Sofia Akel

YOOO I’m on this month’s @stylistmagazine cover recommending Hunter x Hunter for your next read! 🤯 Last year I got diagnosed with ADHD (to no ones surprise I’m sure lol) but it’s completely changed the way that I understand myself, and it’s served as a resource to better understand how my mind operates when it comes to work, rest and joy. As a professional nerd, I love reading but I do find it really hard at times to focus so I’ll often have better luck at getting through a book that has short chapters, bigger text and a pacy storyline. Earlier this year my friend Khulani introduced me to Hunter x Hunter anime, which we watched in Japanese with subtitles. The minute you look away, you’ll have missed a key part of the narrative. So it helped me retrain my brain to focus with reading whilst also being a 10/10 show that I fell in love with. Since then, I started buying the manga, which I’ve absolutely loved reading - either on my phone or with a physical copy. So this is your sign to get into it!! Manga and anime is for everyone and I’m just getting started on my journey - next up Jujutsu Kaisen ✨ Thank you @stylistmagazine for an unforgettable experience! What an honour to be recommending reads with such incredible writers, tastemakers and storytellers. Photography @sarahbrickphotography Photography Assistant:  @codie_nemorin_ Fashion: @harriet.davey Fashion Assistant: Jessica Sharp Nails: @kimgmacias @carolhayesmanagement MUA (Sofia): @anushasolanki   Photography Director @tomgormer Art Director @jessica_lockett Words and talent booking @meenalexander Head of Editorial @alixkwalker1

Walked my first red (blue) carpet last week 💙 Thank you @glamouruk and @kemstagramx for an unforgettable night 🥹 Hair: @charlottemensah Bag: @telfarglobal Dress: @clubllondon Shoes: @hm

A month ago I hit a major milestone that I never ever through possible for me, one that I’ve still not quite deeped - I was featured in @britishvogue as a Force for Change by my good sis @mireillecharper . I’m so grateful eternally grateful to everyone who has supported, collaborated and worked with me to get here today. At the beginning of each year I try to set an intention or a word that I want to encapsulate the year ahead or shape my mindset. But this year a word revealed itself to me well into the year and that is community. The love I’ve received from my peoples is healing me deeply. Thank you ❤️

SAVE THE DATE 25th - 26th July Five years of Free Books Festival! For ticket drops and updates, sign up to our newsletter: substack.com/@freebookscampaign Link in bio ⭐️ #freebookscampaign #freebooksfestival #freefestival #londonevent #communityevent

Back2school at @lcflondon_ today, moderating assessments, where the students will be presenting their cultural programming ideas - can’t wait to see what they’ve come up with 🥰

Meet our Heart Writers, Heart Workers facilitator @sofiaakel ❤️‍🩹 Finding ways to express ourselves is central to our healing and development, and we’re going back to the basics of putting pen to paper with this creative writing session. This event is a part of our year-long workshop series with @akanji.studio for people living with sickle cell, chronic pain and hidden illnesses. It’s free to attend and light refreshments will be provided - so go secure your ticket using the link in our bio. No prior experience is required, just an open heart, presence and willingness to try. 📍 17th May 3-7pm The Advocacy Academy, Brixton

@sofiaakel is an award-winning historian, creative consultant, writer, host and Associate Lecturer at UAL: London College of Fashion. She is also the founder of the @freebookscampaign , a non-profit organisation dedicated to making literature and storytelling accessible to all. We had a chat with Sofia about the inspiration behind the Free Books Campaign, her lifelong love of literature, the importance of accessible storytelling, and how reading continues to shape community and connection. LINK IN BIO for the full interview. 🔗 Image credit: Image 1: Sofia Akel. Image credit Francis Augusto Image 2-3: courtesy of Free Books Campaign #FLOLondon #FLOArts #SofiaAkel FreeBooksCampaign

In a reading slump? This one might be for you 📖⁠ ⁠ For this week's episode of Next Great Read, we caught up with the founder of Free Books Campaign, Sofia Akel (@sofiaakel ). From her love for historical fiction to books featuring strong women, here are Sofia's recommendations.⁠

BTS: @stylistmagazine cover shoot 😍 This day was so magical, one of those surreal ones where you’re like ‘yooo’ this is my life right now. Spent the morning on set and brought our lovely social media coordinator @luv3june along with me. We then headed to @lcflondon_ where I collected my staff pass as a newly minted Associate Lecturer and had lunch together. Thank you Jadyn for getting these memories on camera 📸

In another life I’d travel to world documenting street sports culture and play 📸

Day 2: on our second full day in Dakar, we visited @chezalphabooks and @raw.gram2011 , which was the most wonderful way to kick start our tour of arts and cultural spaces here in the city. Our day started at @chezalphabooks where we met Angela who came to Senegal from the US over 25 years ago. She started her library and bookshop out of her garage in Dakar and moved into a physical space sometime after. Chez Alpha is affectionately named after her son! They have a lovely lending library where people from across the city come and borrow books in English and French. We learned a lot about the culture of reading here in Senegal, the genres that her audience enjoy and barriers that exist. Thank you Angela for having us! Then we headed to @raw.gram2011 and met with the lovely @fbrsy @the_kerrydiaries @rimza21 - very excited to meet a Cisse (my Senegalese family name)! RAW is a centre for arts and knowledge with a great reference library and event spaces. Fatima generously helped us to connect with more organisations and groups out here, who we’re really excited to meet in the next few days! I first visited RAW last year thanks to @haja.fanta_ who showed me around and loved it, so was absolutely a must to go back. Thank you @resolvecollective for the connection too. If you’re in Dakar you must visit! I’m a little behind on daily updates, but more coming 💫

Moments 🇸🇳