We had the good fortune of connecting with JEPHTHA and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi JEPHTHA, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When considering starting my business, I was very wary of the fact that many of them do not make it past the 1, let alone 5 year mark. The more I thought things through, the more I realised that 100% of businesses dreamt up by insecure business people most definitely fail. So even though I had no disposable income myself and I didn’t know how profitable my seed of an idea might be, I decided that with courage and followthrough, there was no way I wouldn’t accomplish something I was proud of. On the other hand, I have developed an anticapitalist politic over the past few years, and I definitely struggled with the idea of entering the market– where profit comes first. I study NGOs in school and am an artist by nature, so the idea of creating things to get something back is not something I find purpose in. But I maintain that even though I will need to make money to stay afloat, as long as I can offer content and goods to people at all levels of accessibility, and as long as these goods and content are enriching to people’s lives, I remain aligned with my values. All in all, it is courage and conviction. Courage that I have the power to control my trajectory and move against history; conviction that my truth will ring true through all the obstacles I have to overcome to find success.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art is all about burning, from-the-heart passion. Everything I do as I continue to create in this world is for the sake of translating my perception into the physical– commentary on the things that matter to me. My experiences in my younger years taught me to fight my way into the resources I deserved access to, so I could find my way to peace. But over those years, I nearly lost myself to institutions that didn’t care for me. I think the last leg of my journey so far in getting to Los Angeles and studying at USC has been the environment where I learned to put my dreams first on my own terms. I’ve adopted the understanding that what is meant for me will come to me as long as I hold fast to the path I am carving, rather than the paths that already exist. I have learned that even as a civil servant, it is not selfish to be selfish, because you will have nothing to give if there is nothing left of you. So I have internalised what it means to slow down, rest, and accept help. I think it is because of this grace I am allowing myself that I have been able to pursue rapping, singing, producing, photography, modeling, poetry, and dance– all while bring student- without stagnating in any one area or running myself dry. Burnout has definitely come and gone, but the more patience I have with myself, the more I am actually able to flow in all my interests. The recent change of pace in my life is how I found my call to pioneer in the media industry and create my magazine. And this effort is not mine alone: it will always be easy because it is by my community and for my community– I’m simply just facilitating.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I’m still relatively new to LA, whenever my friends come out from New York I also take it as an opportunity to try something new– but I definitely have some tried and true experiences that I can’t get enough of. Of course, the beach is the number one thing on the list because back in my city the beaches are straight trash unless you head out in Long Island. Even still, nothing there comes close to a beautiful day in Hermosa. We would definitely also have to spend a day at Leimert Park, hit up the Art Walk, dance to some drummers, and grab a bite at Bamboo Ackee or Hot and Cool Cafe. This neighborhood has definitely been where I feel the most at home and a strong sense of authentic LA, which can be little hard to get coming here for USC. In a pre-pandemic world, there’d be a 90% chance we also have a concert on the docket– I can’t tell you how many dope nights out I’ve had at the Novo or the Roxy. We’d probably save this for one of the last days of their trip to save our poor legs, but one of the famous hikes is a must. I love that LA’s landscape is so diverse, and getting out and doing the Hollywood Sign hike is always pretty fun; I like to change up the route each time I go.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate this shoutout to my family, Prep for Prep, DAIS, T, Nicole, Ami, Alec, Sadiba, Abeer, Ayoni, and my team at PEWM.

Website: pewmmag.com

Instagram: @pewwwm

Twitter: @pewwwm

Image Credits
Olivia Edwards, Sadiba Hasan, Gbenga Komolafe, Moja Robinson, Seanna Latiff, Jephtha Prempeh

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