Sophia A Jackson, founder and editor of Afridiziak Theatre news

Sophia A Jackson is a communications professional with extensive experience in journalism including editing printed publications, events management and has now branched out into the field of PR/marketing with an emphasis on online communications.

She is the founder and editor of Afridiziak Theatre news – a website, celebrating African-Caribbean theatre: www.afridiziak.com. Since the site was launched in September 2008, she has enjoyed spreading the word on all the latest news, reviews and interviews in the world of theatre from an African-Caribbean perspective through the site and monthly newsletter.

Since November 2009 Afridiziak Theatre News has been the sponsor for the arts category of the annual Black Youth Achievement Awards.

In October 2010 the founder of Afridiziak Theatre News, the UK's only website dedicated to African-Caribbean theatre was featured in the historic 2010 Black 100+ photographic exhibition of black achievers in modern Britain. www.black100plus.co.uk

Also as a result of launching Afridiziak Theatre News, Sophia was been featured in various publications and been asked to speak at the Royal Shakespeare Company on her experiences as a journalist and the Treading the Boards initiative for young people at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre.

During 2009 she was a regular theatre pundit on Colourful Radio.

In August 2009, Sophia became a co-founder and editor of Lime magazine: www.comelime.com, London's leadingly multicultural listings guide. The monthly, printed publication has been going from strength to strength with each issue. It was launched with two other former employees of New Nation, Dean Serieux and Michelle Adabra.

Sophia has been described as cultural commentator and in June 2010 hosted a q&a with Baff Akoto, director of Football Fables at Stratford Picturehouse (www.footballfables.co.uk).

In January 2009, she was asked to become editor of www.bfmmedia.com – a website dedicated to black film news and activities. This is a return to bfm having previously been the bfm festival coordinator, sub-editor and entertainment editor of the bfm magazine and a volunteer for many years at the festival.

In 2003, Sophia made one of her best life-decisions to date. She went to the University of Westminster to study for her masters in journalism studies. Here she was able to turn her dreams into reality by learning the tricks of the journalism trade. The course was the stepping stone to a wealth of opportunities. Through work-experience she started writing for Blink and was able to interview inspirational members of the black community for this black news website.

Sophia has been the editor of the annual Screen Nation Awards magazine three times (www.screennation.co.uk), and written for www.thesituation.co.uk, Images of Black Women Film Festival brochure, Live Listings and Pride magazine, too. She was also the listings editor for New Nation from 2008 – 2009.

From 2008 to 2010 Sophia worked on the annual You're Beautiful, Woman event as the stalls manager: www.yourebeautifulwoman.com. Lime magazine were a media partner and she also led on the You're Beautiful, Woman documentary.

In 2009, Sophia was responsible for the successful PR/media campaign for Angie Le Mar's groundbreaking play, Do You Know Where Your Daughter Is? She was also visited Sierra Leone as part as her work as the communications manager for TEBBS SC: www.tebbsc.com – an organisation which collects and distributes stationery to disadvantaged school children around the world.

Latest news: In December 2010, she launched Afridiziak Gifts and Occasions with her cousin Deanne Rowe - a company celebrating African-Caribbean inspired cultural gifts: www.afridiziak.com/ago. The orgranisation held the inaugural Afridiziak Gifts and Occasions Christmas shopping extravaganza at Oval House Theatre on December 4, 2010. The second Christmas shopping event will be held in December 2011.

Connect with Sophia A Jackson:

email: sophia@afridiziak.com
call: 07855 86 77 78
twitter: www.twitter.com/afridiziak
facebook: www.facebook.com/afridiziak
Web: www.afridiziak.com


Last updated: June, 2011