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Double-tapping as an IBI volunteer

...either now or in the future.

👋🏾 Dario!

First off — big, big congrats on the NY Port Authority approval for “Space 001” aka IBI Oculus. 🎉

From some of challenges you shared, especially in this past Sunday’s IBI sermon with Shani and Joseph of The Black School, and other avenues, it’s a hard thing on many levels, so kudos to the team and you!

Similar to how you were moved to reach out to Adam Saleh, consider this me double tapping on your constant call and formal invitation to join the IBI universe by offering myself in anyway there’s a need and mutual fit. I’m happy to get to know you a bit more, hear about what you're working on / IBI needs and see how I may be of service —

email⁠

A little about me:

As a life philosophy, I subscribe to the idea of planting trees you may never feel the shade of or eat the fruit.

Currently, I primarily work with and support teams at a startup building the tools for future of productivity. Such tools empower people who wouldn’t consider themselves engineers, build solutions that power

The Spheres in Vegas or run Coldplay and The Weeknd’s tours flawlessly⁠

I’ve similarly double-tapped in as a volunteer, working alongside other transdisciplinary folks to agitate for a

Pan-African tech conference⁠

and built on that momentum to a

$100 M investment to open engineering centres on the continent⁠

. Or designed a nationwide #SportsTech

experience⁠

for high school kids. Or been cast and crew in

personal⁠

and

professional⁠

(spoiler: we designed corporate training to be engaging) creative projects. And many more.

The through line in all these experiences has been continuing to trust my gut, follow my curiosity, support friends, and folks willing to take a bet with their yes, along with lots of “oh, s***!” moments. All of which have been useful as I work on sounding like and expanding into myself.

Truly, many thanks again for this living conversation we now have with black imagination. As you brought back the offering of design being predictive, the motivation to send this note is the very manifestation of that.

I moved October 1st from Seattle to the NYC area and the week of April 15 was such a treat! Starting with Sunday’s IBI sermon with my Nigerian brother Olalekan Jeyifous, then your yet-to-be-titled talk Thursday at Parsons, and finally the dessert of Es and you at Cooper that Friday. As a bonus, I managed to get within 12 feet — word to Chester Higgins, of “Space 001” and then some. 😉

All of this tipped me over the edge to send this note. If nothing else to say many thanks indeed and affirm there’s something bigger powering this deep ancestral work, the team and you are shepherding along. Wishing IBI, your various endeavours and you continue to bloom, cheers! 🌸

— Ayuba

p.s. → I love the photo each update about “Space 001” comes with in the newsletter, feels like the visual story of the entire journey.

⁠

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