TED Interview with Andy Amadi Okoroafor [TED Fellow, CLAM]

Big shout out to my good friend, Andy Amadi Okoroafor, founder of creative studio Clam, for his recent feature on TED, where he holds their prestigious Fellowship! Andy is one of my biggest inspirations not only because I share his love for creativity, but also because he is one of the hardest working visionaries that I know who can make work seemingly effortless and is an example of how success can be achieved by staying true to one's vision. One of his studio's projects, Clam Magazine that Andy had founded in Paris 11 years ago has provided a global platform for creatives from all-over the world, connecting people around a common thread. Clam is one of the most beautiful printed publications of its kind that combines warmth and realness with a high-end aesthetic & amazing art direction that had made it a true collector's item.


When people ask me who was the first to 'put me on', I always refer to him...my first press was an interview feature few years ago in Clam Magazine. To get that kind of backing from such amazing artist & publication played a huge role in inspiring me to share my art and was the biggest catalyst in my artistic growth. That was like the first yes, let's go! to me. I will always be grateful to him for that.  
  

Andy has been working in the fashion, music & design industry for years and has recently debuted his first feature film,  RELENTLESS which he produced and directed (check out more about the film here). Read his interview on TED about the connection between Clam and shortwave radio, his upcoming projects and his mission to make social entrepreneurs sexy.

"My advice for social entrepreneurs is to know that they are the most interesting thing happening in the world right now. They shouldn’t be buried in their computers, you know? They are changing the world; they should also live in the world they are changing.

Social entrepreneurs are the most remarkable people right now on any level, whether in music, art, business … for me they are the coolest thing. But I think there’s a reticence about expressing that you’re doing good. It’s hard to say “Hey, I’ve done this and that and I’m helping people build schools and hospitals.” What’s cooler than that? Designing a new collection, a sofa, a car, a hotel, becoming the new Banksy? Nah, nothing comes close!

The world has made social entrepreneurs seem unimportant, but this is actually what is important right now. This is what young people want to be into. Its just the gates seem closed … you think you can’t make out in that crowd. That’s why something like TED becomes so important. It’s cool to be a TED Fellow. Social entrepreneurs should blow their own horn a bit more." Read the whole interview here.