so important to me and Irin Ajo really nourished me with tools to better myself in such a wholesome way. I feel like a lot of young men gravitate to figures who provide ‘harsh truths’ and ‘motivation’ in a blunt tone and maybe there’s space for that. But there is also an important space to be guided with tenderness and love. As someone who didn’t have the privilege of being around that many black people growing up, it was a blessing to form meaningful friendships with other black men in this context. Admittedly at the back of my mind I still had some residual parts of my 1st Year Uni complex as I feared what people may think of me, but this was swiftly shattered. The honest and transparent nature of the sessions meant that the friendships forged in that environment were beyond any superficial points of difference we may have had. It was a pleasure to be trusted with elements of people’s stories and to get to know them in a deeply personal way. As someone who is constantly writing about how they feel, Irin Ajo showed me that it’s so important not just to reflect but to reflect intentionally. Take a step back and ask yourself what emotions you are experiencing and why. Alvin used to always urge us to ‘be specific’ when we are describing our feelings or giving examples and it became a bit of a running joke, but that attention to detail has really helped me navigate my emotions. What am I feeling, beyond ‘fine’ or ‘calm’? Where is that coming from? Is this healthy for me? I’ve been asking myself these questions and I am all the better for it.
In a world where there is so much despair, it is easy to feel powerless in making a positive change and without sounding dramatic, Irin Ajo was a reminder to me that there is hope. In the absence of government funded spaces and programmes for young people, organisations like TAG amongst others have stepped up and provided us with what we need.
So now that I am at the end of the road (cue Boys II Men intro), I’m immensely grateful for the last year or so. I feel as though we tend to idolise the destination, whether that’s a job or an accolade, but Irin Ajo reminded me that beauty is not just at the finish line, it is in the lessons you learn along the journey.
Connect the dots…
Love,
ETP
