Somalia is a constant and active learner. A believer of learning by doing, Somalia learns best through hands-on experimentation in a stimulating environment. It is, therefore no surprise that when she learned of the opportunity to work alongside a Catalyst as a PLACE mentor for a summer of design-driven user-testing she jumped at the chance. Bringing her expertise in fashion and event management, Somalia was matched with Shakiba to support her project Ancestral: a brand that merges modern taste and ancestral designs from the ancient silk road. There was an instant connection between Somalia and Shakiba as they shared their passion for fashion, the revival of ancestral designs and desire for constant personal growth. 

Somalia met PLACE through the network of Les Halles Civiques,  where she worked as the Project Manager for event marketing and democratic innovation for Kawaa. However, during the craziness of fashion week you won’t find Somalia in the open spaces of Belleville – rather the catwalks of the bustling city centre where she works as a producer for the luxury brand Off-White

PLACE has a history of attracting rare and unique talent that is thirsty to learn in a new way. Just like the PLACE Catalysts, the active learners in PLACE’s programs, mentors,  like Somalia, are also accompanied by the PLACE team in their learning journey. Interested learning to be a mentor in the context of a thriving international community with a shared growth mindset? Contact sarah@place-network.org to sign up for our next “Become the Mentor You Want to Be” training session.