Unpacking Zama Khumalo- Blogger, Culture Curator, Digital Marketer, Plus Size Model and All In All- A woman of many hats.
According to her a Culture curator is someone who who keeps tabs with what’s happening in a specific culture and her niche is the creative and/or entertainment industry.
The creative writing industry is quite extensive and is filled with different creatives from different walks of life. Asked about her X factor that distinguishes her work, she answered;
The one thing that I would say that sets me apart from other bloggers is the avenues that I go through, meaning the guests that I have on my platform. That definitely sets me apart because these are individuals that are making a difference within the culture whether it is within their work or the individuals themselves; I make it a point to put a spotlight to their relevance and the value they add towards others.
According to Zama, the creation of her platform (iTheku Connect) was inspired by the fact that she saw that creatives weren’t getting the credit that they deserve, and have been sidelined for quite some time and I felt that it was imperative to give them the recognition they deserve.
She says the platform started in 2020, right in the middle of the Covid pandemic and it was the perfect opportunity to let them voice out their stories and let people know who they really are and what they are about.
Asked about her greatest accomplishment thus far she said;
“My greatest accomplishment thus far has to be being nominated for “Storyteller of the Year” for the Women In Marketing (WIM) awards, a huge honour that I do not take lightly. The prestigious international platform honours women in the Marketing and PR field that have done well in their respective industry and for me to be nominated amongst such great women from massive corporations shows that my journey is not by mistake, in fact I am walking in the right direction.”
The writing industry can be very daunting at times and creative slowdown or writers block is often not a foreign concept to a writer. According her, she tackles this by coming down to earth and connecting with nature.
“Blockage definitely does happen quite a lot to me especially since I am a person that is an overthinker. Connecting with nature helps me out immensely, be it going to the beach or just taking a walk around my home barefoot – it definitely stimulates my mind.
She continued…
Within the content that I wanted to give to my audience, I wanted to give them something fresh and I researched (through speaking to people and actual research on the internet) on how to make an impact on your audience, the answer was clear as day – just formalise the information that you have and put it in a way that your audience will enjoy. In my case, pick creatives that are making a difference in their respective lane and show your audience the value they add. Inspiration comes in all forms, it’s up to you how and when you choose to use it!”
She says our society hasn’t really given a voice to the creatives to express their journey and they are often looked down upon, even though their work actually gives a heartbeat and vibrancy to the society.
Her platform is her own way of playing a role in ensuring that she doesn’t only document their journey but show what is transpiring within the creative culture.
Asked about the people she looks up to within the creative and digital marketing industry, Zama says she looks up to people like The Voice of Marketing “Lebo Lion”, Nunu Ntshingila-Njeke, Mashudu Modau, Mzamo Masito, Lebo Mashile and Oprah Winfrey.
According to her each of these individuals have created a path to show us that it is possible and how they have thrived immensely in the digital era and how essential it is to be authentic in story telling because they have their own way of speaking their truth.
Asked about where she sees herself in a space of 5-6 years down the line, She confidently answered;
“Even less than that to be quite frank, I see myself as being a catalyst of change in the line of work that I am in. Being able to shift narratives to create actual change in society. I am working towards having my own media empire and a few documentaries documenting the creative culture.”
To see her work, visit the following accounts;
Zama Khumalo:
Facebook – Zama Khumalo
Instagram - @makhumzy
Itheku Connect:
Facebook – Itheku Connect
Twitter - @ithekuconnect1
Instagram - @ithekuconnect
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