I am Boalji Akinwande, a Nigerian writer, journalist, researcher, and also the current project manager for Pride in Lagos - a yearly week-long festival celebrating pride in Nigeria. My work encompasses fashion, culture, and lifestyle trends. I have bylines in CNN, Dazed, TeenVogue, OkayAfrica, LGBTQNation, and many more notable culture/fashion/minorities-focused publications.
After a rigorous and successful application process, I have been selected as one of the 35 attendees from 35 countries around the world to the Atelier for Young Festival Managers in Spain in 2025. It's a program on how young festival leaders and cultural activists from around the world tackle global challenges.
As a non-binary individual and person of multi-disadvantaged identity living in Nigeria - against the backdrop of a society where queer identities are persecuted, shunned, and shamed - it has been impossible to raise this money by getting a loan or from corporate bodies because a single Google search of my name outs me. This is a life-calling opportunity that rarely even comes, and I intend to go to the Atelier to further my career vision of being a multi-dimensional activist and using storytelling as my core activism medium.
I am unable to raise the course fee, flight ticket, and other traveling expenses, which cost about $6,000. The deadline for the fee has been extended to February 2025.
Please help me get to San-Sebastian, Spain, to study at the Atelier. Every cent of your kind generosity matters in this fundraising. I am deeply grateful.
NB: GoFundMe services are unavailable to Nigerians living in Nigeria. If you are in Nigeria trying to donate, please kindly reach me on social media for other alternatives.