Who am I?
I work with all things visual - photography, videography, video editing - you name it. I have done work all over Ireland and beyond. As a young teenager, I started out in the journalism and film sector, building up an online presence with now over 40,000 followers across multiple social media by sharing news, stories, and memories from around my hometown using my self-made social media page. I also directed my own award-winning short documentaries.
In 2022 alone, I achieved 4,800,000 impressions on my social media.
Using my technical ability & social media skills, I had the pleasure of working with clients in the past, including businesses, charities, and individuals, helping them achieve their goals by creating visual content that increases conversion rates, generates leads, and attracts more attention.
Telling stories through visuals is my job, passion and hobby. It’s my whole world.
My Education
I first discovered my love for visuals at a very young age. I always thought it was so interesting to see how some content could have such a strong emotional connection with people. I was very interested in graphic design, doing my work experience in IPrint which is a Derry family-run state-of-the-art design studio and print factory.
I was also obsessed with technology in secondary school. When it came to my coursework, I was never so good at writing at the time (I am a visual learner) so I utilised my creative skills to go above and beyond, to create innovative PowerPoints, posters and all different types of graphics. They used to call me the ‘computer whiz’.
After secondary school, I started studying Creative Media Production (Film and TV) at North West Regional College and graduated at the top of my class with top grades (D*D*D*).
Throughout this experience, things never really got easier for me. I went through tragic family loss within an extremely short timeframe. I lost my mother, my mother’s partner and my grandmother within just a few months. My grandfather already previously died and I grew up without my father. I wasn’t even 18 at the time but yet I was on my own with no legal guardian or financial stability. Although these experiences made me hit my lowest point, I refused to let tragedy crush me.
I then started studying Cinematic Arts BSc (Hons) at Ulster University with a Royal Television Society Bursary Scholarship.
I used the bad experiences in my life to make me a mentally, socially, emotionally and physically stronger person.
My work
I am currently working for Mediahuis UK, where I create and drive visual content for the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life.
I also still keep active on my own social media pages. My pages allow me to inform the local community of breaking news stories and share untold stories that deserve greater attention.
Some notable documentary work - I released the short documentary ‘Impairment’ to bring attention to the recurrent problem of drink-driving in 2019. I released ‘Overcoming adversity as a community’ which showcases the unique sense of community in Derry and how we can pull together during times of crisis in 2020. After that, I focused on making documentaries in collaboration with local youth clubs and on community events. Now I am creating documentary-style videos in Mediahuis UK.
Check out my portfolio of work.
Bringing change within communities, keeping people informed of current events, supporting other people, changing attitudes and raising awareness of issues is really what it's all about for me.
Giving back to my community
For almost 3 years I was a volunteer with Headliners UK which is a charity that provides a voice for young people through its unique multi-media journalism programme. We provided a platform to enable and empower children and young people to share and amplify their voices, so they are heard.
I have my Millennium Volunteers 200-hour award through Headliners UK. This is an award of excellence and the highest accolade for 200 hours of commitment towards volunteering.
I was honoured with a high commendation in the NI Road Safety Awards for my efforts in promoting road safety awareness.
I have facilitated funded creative media projects in Studio 2 Derry. I regularly worked with, supported and engaged a very diverse group of young people to deliver projects. I also used the videos I made with young people to showcase the work of Studio 2 to MLA’s, charity funders and councillors to help get further funding.
I believe that it's so important to celebrate youth, diversity, community, shared spaces, safer communities and cultural expression.
I truly strive to place the creative arts at the heart of my life and serve the creative aspirations of my community to enrich the lives of everybody around me, particularly our young people.
My proudest accolade
In June 2021, I was nominated for the Diana Award. This award is the highest accolade a person can achieve for social action, diversity and humanitarianism.
Out of the 450 people that were nominated for the Diana Award in 2020 and 2021, only 20 people out of those nominations worldwide can achieve the Diana Legacy Award which is assessed by an external judging panel chaired by Lord Spencer.
In December 2021, I was proud to announce that I was one of those 20 people and the only one on the island of Ireland. To be recognised as someone who is worthy of being tied to Diana’s Legacy is really overwhelmingly exciting.
I met William, Prince of Wales at Kensington Palace to represent the people of my community, express the importance of the arts within my community and share a bit about my story.
I also joined 19 other changemakers for a week-long development programme that involved communication, stress management, goal setting, leadership development, networking, personal branding and media training.
Then in 2023/2024, I was on the Diana Legacy Awards judging panel to help choose the next 20 big award winners from across the world.
Check out my other accolades.
From where I was in life to where I am now is inspiring for me and it truly pushes me to do better every day, tell my story, help others and be a good example to others around me.
If you have an ambition - pursue it. Don’t talk yourself out of anything and remember, when we fail, we gain knowledge…. Take the chance, give it all you got and let nobody stop you or tell you that you can't do it. Own your confidence, embrace it and proclaim it.
