ENGLISH EPISODE

TRIGGER WARNING* episode contains mention of suicide. 

It was a very dear experience for me to welcome Mona Mohammed Ali, founder of Scandinavia's first model agency for Black, Indigenous, and people of color, to join me in The Female Effect. 

In our conversation we delve into her journey from growing up in Scandinavia as a Somali refugee to uncovering her passion within fashion, how she shaped her true identity in her 11 years in London, and ultimately launching her business from her aunt's couch in Stockholm.

Mona shares personal reflections on her own experiences with racism and bullying, navigating mental health and identity as a young Muslim girl, and her upbringing in a bustling household of 12 children—siblings and cousins alike—all lovingly raised by a single woman: her aunt. 

Mona is the woman behind FIIRI, a model and talents agency created to represent minorities, and in our conversation Mona addresses the complexities and challenges that specifically black and brown people meet in the creative world, rooted in her own experiences as a black model. 

We talk about the importance of community, and why representation in media and fashion starts with educating the team behind the scene to foster more inclusive practices. 

We also visit her experience as the first Condé Nast Diversity and Inclusion Editor with VOGUE Scandinavia, and how she perceives herself as a people collector - by acknowledging all the many talents of the people around her and lifting others up. 

Mona’s lighthearted and warm aura shines through wonderfully in the conversation, and I hope you enjoy our conversation, and that it brings you just as much value as it did for me.

xx Julie 

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Mona passes on the goodwill to:

- British-Jamaican entrepreneur and businesswoman Sharmadean Reid MBE founder of Beautystack

- Emma Grede, entrepreneur and fashion designer behind denim company Good American and Skims.

- Writer and spoken-words poet Charlotte Manning. 

A life hack you swear by: Have at least an hour of time just for yourself in the morning

A life lesson that has been life-changing / A saying to live by: “Treat others the way you wanna be treated and lead by example” 

A book that has left a particular mark on you: "The Alchemist" by Paulo Cuelho

Your Go-to Podcast: “The Diary of a CEO” by Steven Bartlett & “Where should we begin?” by Esther Perell & “Modern Love Podcast” by The New York Times 

Keep up with Mona & FIIRI Agency:

Instagram: @monamali_ & @fiiriagency

Website: www.fiiri.agency 

Keep up with The Female Effect:

📸 Instagram: @thefemaleeffect_

🚀 TikTok: @thefemaleeffect

🌍 Linkedin: @The Female Effect

Image: Stephanie Geddes

Artwork: Birgit Käsper

Jingle // Sounddesign: Søren Haahr

--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/julie-lou/message

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