The curtain opened and this slim and beautiful lady stepped forward to the microphone. She introduced her self as, Ms. Thandiwe Ajdewa Newton of Zambia, Africa. Thandie, as she likes to be called, goes on to describe how she came to know herself and what she went through to discover the real her.
It was a heart-warming admission of guilt of a life style that included anxieties, shame and a lack of acceptance due to having a black mother from Zambia, Africa and white father from Cornwall, England. Thandie, suffered from bulimia and low self-esteem before she discovered a temporary relief in the performing arts.
It is rare to see someone of this magnitude truly open up and share their personal life of trials and tribulations. She single handily captured the audience emotionally and there trust never wavered. At that point Thandie became an inspiration for all that heard her confession. The truth will set you free.
As I embraced her words, I could not help but think that Thandie lacked branding. I know she is a human being, but she is now a star that is treated as a commodity for marketing and promotions. Her value as an actress was determined by the ticket sales of her last film.
However, she as a person could not relate to either side of her heritage. Her dilemma was which one to choose, so she embraced and branded herself with the term “Otherness”.
The idea of branding one’s self may sound peculiar but very necessary to continue down life’s path. Branding offers a peace of mind in knowing from where you came from and where you are going. Your brand is that certainty you can depend on.
No comments:
Post a Comment