In honour of Black History Month, I have interviewed people who have taken 2020, a year of so much dramatic change, into their stride. From a worldwide pandemic to a summer of BLM protests, this year hasn’t been a year to sit out and just watch.

Misky is a graduate with dual degrees and after studying abroad as a Black Muslim woman, she has had a range of interesting experiences. She is a Digital Marketer but is now focusing on her passions, photography and editing:

What's something people would be surprised to learn about you?

I guess, the fact that I wear a few hats, I’m a digital marketer, a writer, a photographer, a traveller and soon to be a podcaster

When you lived abroad, how did your experience as a black woman differ from when you were in the UK?

As a foreigner living in Egypt, I knew that I’d probably get some stares my way, especially dressing like a Londoner, but I noticed almost immediately the lack of respect men have for women in this country. Being a black woman, many will notice you’re a foreigner and think you probably won’t speak the language and feel free to call you whatever they wish. I’d hear racist, sexist and degrading remarks on a regular basis such as “chocolate, black honey darkie..” to name a few.

In London, I’d be more exposed to systematic racism, whether it was in school, or in a professional environment. The subtle racism is still racism and people tend to think it isn’t noticed. Of course, being raised in London, you’d find yourself on the underground on your way home some nights and stumble across a drunk who’s ready to put on a show at the expense of your skin colour.

How has the pandemic changed the way you work?

The pandemic, funnily enough, has calmed things down for me. My work interactions tend to be online, so im more isolated, which I actually love. Plus, I get to spend more quality time with my family, whom I rarely get to see throughout the day.

What's your favourite thing about being a photographer?

I’ve always liked photography but never had the time to really concentrate on it, so I guess this may have been the only positive thing to come out of COVID for me. I have a love for abstract art, and with shots I take, I genuinely enjoy seeing something with the naked eye and being able to take a picture of it, touch it up with editing, and have it looking a completely different way than it actually does.

What is the most fulfilling part of your work?

I’ve started to capture people’s stories of their lives and be able to put a face to the storyteller with pictures. Also, memories. Being able to get flashbacks of good times from looking at a random picture I took somewhere, really puts a smile on my face.

you’d find yourself on the underground on your way home some nights and stumble across a drunk who’s ready to put on a show at the expense of your skin colour.

What are your thoughts on diversity within the creative industry? Do you think much has changed this year?

Times are changing, and rapidly this year, I feel like brands and businesses are re-strategising their operations especially in marketing. Our influencers and creatives aren’t being paid nearly enough in regards to their worth or even as much as their peers from different backgrounds. It’s almost impossible to not take offence.

What are you currently working on?

Currently, I am working on the second part of this project I started titled “HER STORY” where I will be releasing testimonies of black women I know and have the pleasure of sitting down with and documenting their stories of struggle as black African women in this world. Part 1 is already up on my dots page and portfolio website.

If you had to choose a song to describe your year, what would you choose?

Beyonce – Already. At times we tend to forget our power and how amazing we actually are, this song emphasises it for me