Participant Testimonials: Erin's Story
“A lot of doors were opened to me, and more people paid attention…it’s been amazing.”
At the age of 21, Erin James had become disillusioned with the education system, dropped out of a college course and was in the early stages of exploring the possibilities of a creative career when a professional contact suggested she look into Lighthouse Young Creatives.
As a neurodivergent, mixed-heritage woman, Erin felt that the education system wasn’t designed to inspire or support her. “I think anyone can face barriers in education,” she says. “But I think when you add those ‘isms’ on top of that, it just made it very difficult for me. "It wasn't presented in a way that I could understand. The education system for me was like I was told how to pass exams and to know how to retain knowledge; and not actually to be interested in things I was learning. Education was a difficult time and I just knew I didn’t want to go to uni.”
Erin joined the Lighthouse Young Creatives 2019/20 programme, during which time she was mentored by Sarah Brownlow a member of the Lighthouse team and took part in poetry, rap, DJing, photography and videography sessions; as well as group exercises during which participants shared experiences of navigating the creative industry. For Erin, the most important element of the Lighthouse Young Creatives programme was the freedom to explore her interests: “It was the idea that there wasn't like a rigid programme, it was more like I had authority over what I wanted to do and they would support me, which felt really exciting. And I think being back in a sort of semi-educational space where it was actually engaging and I felt excited to learn.
“That was my first experience for me, of education being fun even though they weren't our teachers. It felt like a mentorship-based programme. It didn't feel like a hierarchy, it felt like there were people who are doing well in their careers, who were then passing down their knowledge and information.”
As a photographer, poet, writer, curator and graphic designer, Erin was interested in exploring how these skills could be combined: “Anything that we were interested in the mentors would accommodate to the best of their ability. One of the mentors introduced me to the idea of zines, which are like DIY mini magazines.” Erin went from never having heard of a zine before to creating one herself. Tough Cookie Mag is a mixed media publication that gives a platform to those marginalised and unheard to share their stories. It has now become one of the main focuses of her developing creative business: “my baby and a business for me and something I'll continue for the rest of my life.”
Since being a part of the Lighthouse Young Creatives programme, Erin’s Tough Cookie mag has gone from strength to strength, and in 2022 Erin became a Creative Leader with Brighton & Hove-based project LOOKOUT, which connects young people, artists, and businesses through creativity.
“To be honest, that really boosted my career after I worked with Lighthouse, and then launched my own business. A lot of doors were opened to me, and more people paid attention to Tough Cookie. I got a lot of features and opportunities - from radio presenting to DJing, to curating exhibitions, to the collaborations on my magazine, to doing photography. And just working with some big organizations. So yeah, it's been amazing. “I have such a passion for education now thanks to the work I'm doing.”
