We recently connected with Raven Irabor and have shared our conversation below.

Raven, appreciate you joining us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

I want to say the most unexpected problem that I’ve faced in my journey is capital/finances — but I think most of us can agree that choosing a creative path, especially as someone whose identity is considered to be of a “marginalized” community, comes with financial hardship. It almost builds character if you will. In an era that pushes for the soft life, being a creative requires you to have a certain level of resiliency that can often feels anti-soft life.

However as I navigate my Saturn return, the problem that I am facing now is probably the most unexpected problem throughout my career and it’s the question, “what do I do next?” I’ve had a pretty solid career as a creative professional. I’ve moved up the corporate ladder earning a salary in the high 6-figures before the age of 30. I moved from NYC to Los Angeles. I’ve built an amazingly supportive network. I’ve invested in my own projects. I’ve had a somewhat seamless pivot from the media/advertising industry as a Producer to the art industry as a Curator. But now after losing my high earning job due to the industry layoffs in the midst of my Saturn return, I am in a weird state trying to figure out what is next for me. It’s a strangely exciting place to be, and I understand my privilege in being able to find excitement in this. The problem is adjusting to this new identity. I’ve always been a very planned person that had specific goals and knew exactly what I wanted, while still allowing God to have his hand over my life.

If you don’t know what a Saturn return is Harper’s Bazaar sums it up quite nicely, “A classic sign of your Saturn Return is being met with the feeling that you’re no longer who you once were, but you aren’t quite sure of who you are yet, either. Within this there can be a feeling of being lost, or a lack of purpose, which can be incredibly painful….The good news is that after your Saturn Return, you can expect to inherit a new sense of identity based on truth and meaning, After all, that’s Saturn’s goal: to steer you towards your purpose, which might go against everything you thought you knew.”

As a creative who has worked in the corporate sector, I am used to being extremely busy. Society has molded us to value productivity and labor. This Saturn return is forcing me to get back to my roots, literally. It is forcing me to slow down, think, re-align, and invest in myself. This work feels like a consistent battle of external noise telling me to “find a job” and “be productive” and the inside voices telling me “be still” and “realign with your desires.” My brain is constantly thinking about “am I living up to my potential?” “am I focusing on what’s important?” “what is important to me?” “how do I measure success?” “what does my work mean to me?” These thoughts, while I’m excited to find out the answer along this journey, presents a lot of internal problems that I just did not expect to have at this time.

I have absolutely no idea where this journey is taking me. I am in this liminal space evolving from who I once was and leaning closer into my future self. This time has led to significant changes in my life from dealing with heartbreak to unemployment to a physical upheaval. I wish I had the answers so that things at least made a bit more sense, but I am trying to surrender to this process and meet this new Raven, whoever she is <3.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Raven Irabor. I am a Trinidadian-Nigerian American Pan-African image maker, model, and curator based between New York City and Los Angeles. With 10 years working in the media, fashion, and advertising industries as a Producer, my personal work is informed by my passion for culture, community, fashion, and art. My work spans across branded content, digital series, commercial, editorial, e-commerce, multi platform campaigns, cultural programming, and social where I’ve led projects as a Producer, Director, and a Creative Director. As a Pan African image maker, my creative vision draws richly from the vast tapestry of cultures, customs, costumes, communities, and creativity found within the African Diaspora.

Recently, I curated my first exhibition titled, “Last Night I Cried….Unveiling Liminal Spaces” at Gallery 90220. Gallery 90220 is a Black-owned gallery in Los Angeles. “Last Night I Cried… Unveiling Liminal Spaces” invites viewers to navigate the emotional depths of heartbreak, transition, and the unavoidable passage of time. At its core, the exhibition seeks to be a sanctuary for women who have experienced the tumultuous feeling of heartbreak. The curated experience aims to foster a sense of community healing, challenging the notion that healing should occur in isolation. By encouraging the sharing of stories and experiences, the exhibition becomes a communal space, acknowledging the profound healing that arises from collective vulnerability. Because community is so integral in my creative practice, I partnered with She Recovers, a non-profit focused on self recovery and mental health for women, where almost 50% of the proceeds from the exhibition was donated to their organization.

I’m currently in post-production of my short film, “She Island.” With “She Island,” my mission is to illuminate the richness of Caribbean womanhood and the vastness of Caribbean storytelling. Inspired by personal experiences and cultural traditions, the film delves into the multifaceted portrayal of Caribbean women as guardians of tradition, spirituality, and community, echoing the sentiment of esteemed Trinidadian artist Christopher Cozier: “The Caribbean is not known for pyramids, domes, or towers, but we have our people, their particular stories as defined by their language, gestures, and vision.” We’ve raised almost $16,000 in crowdfunding, received 2 grants by notable organizations, and I’ve self-funded almost $30k into this film. As we continue into post-production and eventually the festival circuit, I am hoping that we garner additional support from our community to rally around the importance of supporting indie films and Caribbean stories. We’re currently looking for additional financial support to help us get to the finish line. This support will cover: post-production, marketing, merch, festival submissions, and screenings. If you’re interested in supporting us, feel free to contact me!

I am also the founder of RAE Studios. RAE Studios is an emerging creative studio deeply rooted in the power of intentional creativity & community building. We are a community of culturally engaged multi-hyphenate creatives working at the vibrant intersection of art, social equity, media, and culture. As professionals of color, we consistently seek opportunities to honor our narratives, along with those that prelude them. The myriad of experiences from art curation to production to cultural programming to creative strategy unites us in our aspiration to honor past work of those before us, in order to build a better future through culturally driven and visually impactful executions. You can see more of our services below:
– Full Service Production
– Creative Direction
– Content Strategy
– Art Curation
– Deck/Treatment Design
– Cultural Programming
– Creative Consulting

Website:
www.ravenirabor.com
www.ravenirabor.com/rae-studios

Instagram:
www.instagram.com/ravencherisse
www.instagram.com/raestudios_
www.instagram.com/sheisland_film

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I believe creating a film is one of the most resilient things you can do. My film, “She Island” has (unwillingly!) thought me lessons of resilience. While film is a collaborative medium, you’ll quickly learn that no one cares about your film as much as you do so it is up to YOU to make your film a success. Everything from having to raise $16,000 a month before production to having to find a new editor after my original editor dropped out within the first month of post production to pushing back the timeline of the films completion by over 7 months.

As the leader of this team, I’ve often had to make hard gut-wrenching decisions for the betterment of the film. There’s consistently ups and downs with this film and sometimes it feels like I want it to be over, but this is where resiliency comes in. I have had to push those emotions aside to find creative solutions to these problems, because these problems will arise. Nothing in filmmaking comes easy even IF you have a multimillion dollar production.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I knew that value of applying to programs and grants earlier on. This year I went to a Pan African Film & Arts Festival in Los Angeles and one of the panels mentioned that in order for you to get noticed as a filmmaker, you need to be in festivals and programs. This is because the decision makers and the budget holders are constantly looking for who is next and the people who are considered next are those who are in the festivals and programs.

Now, that I’ve built a solid portfolio I am focused on applying to programs more than ever before!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ravenirabor.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravencherisse
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravenirabor

Image Credits

Headshot of Me: Thalía Henao
Image 1: Imraan Christia
Image 2: Giovanni Solis
Image 3: Olajùwon Scott
Image 4: Katherine Pekala
Image 5 & 6: Amari Dixon
Image 7: Guru
Image 8: Sasha Stavila