Welcome to the Bicultural Edge

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]What if there's a community where is there this place where you can come in young Kimo going to the US with energy of the drive of passion? If I have someone guiding me, it would have been so much easier.

[00:00:11]>> It's a journey, right? We all know, so what you said 5 years ago about your identity is different from what you would say today and it different from what you will say in 5 years and that's the beauty of it as well. It's like it it's a spectrum and everybody is in a different space and it's okay as long as you find people who can resonate with you, can help you grow.

[00:00:33]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Welcome to the Bicultural Edge, a podcast by and for the bicultural, the African diaspora and friends.

[00:00:54]In each conversation, we'll be exploring the many ways our culture, identity and lived experience shape how we move through the world.

[00:01:05]My name is Kimo Camara. I'm the founder of OMEX.

[00:01:08]Today for this very first episode and for this much much awaited podcast, we have decided to bring in the people behind the scene, the humans behind the scene that make OMEX what it is today.

[00:01:30]Without waiting much longer, let me introduce you to this like amazing people.

[00:01:36]From that side way over there, the one and only Sandra Robert aka the magician aka the CEO. Wait.

[00:01:49]Wait. aka the boss. Ooh, okay. Hi, everyone.

[00:01:56]And next to Sandra is our man for the longest time the person who made the second man in the wave bigger amazing ladies in the OMek team my man Benjamin Sam. Hey everybody.

[00:02:17]And the last but not least we have the most reliable person, the most creative and the most amazing talented Sophia Lobo.

[00:02:31]>> [laughter] >> All right, that's the energy we wanted to start. So, you all ready? Yeah, we're ready. We're born ready. Come on now, [laughter] that's not born ready. We're born ready. We've been waiting. We've been waiting. We've been waiting. Yeah, you all ready? We're born ready. We're born ready. We are at OMek we are born ready. All right, so I want you all to start the conversation, right? But before we get started like I want you to introduce yourself.

[00:02:53]By doing so can you tell your bicultural story?

[00:02:58]Let's start with where you from.

[00:03:00]Where have you landed? And how does that show up today in your day-to-day life?

[00:03:05]Sandra, maybe you start. Yes. So, I'm French. I was born and raised in the body of Paris.

[00:03:13]But my parents are from the French Caribbean. My mom is from Martinique. My dad is from Guadeloupe.

[00:03:18]And I've landed in the Netherlands 11 years ago in Amsterdam to be more specific.

[00:03:26]And how does my bicultural mix show in what I do today? Well, I'm part of the OMek team. So, um I'm definitely the target audience of what OMek does actually. And yeah, that shows in my in my work for sure. And also I dance also next to being an event producer. And I think yeah, my my background in this um bicultural mix uh shows also in the way I move.

[00:04:00]Yeah. And Ben?

[00:04:01]Sweet. My name is Benjamin Sam. I'm Ghanaian.

[00:04:05]I was born in Takoradi, which is a port city in Ghana.

[00:04:09]Um but I I was raised in Accra.

[00:04:11]Um I'm now in the Netherlands. I've been here for 5 years.

[00:04:15]And um how my bicultural my bicultural identity shows up is that I uh I love food. And I always need like pepper in my food, you know? So that really shows up right here. Um but also um one thing that you will find about Ghanaians is almost no one is ever doing one thing.

[00:04:35]So here I've got my 9-to-5, but I I've also got the Omek community and I'm part of the Omek team.

[00:04:40]I love it.

[00:04:42]Sophia? I'm Sophia. I was born in Guinea-Bissau.

[00:04:46]I lived in Portugal. I was raised in um lived most of my life in Portugal.

[00:04:52]Um my bicultural side manifests itself in um the way that I need to express myself through art, through community.

[00:05:03]Um uh any means of creativity uh being fashion, being um design, being any way that um we can communicate.

[00:05:18]For those who probably asking question right now, wait, they using this word bicultural. I never heard of it or I'm not sure what it is.

[00:05:26]Just to get you up to speed.

[00:05:29]The idea, the concept of being a bicultural, especially let's take a bicultural of African descent, is a people who have African heritage, but you might be born like let's say in the West, right? For all of you like you might be born and raised with the West.

[00:05:44]So you have this unique privilege of navigating between these two cultural framework. Right? You, Sandra, is French but with African heritage or African descent, right? And so, that way it's like such a unique position you in. It's almost a privilege to be able to grow up between this, you know, life cultural framework. So, that's what we mean by bicultural.

[00:06:09]And so, you all mentioned Olmec as a part of like that bicultural like where you land there and then how it all start.

[00:06:16]Can you tell us how what brought you to Olmec? Let's I want to hear the story.

[00:06:23]Your Olmec story.

[00:06:25]Sophia, maybe you go first.

[00:06:27]So, arriving to the Netherlands, actually to Amsterdam, I was thirsty to meet people that look like me, people that talk like me, people that move, navigate the world like me, and that could hear, see, and feel me.

[00:06:44]And in that search, I came across this event where I saw for the first time a collective of black creatives, professionals, which I had never seen because my experience in Portugal didn't allow it. So, for me it was like seeing unicorns and it opened a door and completely transformed my my journey here in Amsterdam and in the Netherlands. And ever since you have never looked back. Hey, no.

[00:07:19]>> [laughter] >> You became part of the family. It's like I am not. Y'all have to try so hard to kick me out and we haven't figured out.

[00:07:27]We don't want to kick her out.

[00:07:28]>> [laughter] >> There's no way. Well, we can try.

[00:07:31]There's no way. We can try. There's no way. There's no way. The glue is too is too tough.

[00:07:36]It's not possible. Usually when I meet people, I'm the one who goes like, you are stuck with me, unfortunately. But you did that to us. You like, "Y'all have no idea who you who you got in the family."

[00:07:46]Well, um I joined or I found Omek because of Robbie, who's also part of the team.

[00:07:51]Yes, shout out >> he's not around right now.

[00:07:53]>> Mhm.

[00:07:54]Um so I came for the first uh event, the first uh Omek Summit.

[00:07:59]And I had this feeling that I could not forget. Uh that to this day I keep meeting people that always say the say the same thing when it's their first time as an event. Um so I went back, you know, to school. I was I was doing my masters at the time.

[00:08:17]Um but then I finished my masters, and this was during COVID, during the lockdown. And I was trying to figure out what I was going to do.

[00:08:25]Um but then we had a a program under the Baobab.

[00:08:31]And um I think we're talking about volunteering or internships or something like that.

[00:08:37]And so afterwards I reached out to Kimo, and we had a long conversation.

[00:08:41]Um so I started to volunteer with the Omek team, and it was meant to be a a thing I did before starting work, right? Um but like you said, you never really leave.

[00:08:53]Uh so since uh since 2020, I've been here.

[00:08:58]Um I've stepped, you know, away a little bit because of my 9-5, but I'm always around.

[00:09:04]Like you can see now.

[00:09:06]This is what brought me to Omek.

[00:09:07]>> Nice. Wow. So you were at the very first Omek Summit, the African Diaspora Collaboration Summit in 2019.

[00:09:17]>> I was right there. I was right there.

[00:09:18]Sandra, was that a summit you also came?

[00:09:21]Yes, we were in the same room. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, the OG. Like that was like we had no idea what we were doing at the time.

[00:09:29]No idea. Well, now it's it was great.

[00:09:32]Yes. Yeah.

[00:09:33]So indeed, yeah, I joined the same event. Um and the reason why I joined is I had been in Amsterdam for already like probably 3 years.

[00:09:43]Um and yeah, at some point I think I realized that I needed to be more connected to people who look like me, like more diaspora people. I was really feeling that I was missing it.

[00:09:55]And also professionally, I actually felt like there is a gap. Like I want to I know I love doing events, but I want to serve people that look like me or had had more purpose or meaning to whatever I'm doing. Mhm. Um and so I researched and I found OMEC on Meetup.

[00:10:15]And then I saw it was a networking event. Yeah, you too.

[00:10:19]>> [laughter] >> I saw it was a networking event and at the beginning I was like, "Ugh, I don't know." But then I was like, "It's my people. It's going to be fine." Like I don't like networking with my people.

[00:10:28]It's going to be fine. So I joined. And yeah, then I entered. I remember exactly like seeing you and the guys at the check-in desk. And I was like, "Okay, hi."

[00:10:38]>> [laughter] >> And then I entered and yeah, then I felt really at home. And I remember really being at all with like what I could hear people say and like it was so refreshing and so yeah, empowering.

[00:10:54]And yeah, that was my first experience. And then 2020, COVID broke out.

[00:11:01]And I couldn't work anymore. And this is when I started yeah, volunteering and really being more involved with OMEC and it's been 6 years.

[00:11:12]>> [laughter] >> Wow. And we're all stuck here. We're all stuck.

[00:11:16]Yeah.

[00:11:18]I love the story. It's say like that's the you just come in and you feel this like feeling inside. It's like, "Yeah, this is home. This is a space."

[00:11:29]And I think what I like about all this story yeah, I came in in this space and then had that feeling and it's like I'm going to figure out how to contribute here.

[00:11:40]And it's like I'm going to find out how to volunteer and it started that way and it's been here ever since.

[00:11:46]But let's go back to the bicultural aspect of it. I want to I want to dive in a bit into that.

[00:11:53]When did you start noticing your bicultural nuances?

[00:11:59]Right? And so maybe Sandra, I'll start with you. Um born and raised in Paris.

[00:12:06]Right? Of uh um people of African you know descent heritage from the Caribbean.

[00:12:13]When did you start noticing that nuances of like how this maybe didn't have the bicultural term for it, but like you lived that experience. Mhm. Right? Um when did you when did you start noticing?

[00:12:25]Yeah, I think it was in my childhood actually because we would go to the Caribbean on both islands for the whole summer for 2 months every 3 years more or less.

[00:12:35]>> Mhm.

[00:12:36]Um and yeah, I remember like before going I felt a sense of excitement, but also like ah I want to actually I I would also like to stay here and hang out with my friends here like you know in my in my city.

[00:12:55]Um but then when I would go there I would like love it uh a lot a lot and then coming back to France, yeah, I think this is where like I I understood that this is a totally different life there in the Caribbean. Which Caribbean country? Uh Martinique and Guadeloupe.

[00:13:13]Shout out to our people Yes. from the Martinique and the Guadeloupe. Yep. Woop woop woop. There you go. There [laughter] you go.

[00:13:21]Yeah, so yeah, and then then yeah, coming back you feel like oh yeah, that's different here. But I'm also comfortable. I'm comfortable there. I'm comfortable here.

[00:13:32]And of course I didn't have the concept to intellectualize anything, but I think this is where I realize I'm different from my um friends who are you know, maybe white French people and who don't have this um dual or multiple background. Mhm.

[00:13:52]Whenever you introduce yourself, you say I'm French. Right? I do I do say French Caribbean cuz that's a big important news to me, but yes, there is definitely yeah, French part. Yeah, but you kind of you don't shy away from any of this too, you know, you very proud of both of them and then you you own it and then you yeah, so I think that's a very important into Yeah. um navigating. Ben, yours is a bit different. Like you were not born right in the West. Mhm. You came in in your adult you know the early part of your life and the formative part of your life was in Ghana. Yeah. And now you've been here for how long? About 5 years. About 5 years. So you've been you know, you learned a lot about the Dutch culture for sure.

[00:14:38]And navigating that and and so you yeah, you have like now the Western part and then so like when did you start noticing the nuances?

[00:14:50]Okay, so um even though I I basically developed into an individual while I was in Ghana. Um my mom's grandfather was European. Mhm.

[00:15:00]And I went to a high school that was built by a British governor. Oh. Back in the day and so um I think what I'm heading towards now is the concept of time.

[00:15:10]um In in Africa time time is owned by the individual. So if there's an event and the event hasn't happened then time hasn't happened.

[00:15:23]But, in contrast, the European concept of time is linear, so it's like, you know, the past, a goal we've got to get towards.

[00:15:32]And and then, you know, the present and then the future, right? Um so, while I was in boarding school, you we had time for everything. So, you had to wake up at 5:00 a.m.

[00:15:44]to get a shower if you're in first year.

[00:15:46]Right? And then you had 10 minutes.

[00:15:48]So, if you were caught in the shower after those 10 minutes, you were in trouble.

[00:15:53]So, but then when you got out of boarding school and you had to meet a friend somewhere or meet people somewhere, people would sometimes not show up on the agreed time.

[00:16:04]So, already some of these things were starting to play out over there.

[00:16:08]And I remember that when I first came here for my masters, we had this one lecturer that said, "Oh, you're from Ghana?" And I was like, "Yes." Like, "Man, you guys and time."

[00:16:17]>> [laughter] >> Yeah, I know what you're talking about.

[00:16:20]But, the thing is, um because of my mom's influence, right? She was always on time. My mom was always If an event was starting at 8:30, she was there at 7:45.

[00:16:32]That's how punctual my mom was. Your mom is one of those. Yeah, one of those.

[00:16:36]So, very early on already, the concept of time, you know, of being a bicultural, the concept of time was already sort of playing out in my life.

[00:16:42]I didn't really realize it then. Yeah.

[00:16:44]Right? But, when I came here and um started to basically navigate the system, I just started to realize how important um time was for people in terms of punctuality over here. Whereas, like, back home, if it happens, it happens, you know, like, oh, we've got to meet today. I've got to go to the bank today. I When I go home and I've got to go to the bank, sometimes I know I'm spending half the day over there, you know? Whereas, like, yeah, here you're like just done in 10 minutes, 30 minutes. Yeah. So, yeah, that's I'm glad that you were able It's nice like once you get the concept of bicultural identity, you can, like, hindsight can go back and then the things that you already lived this experience, but you you didn't have the vocabulary >> Yeah. to like and now you can go back and and conceptualize it.

[00:17:33]>> and conceptualize it and because you've been navigating even in Ghana you've been navigating this like even the small element of a cultural um differences and nuances, right? In the Western culture, especially where we live, this part of like if you're 5 minutes if you're exactly on time, you're already late. You have to be 5 minutes early. Yep. Right? And back home if you are 1 hours um late, you're still on time or maybe you're early. And so one is time is very sensitive, very linear, very personal, very attached to your identity and respect and all that stuff. So Sophia, yeah, I'd love to hear your your perspective, right? When did you start having understanding noticing the nuances of your bicultural um identity?

[00:18:21]So, I mean, between uh so I I was born in Guinea-Bissau, but I grew up in Portugal. So, since I was a baby that I've lived in in Europe. Um I didn't go to kindergarten, so my first social experience was at elementary, right? And growing up as the only black kid in the neighborhood and for most of the time in elementary also. Um there was some nuances like for instance the yearly activities and celebrations of the school.

[00:18:54]Um I was always assigned to be dressing the African attires and to be on stage doing African dances for everybody. So, there were certain uh situations that make me feel, "Oh, there is a difference here." Mhm. Right? And how do I fit here? All right?

[00:19:12]So, yes, having to to to learn how to how to navigate, how to make peace with the fact that I was different from everybody else, right? But, I was proud of my difference still, right? But, how do I assert myself in that kind [snorts] of space?

[00:19:32]You know? Yeah. So, this it was a very interesting journey >> [laughter] >> with a lot of interesting moments, also.

[00:19:40]I can't imagine. I can't I love the I love how on this panel we all have this different aspect of the bicultural identity, right? Sandra was born and raised, so bicultural by birth, right?

[00:19:54]Because you're born and raised in France and then navigating the cultural framework, going back on a vacation and feeling the sense of home from there.

[00:20:04]You Ben came in a certain part of your life for the school, so you were like a already aware of your But, you were born and then came at young age. Myself, my bicultural So, I'm originally from Guinea, Guinea-Conakry.

[00:20:19]And then I moved to the US in my early 20s for my school, like a Ben. And so, I already had this like reference back home, everything, right?

[00:20:29]And I went to the US and my story actually I resisted I resisted the the the US identity, the US culture for 10 years. Mhm.

[00:20:40]For me, those two were like there was this conflict.

[00:20:45]If I try to be American, I'm going to lose my African identity. And so, like these two were not It's just like it was a water and oil. It's like conflicting and there's this dichotomy.

[00:20:57]And so, my thing the nuances there was really clear. These two don't match. I picked side and decided I'm picking the African culture. I'm an African, period.

[00:21:08]I'm here for the time, for business, for like clear purpose. I'm going to do that. I'm going to go back. And not only me, but my kids also are going to be in the same way even if they're born here.

[00:21:19]And but the moment I start realizing and questioning the American culture and identity, and then that led me like, wait, how is that interpreted in the African my African culture? And then then when I started asking that question then I'm like, wait, why do we do what we do? And this question started understanding oh, I learned this culture just because who I am.

[00:21:45]But like, why? Why? And it started started why? And then that led me to ask more and learn more about my culture. So, that's where the nuances for me started happening. And I'm like, oh, man, because I started embracing this American culture, let me question this other African culture and understand my culture better.

[00:22:05]And then I started embracing more and more. And then I realized these two are not conflicting, but actually they can be complementary. And I've been on that journey ever since. So, speaking of that journey, we kind of like talked about the nuances.

[00:22:20]And now we're all part of the OMA community. And since being part of the OMA community because the OMA community is about embracing your bicultural identity, understanding your bicultural identity, and leveraging your bicultural identity as your superpower, as your competitive advantage, as you navigate this cultural framework, right? And so, since being part of the OMA community, how has being part of the OMA community shifted um the way you embrace, the way you navigate, the way you leverage your bicultural identity?

[00:22:55]Uh for me, it's um it's a tool that it was a tool that helped me because the lack of um mirrors, let's say, right? The the lack of reflections, the Omeque allowed me to to have a cane, let's say, um where I could actually experience my community side, right?

[00:23:25]Um Europe is very individualistic and very competitive, right? And that is something that I never fit into, right?

[00:23:33]And whenever I'm in my community, with my people, it's always about sharing.

[00:23:41]About sharing time, about sharing knowledge, about sharing yourself, right? About sharing the the grace for the existence of each other, right? And it's about cooperation. And these are the things that I feel are essential for my being, but also are essential for the building of community, right? So, in a way, I receive, but at the same time, I give.

[00:24:06]I love that. Before we go any further, let me tell you a bit what Omeque is all about. Omeque is a community-based career and professional development platform that connect bicultural talent with global organization and brands, but also with all meaningful resources and an opportunity. But most importantly, most important what we do is to connect you with a global bicultural support group. So, if you're hearing this and listening to this anywhere and you're not part of the Omeque community, here's my call to action for you. Go right away on the website and register and to join our digital hub, our digital platform for free, where you will have the opportunity to meet and connect and engage with the global community of all the bicultural and also be able to participate in workshop, meet new people, and find job.

[00:25:08]Together is the only way forward.

[00:25:11]Sandra.

[00:25:13]Can you repeat the question again? I love Yeah, yeah, I'd love to hear your perspective as well because you are actually the magician behind all the OMAC event.

[00:25:22]Some, some, some.

[00:25:24]I mean, literally all the OMAC event and the way you design the event. And this is something that like even before OMAC, this is what you you're passionate about, right? Designing space, designing event that embrace the culture and the showcase the culture and celebrate the culture. That's why OMAC was like it's such a beautiful fit for you. You like, this is what I do. Like And so and people come to the OMAC event, they have this feeling like Ben was talking about what you first came where our bicultural identity is not only shown, it's not only celebrated, but it's felt. [snorts] Mhm. Right?

[00:26:06]And so like from the nuances understanding that the nuances of bicultural identity when you were younger, now that designing that space for people, how has that helped you shift and improve your understanding of your bicultural identity and how leveraging it?

[00:26:27]Mhm. Yeah.

[00:26:30]Um I think for me it's more the other way around. It's like as [clears throat] I was um going through my own bicultural identity journey, I uh translated that into the experience that I would shape in events. And for instance, one of the reasons why I um wanted to connect to uh with more diaspora people is because I wanted to create this series of event where we would you know, explore like cultural um aspect of the diaspora, but while spotlighting the differences, right? Like if we take food, food in the Caribbean and you can also go into different places in the Caribbean, but also in Africa is da da da.

[00:27:18]Um which was like that represented a phase of my journey, like figuring out, okay, yeah, we are we're not a monolith. There's so many things and uh which I think is still relevant, but then as I engage more with Omeg, I got um exposed to more ways of thinking, to different ways of conceptualizing um being a diasporan.

[00:27:46]Then it kind of shifted um to yeah, just engaging with that topic in a different way.

[00:27:54]So, yeah, I think the nuance is like it's a journey, right? We all know, so what you said 5 years ago about your identity is different from what you would say today and it is different from what you will say in 5 years.

[00:28:09]And and that's the beauty of it as well.

[00:28:11]It's like it's um it's a spectrum and everybody is in a different space and it's okay as long as you find people who can resonate with you, can help you grow. That's yeah, and that's what I want to do through the events as well.

[00:28:27]It's creating that space for everybody to come and figure out, okay, what what's next for me or what yeah, finding inspiration to explore their own identity. Yeah.

[00:28:40]I have to say you do amazing job about it. Like amazing job. Then I'll come back I'll come to you on that. Mhm. You again, I want to pick a piggyback on this 10 that you say you came to the very first OMEX summit and you felt something. Yeah.

[00:28:57]Maybe I can use the word belonging. Mhm.

[00:29:00]>> [clears throat] >> I think we all know how how that feel and that's the thing that we get up like specially in the community like OMEX, right?

[00:29:07]>> Yeah.

[00:29:09]How what does it mean to actually belong?

[00:29:15]To contribute but also benefit from a community that you have this sense of like you feel home. Mhm. Like a community like OMEX, right?

[00:29:28]>> Yeah. Specially the I the power of contributing to a community that you feel like this is my community. So, I'm going to figure out to contribute. The first thing that all three of you did like, I'm going to volunteer. I want to be here. I'm going to volunteer and contribute it that way. But at at the same time you're benefiting from it.

[00:29:45]Yeah. Right? And so, what is that? Like I want to hear like what does it mean to belong? What how do you contribute but also you benefit from? Yeah. Okay, that's that's a very very um important question. Yeah. Um I think the first part of belonging in any space is having that feeling of safety. Mhm.

[00:30:05]Um so, when I and I'm I'm very much a reader of energy in any space. So, when I first came to um the first OMEX event I just felt like, okay, you know, this is it. I was a bit I was a bit coming out of my shell at that time because I grew up like a a huge introvert. Mhm. Right? So, I wasn't doing networking. Mhm. Yeah, very surprising, right?

[00:30:31]>> [laughter] >> Um I was just I was such a huge introvert that I think after school, about 6 years after school, people had thought that I was not in the country but I was very much in the country.

[00:30:42]>> Mhm. You know, that's how big of an introvert I was. But, when I came here, I wanted to be to come out of my shell a little bit. So, when I came for that first networking event, I felt that feeling of safety and that sort of allowed me to start to be myself because I started to recognize um elements of myself in other people.

[00:31:02]Um other people had moved here. There were people who were born here, raised here.

[00:31:08]But, there seemed to be a connecting thread in that room that somehow everyone had an experience that everyone else had somehow had.

[00:31:21]So, that sort of made me feel really, really calm, you know, in that space.

[00:31:28]And I started to feel like, oh, I really I like I like how I'm feeling here.

[00:31:32]Um and I never forgot that feeling cuz I came When I came here for school, I wasn't in an international school, right?

[00:31:40]I loved my friends. Everything was great, but there was just something really different in that room that made me keep coming back.

[00:31:48]And so, for me, belonging starts with safety and then it starts with feeling like you can be yourself.

[00:31:55]Like in any relationship that you have, any friendship, you want to feel like you can be yourself. And that's what um but not even just be yourself, but be more. And that's what OMAI gave me.

[00:32:07]So, for me, that's what belonging is and every time we've had an event, I felt like, okay, we've got to welcome people. We have to make sure they feel great here.

[00:32:18]And I think that that's very much the ethos of the OMAI team. Like, we don't even really try.

[00:32:25]We just do it.

[00:32:27]You know, it just happens. It's not We never go sit in the in a meeting and say, oh, for this event, how can we make people feel welcome? No, we don't do [laughter] that.

[00:32:36]We're really just focused on Yeah, on the itinerary. Okay, this has to happen at this time. This has to happen at that time. We need breakout rooms. We need this. We need that.

[00:32:44]But somehow we all know what brings us together.

[00:32:48]And everything that we do this thing that brings us together shows.

[00:32:53]And it's very apparent for people who come to Omek events for the very first time.

[00:32:59]So, that for me that's belonging and that's contributing to belonging.

[00:33:03]Beautiful. That's beautiful.

[00:33:06]That's I feel like this is my first time I'm hearing someone describe and articulate the sense of belonging so simply but also like so clearly.

[00:33:21]Sandra, being behind the scene and then creating that space, what is that Yeah, for you, what is that idea, that sense of belonging, but also contributing and benefiting from Omek?

[00:33:36]Yeah.

[00:33:38]The sense of belonging, yeah, I will join what Ben just said. Definitely um it's like a space where you you can be yourself. Uh Of course, for me it's a bit different because I'm always behind the scene. I always say that like I'm part of the event, but I'm also running around. So, I don't always have like time to really experience the Omek experience event experience, but there is still this sense of familiarity, this banter, this like Yeah, even if I don't have time to have full on conversations with people, I at least have time to exchange a smile, and I can just be myself. I can joke around.

[00:34:18]So, it's just easy. And then when it comes to contributing, yeah, again, it's like I'm the we are all target audience of what um Omek does. So, it's just natural. I'm just thinking about, okay, what would maybe the younger me have liked to have access to?

[00:34:41]Um, how how what are like simple ways that can create a click in people and just help them navigate their identity and and and grow. Um, how can we help people connect with each other because we know that that's one of the um, challenges that we can have, especially in the Netherlands, in Europe, is like connecting as a diaspora. There is still, I think, a lot of obstacles, and OMEC is a lot about that. It's like bridging every like not necessarily everybody, but at least um, yeah, regrouping people around one idea and this by cultural uh, concept.

[00:35:24]And okay, now that we have that, how do we move forward? And it's Yeah, I'm really also interested in like philosophy, psychology, this kind of thing. So, I also put that into the mix when I I I give do my contributions to the community.

[00:35:44]And yeah, your contribution is so much appreciated.

[00:35:48]So much appreciated. And I think I know how to appreciate it from both sides.

[00:35:53]Like, I go to the event, it's set up well.

[00:35:56]I participate in the event, I enjoy the event, even I'm host, and all that stuff. But behind the scene, I know we work together and I know all that and then like, so yeah.

[00:36:07]Sophia, I'd love to hear, yeah, your perspective on on these three, you know, um, concepts, the belonging at OMEC, but contribution and benefiting from it.

[00:36:20]How [snorts] have you benefited from it?

[00:36:22]>> add also from what Sandra and then, um, said. And um, um So, arriving to a space where you have people that um that really see you, that recognize you, that you don't have to be in alert mode, that you don't have to justify or defend your existence or your bicultural or biculturality um makes it almost impossible for you not to truly be yourself in your full existence, right?

[00:37:01]To live in your full energy, right? And [snorts] that is reflected in the space, right? When people feel your full self and feel that safety also coming from you, they also reflect it back, right? And because you're not worried with justifying or defending your existence in the space, it's also super easy for you to be able to feel the others, right? And to understand that everybody comes in different moments in their life, right?

[00:37:35]Needing different things, also. And that you are, because it is a community and because it's natural for you, um you are able to read that and provide that naturally, right? Creating that safety and that belonging into to everybody, including to yourself, right?

[00:37:58]And um Yes, working behind the scenes, it doesn't feel like working.

[00:38:05]>> [laughter] >> Right? Because it we've it feels like we are a family.

[00:38:11]We're just conversating, just thinking about what we would like to feel.

[00:38:18]And because we share those experiences, it reflects in the way that we create the spaces and the the activities and the and the and the thought process behind it, right?

[00:38:33]I do like I'm glad you articulate because for me it's also the same, right? Like when we designing OMAC, we designing it for ourself.

[00:38:43]And that's the part that actually that's the competitive advantage that we have in the OMAC team, like when we creating an event, we creating it for ourself.

[00:38:53]Whatever we doing, we doing it for ourself. So when we come in this space, like Ben was saying, it's not like trying hard to make people feel welcome.

[00:39:02]We just act the way we want to act there and then people get that energy because that's the same energy they're looking for. And then it become a lot easier and then people start like, "Oh my god, what just happened?"

[00:39:14]Right? And so And then they feel like they are allowed also Exactly.

[00:39:18]>> to be their true selves. Yeah.

[00:39:21]And another thing also cuz I didn't touch on like the benefiting outside of organizing event, I think being part of the community and working with like so many talented people, like that's one of the things we do, right? We bring the thought leaders, these experts, these etc. People with super high-level knowledge but who look like me. So I can I know that there is this um basic understanding, like identity understanding that will make me receiving their knowledge way more impactful because I know we speak the same language.

[00:40:03]And being exposed to that has Yeah, I mean the the benefits of that is tremendous, like it's it's Yeah, enormous. So yeah, I forgot about that.

[00:40:13]Yeah, I just I just really want to touch on that because um her Sandra saying that reminded me of a conversation that I had with Kobe. Mhm.

[00:40:21]Um Shout out to Kobe.

[00:40:22]>> Shout out to Kobe. Shout out to >> [laughter] >> all the mentors. And all the the The OGs.

[00:40:27]>> high-level OGs who make time for everyone.

[00:40:31]Um cuz I remember I needed to have a conversation with Kobe one time and um he he told me, "Oh, I'm going to call you after dinner." I was like, "Cool."

[00:40:40]Okay, so I was waiting and I just kept waiting from this from like 8:00 p.m. I kept waiting. Uh usually I'm asleep by 10:00 p.m. cuz I wake up so early, right? Um but it was it was 11:30 p.m.

[00:40:51]and Kobe hasn't called and then he called me at 12:00 a.m. and I was like >> [laughter] >> I was like, "Man, just to still be on his mind at that time really just shows you what community is about, right? Like cuz nobody is trying to call other people at 12:00 a.m. Do you know what I mean? But because you give to the community you're on people's on top of people's minds. So, if you ask for something, they are there. There are so many directors and high-level professionals who've made time for me and this is just because I'm giving to the community. It's it's not because I'm more special than anyone. It's just because we're giving. Right? And so that's like super super important when you you think about community.

[00:41:39]But Kimo, we want to hear a little bit more about like you like because you started Oh, I see my problem.

[00:41:46]>> [laughter] >> You're always leading the conversations, but um yeah, cuz you started uh OMEC and and what what were you chasing when you started OMEC? What was your mindset and what were you hoping to achieve?

[00:42:06]That's a whole book. Yeah. Well, we've been waiting on this book.

[00:42:11]>> that >> [laughter] >> so long.

[00:42:14]That's why sometimes I should think before I say something. But anyway, what was I chasing?

[00:42:20]I mean, you all know like I I grew up in a community space. My parents and so I always say community is a part of my DNA. Like my parents build community when we were running around like Baba and baby running around right now.

[00:42:35]But all community things happening and so part for me that's the part of the DNA things happen.

[00:42:41]And so long story short, got on my journey to go to the US. Yeah, with this linear thinking I'm going to the US. I'm going to go to the best school, learn, you know, the best, have the best, you know, have the best education um best experience at work and then come back one day at home and then be sitting at the table with the IMF, World Bank and then you know, then they can't tell me anything. That's been my story why I I left Guinea.

[00:43:09]And so going in the US, I never had that kind of community. I never had that support system that I grew up around that I had that was a natural that was a normal.

[00:43:22]Right? And so I put my head down and have to work hard and then build everything from scratch. I never had a mentor. I never had like a Benny saying like having all these people in the community high level of successful and then that you can connect and I never had that. And so I have to learn everything by myself in the state and with this mindset of like my culture and then American culture clash and never had community. And so there was this essence but you put your head down, that resilience and then just go. I'm I have a dream. I have to make it happen. No question about it. Go.

[00:44:03]Long story short, made my way through the US and then everything.

[00:44:08]Build a huge network and community after 17 plus years living there and we packed our stuff and came to Germany. Mhm. And we had to start from scratch. Mhm. And there was no support system. And for me this time like after 17 years, I don't this I can't start from scratch again.

[00:44:25]This doesn't make any sense.

[00:44:27]Right?

[00:44:28]And then I come in there and then I start from scratch because what I do, like I'm a community builder. It's easy for me to connect with people and build my community.

[00:44:36]I built it there.

[00:44:39]But to add to that, in there I did my master in development and economics and international study and then through that I really this idea of OMAEC need to be built. And so when I started building, for me there was this need so like, why aren't people moving in places and start from scratch? There's so much energy that's wasted. Mhm.

[00:45:01]>> There's so much talent that's wasted.

[00:45:03]What if there's a community where you this place where you can come in, young Kimo going to the US with energy, with the drive, with passion. If I have someone guiding me, Mhm. it would have been so much easier, right?

[00:45:16]>> Mhm. And I could have directed my energy to the the dream that I came. And then Germany would have been the same thing.

[00:45:24]And so when I was building OMAEC, I had this in my mind.

[00:45:27]>> Mhm. Like the younger generation that's coming after because this is always going to keep repeating.

[00:45:32]>> Mhm. Right? And we're going to have a generation coming and coming and they don't have any guidance. There's so much waste of energy and so much waste of talent. And so I had this drive like let build a space, right? For the next generation that's coming to get guidance, to get that support.

[00:45:51]And and then really amplify their voice and they can like easily get to the dream and then maximum the put you know, maximize the potential. So that was always inside me like how do we the young Kimo that went to the US with that dream, how do you build this ecosystem for for him?

[00:46:07]Yeah, and so he can like really succeed faster and then so there was like that behind um the head um behind the mind.

[00:46:16]But also like they also the essence when I was building OMEC um when I the idea came in and then for us be even before the that young Kimo Mhm. for us now the Kimo right now, like how do you build the system the equal system for all of them to come also by cultural change maker to come together Mhm. and and then to build that sense of support system is place where we can empower each other. We can enjoy our bicultural identity. We can learn more about it. We can learn how to leverage it. We can learn how to harness it. So how do you build that kind of community globally?

[00:46:53]Not only in one place what person in France, in Germany, in the US, in China, you know, in Dominican Republic or in in Guinea can come together. That's the idea also because once we build that for ourselves we're creating a space where the young generation now can tap into that.

[00:47:13]>> Mhm. So that's the essence, that's the energy, that's the drive, that's the thing that I was chasing that community essence.

[00:47:22]Love it.

[00:47:22]>> That's very good. Yeah.

[00:47:24]Thank you. Absolutely.

[00:47:25]>> Mhm. Yeah, you didn't ask me how do I benefit from Yeah, how do you benefit actually?

[00:47:29]>> Thank you.

[00:47:29]>> [laughter] >> My man, I've been sitting here now.

[00:47:33]So all right, so how do I benefit from OMEC? It's so easy.

[00:47:38]Like for me I think you all talk about like I benefit from OMEC because before OMEC I didn't know any of you.

[00:47:47]After OMEC like you are all part of my family. Mhm. So we came here we didn't know anybody and now I have a families.

[00:47:54]I have a people that I literally call like brothers and sisters that I can rely on that I can support like anytime I need them. Mhm. And for me that's that's essence as a community builder that family concept is so important.

[00:48:10]Right? You have this support system. You have a people that you can rely on.

[00:48:14]But beyond that these people we all thinking about how do we contribute in this society? How do we make our community better? How do we move forward? How do we build a legacy? Legacy. Right? And so that sense of belonging, that sense of support, that sense of familiarity, that sense of contribution, that sense of impact that's how I benefit every single day from Omega. Yeah. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Mhm.

[00:48:40]Let's go.

[00:48:41]Let's go.

[00:48:43]All right.

[00:48:44]So this was amazing conversation.

[00:48:48]How do you all feel? Yeah. First ever Omega podcast episode.

[00:48:53]>> [cheering] >> We did it.

[00:48:55]All right. So what is the one word or maybe two words um you want to each of us want to close it out.

[00:49:02]Sandra, you go first.

[00:49:04]Um one word.

[00:49:07]>> have to be a word. It can be a sentence.

[00:49:09]>> just um I don't know. It's tough. It's tough. I would just want to say let's go. You know, let's go. It's a movement. It's a it's a thing. It's let's go. Let's build. Let's go. Let's go. Let's make it happen. Mhm. Ben. Yeah, I'd say find your people and when you find your people don't just think about what you can get from your people but think about what you can give or contribute to that community. I love it. Yeah.

[00:49:37]Sophia. Yes. Yes. I would agree with Ben also. Be an active member of the community cuz community is there is not waiting for things to happen to you.

[00:49:48]Is actively creating the options and the situations that can benefit you and the rest of the people.

[00:49:55]Okay, you hear it from here. Community is everything. Mhm. If you find a community that you think are your people, your tribe, figure out how you contribute to it.

[00:50:08]By contributing, then you benefit from it.

[00:50:11]And by doing so, you contribute on making the world a better place and creating that change that you want to see and building your own table. It is that simple. Join the community, find your community. Thank you. Thank you.

[00:50:23]>> Thank you. Let's go.

[00:50:25]We