Fly Girl of the Week

Who? My name is Lisa Marie Anderson. Lisa to most, Leese to my nearest and dearest and Marie to my pops. I'm 28 years old and a couple of months in.
Where? I live in the hinterland between suburbia and one of the world's most culturally diverse, inspirational, influential, creative and historically significant cities in the world — London, England.
What? Currently, for a living I play the corporate system to develop creative business partnerships that provide crucial finance and support for charity work. My job title is "corporate fundraiser", and for the last 16 months I've worked for a charity called Book Aid International (www.bookaid.org). The money I help to raise goes towards stocking libraries for many communities and schools in Africa where children's education is compromised because they've never had access to books for reading or effective teaching. I'm also a little bit of a frustrated creative. So for a fuller sense of 'living', I supplement my full time paid work with part time, unpaid work, writing features for a lifestyle website called www.funkduplondon.co
What inspires you? People who feel the fear and do it anyway. People who influence progress and make you see the world in new ways. Pioneers, like the woman who started Body Shop. Knowledge seekers like my sister-friend Kelly, who suggested I write this. Campaigners like Arundhati Roy, a sister or sisters on myspace whom are friends despite the fact we've never met, who are like me in so many ways, forging ahead and trying to make a difference. My mum and dad; their steadfastness and integrity, their ability to overcome adversity, their sacrifices. Visual arts (photos http://hillcityfoto.com/home.html, paintings - chris ofilli, film - , all kinds of music (I'm a bit of a dance music junkie), natural beauty (beautiful skies, beach horizons, the view from my grandma's porch in Jamaica), people who know how to look good in their own skin, with an effortless sense of individual personal style, beautiful jewelry, all inspire me spirtually and creatively. This one really could go on and on.
Why are you fly? I'm fly because that's what I use my wings to do :). Because in spite of not always knowing why or to what end I was (am) fly, I've flown. From asking the wrong questions in history class, when I was the only black girl — like why we didn't learn anything about the history of nations other than Britain, to pursuing undergraduate studies in International Relations, when my parents wanted me to do something sensible and more tangible, to being to little girl at big people's parties who would butt into the men's speaking circle to defend "backwards" Africa. I'm fly because I value sisterhood and time for myself. And finally, I'm fly cuz I'm me, and some of my friends tell me so, and in fact writing this all out really just feels like stretching my wings!
Advice: In general I'd like to share with sisters the importance of investing time in knowing and valuing yourself - in nurturing your talents and realizing the fullest expression of yourself so that you can be true to yourself. I say, try to identify the things in life that impassion you, that drive you. And once you find them, release their potential to inspire your greatest contributions, your best work. The single biggest obstacle to becoming fly is yourself. There's a fly girl inside of all of us! 

 

Comments

[jerseybred]

I feel so inspired reading this entry, thank you Fly and Lisa.

[zololli]

A true Fly Girl!

[NM]

Same here, I really liked this entry.

[Derilyn]

Girl, you're fly! I like what you have to say.

[Tina]

This sis is fly. I like her perspective on life. I definitely love what she said inspires her "People who feel the fear and do it anyway." That is how I am living right now and couldn't have phrased it better. Another fly pick Andrea.

[Lynda K.]

just discovered your WONDERFUL, charming blog and would love to have you submit it to our blog directory, Delightfulblogs.com. Ignore the paypal page and please submit it as my guest. I can't wait till I have a bit more time to fully explore your posts.

Best,
Lynda