There are some historical influences and social justice motifs in The Color Within I hope all readers can take away. I made efforts to interject various tropes and racial themes in certain areas to express a “what if” type angle when delivering particular characters and moments in the story. Ultimately, those that read the book should see deeper than those surface themes to get to the core of the tale. Aside from race, the book touches on the topics of humanity, trauma, judgment, compassion, and morality. When people reach the end of the book, I hope they will see and understand that the age-old egalitarian principle of equality remains true.
As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kam Lashley.
From the soils of South London, Kam developed a love for storytelling and writing when neither were prominent persuasions. Life pulled him in many directions from comic art, to game development and even more mundane professions such as currency trading but words and their infinite way of expression ultimately won the war. 7 years later, writing deludedly without assistance from pristine Ivy league halls, he honed the craft to present the world his debut novel The Color Within.
Kam is currently learning screenwriting and planning a Science Fiction novel he hopes can provide a new perspective on our little lives on Earth and what it means to dream.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
Growing up in South London was fairly rough, I come from a town called Peckham where there were copious amounts of egregious influences that tempted boys like me to dabble in harmful practices. Gang violence, drugs, dubious role models, lack of opportunity and all the other classic ingredients that make up a hood.
From young, like most of my peers, the large focus in life was navigating the environment the best we could with the lessons the sadder stories taught us and equal amounts of luck. There wasn’t much time to consider passions or things we liked as most of that energy was spent surviving for the most part. And the ephemeral moments we did have to consider these things, reading was far from the priority — we were too busy following trends and chasing girls to no end.
When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story about that?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a wonderful story about me reading a James Baldwin or Toni Morrison novel and having a literary awakening. Books were one of the furthest things from priority growing up and it wasn’t until I read The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead a few years ago that I started to see a means of making change through writing.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career? What lesson or take away did you learn from that?
When writing, mistakes are like the wind. Sometimes they are a light breeze that tries to take your hat before you quickly catch it and, other times, they are gale forced and blow everything from your desk. My biggest mistake was thinking I was good at the beginning. In this way, I’d say the most interesting mistake that’s occurred in my writing career thus far is the misconception there is about industry expectations. I strolled around believing I would be published in no time. In this sense, I also learned a lot about expectations. When I got my first beta reader, she politely brought me back down to Earth. I made mistakes like info-dumping and writing in different tenses…on the same page…in the same book! As I became more knowledgeable about writing, switching tenses in my novel was something I aimed to do eventually. It should only be reserved for those that have a well-rounded grasp of writing in each of the tenses before they can start to get fancy like N. K. Jemisin.
Can you describe how you aim to make a significant social impact with your book?
There are some historical influences and social justice motifs in The Color Within I hope all readers can take away. I made efforts to interject various tropes and racial themes in certain areas to express a “what if” type angle when delivering particular characters and moments in the story. Ultimately, those that read the book should see deeper than those surface themes to get to the core of the tale. Aside from race, the book touches on the topics of humanity, trauma, judgment, compassion, and morality. When people reach the end of the book, I hope they will see and understand that the age-old egalitarian principle of equality remains true.
Can you share with us the most interesting story that you shared in your book?
Man… That’s one tough question as I’d love to tell you them all! But there is one that sticks out above the rest. It is about a character named Old Blind Griff. I’ll avoid spoiling too many details as it is better experienced the first time reading it. Griff is a character with historical tangibility. He is an old man that managed to defy the limitations of the world he lived in and his own disabilities in order to carve a path for thousands of black folks during his day. He owns an enchanting establishment that is secluded from the known world — so keep it on the hush. The most interesting thing about this character and his story is that there is a lot of room for someone to ask, “Did this guy really exist?” Heck, sometimes I ask it. That, for me, is incredible.
What was the “aha moment” or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?
Prior to writing The Color Within, I was working on a New Adult Sci-fi Fantasy novel and had spent the better part of four years developing that work-in-progress with little room for anything else in my mind. Anything creative was geared towards that and that alone. In the summer of 2018, my laptop broke down halfway through the first draft of that novel. For about a week I had nothing to do, until a series of inspiration gave birth to The Color Within. It was the first time in four years of writing that I hadn’t thought about the Sci-fi Fantasy novel and I knew, sooner or later, that I’d have to drop it in order to write The Color Within. That intoxicating feeling of duty far outweighed my love for fantasy.
Without sharing specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
Several friends and family who have read the book have expressed how moving and relatable the story has been for them and that they took away a lot from even just a few chapters, so that is very warming. But there is one moment that stands out and it comes from the first person that finished my book. They cried, not just shed a tear, but wept for several minutes as they finished the last chapter. Then, the person they were with — who hadn’t even read the story yet — started crying simply from hearing the final chapter being read aloud. I think this will remain one of my favorite memories as a writer. That the journey they went on and the message they received could evoke such emotion is something I’ll never forget or take for granted.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
The communities in areas akin to mine could come together more on the front of real education, not merely academic teachings that we receive in schools. I think more book clubs, film clubs, and other engagement groups should exist that all ages can participate in.
Society is rather tricky to address as it is like trying to shovel snow in the Antarctic. You’re unlikely to get anywhere on your own and the only way to truly melt the ice is to turn up the sun. How do you do that? From a more idyllic and rose-tinted stance, society could do more to propel work and art of social justice in places with high visibility. We are starting to see it now with the likes of Amanda Gorman performing live electric poetry at the Inauguration and the Super Bowl. John Boyega, who’s from my hometown in the UK, defying expectations to stand up and fearlessly use his platform to denounce the racial injustice we endured during the protests last year and for so many years prior, despite the risks it imposed to his career. It’s all highly inspiring.
Politics, on the other hand, can be the lesser. Again, it is a knobby ball to catch which is why people throw it around so much. It is a topic that should be easy to understand but classist, political agendas tend to take the reins for the most part. This is historically recurrent. It would help if funding could be directed to better health care systems across the globe that are accessible to those in impoverished areas and education reform that is pertinent to real life as many of the things we deal with after leaving school are absent in our curriculums. Lastly, I’d want to continue to champion the improvement of literacy rates around the world.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
Good leadership is doing what needs to be done in service of a greater good. This includes making tough decisions where and when others are unable to. However, I believe great leadership is attributed to someone being able to see opportunity where others see obstacles. They have the ability to turn situations that seem strife-ridden by identifying its better components and change it into one laden with success. Still, it cannot be done alone. A great leader cultivates an environment of communication and trust with those they work with and doesn’t simply delegate tasks but just as effectively performs them. A great leader is not one above the people, but one of the people.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
Patience — For me, this is the most critical of all the things. I wish I had known how long this journey or any path to completion would be. In this digital age, we see people on social media achieving things by going viral or becoming memes. It can project a warped sense of time for people viewing it from the outside in. We want everything so quickly and immediately without realizing that the best things come to those who trust their own timing.
Consistency — You don’t have to be exceptional every day, just make sure every day you show up. It’s easy to be motivated, but difficult to be consistently motivated. A lot of this is dedication. For context, when I started writing I would love the days when inspiration streamed like a busted fire hydrant. I’d write all day. Then, the next day, the inspiration ran dry. I wouldn’t write at all and only want to create when I felt like it. If I had known earlier that some days, you’ll write 4000 words and other days you’ll write 400, at least that is 400 more than I would have compared to if I didn’t write at all. A writer should persist even in the absence of inspiration. There are many days we don’t feel like going to work but you get up and go anyway because we must. Although creating is fun, it is still work. You should treat it as such.
Belief — I’m a strong believer in manifestation but I wasn’t always this way inclined. I had to learn that what you believe you are, the thoughts you have about yourself, become your reality. It is the same as if you force yourself to smile when you’re down. You’ll feel happier because you smile when you’re happy. You must almost trick yourself into believing you are who you want to be long before anyone else sees it.
Hard Work — This is a little cliché, I know, but everyone says it because it’s true. The only way you’re going to achieve anything worthwhile in life is if you passionately embrace “grind culture” in your work habits — particularly with writing. Some will say work smart and not hard which is true. But, never think you’re too smart that hard work isn’t necessary.
Learn — Be committed to doing the research and learning everything you can. Almost no new knowledge is useless especially when it pertains to your writing and reading habits. Submerging yourself in all the information you can will simply make you more valuable and value is what people pay for — no matter the industry.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Everybody is self-made, but only the successful admit it.”
In some instances, people are dealt bad hands in life and circumstances make it nearly impossible for them to reach certain heights which is a terrible reality. For the most part, however, everyone is in control of what they do in life. Most complain they want things and yearn for change but are too busy watching the people that have already done it instead of adopting their habits to do the same. Everybody is self-made in that regard.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Easy. Barack Obama. I’m sure little explanation is needed. I feel like a mere 5 minutes with the man would enrich the way I look at life. My dad and I have this term we call, ‘The Obama Standard’ and it is a disposition in which one should carry themselves. Class, warmth, eloquence and a dapper suit to match those qualities. I know I’d remember it for the rest of my life.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
If I’m not roaming my mind, sipping some red wine, you can find me on Twitter and Instagram @kamlashley or on my website www.kamlashley.com.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About The Interviewer: Growing up in Canada, Edward Sylvan was an unlikely candidate to make a mark on the high-powered film industry based in Hollywood. But as CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc, (SEGI) Sylvan is among a select group of less than ten Black executives who have founded, own and control a publicly traded company. Now, deeply involved in the movie business, he is providing opportunities for people of color.
In 2020, he was appointed president of the Monaco International Film Festival, and was encouraged to take the festival in a new digital direction.
Raised in Toronto, he attended York University where he studied Economics and Political Science, then went to work in finance on Bay Street, (the city’s equivalent of Wall Street). After years of handling equities trading, film tax credits, options trading and mergers and acquisitions for the film, mining and technology industries, in 2008 he decided to reorient his career fully towards the entertainment business.
With the aim of helping Los Angeles filmmakers of color who were struggling to understand how to raise capital, Sylvan wanted to provide them with ways to finance their creative endeavors.
At Sycamore Entertainment he specializes in print and advertising financing, marketing, acquisition and worldwide distribution of quality feature-length motion pictures, and is concerned with acquiring, producing and promoting films about equality, diversity and other thought provoking subject matter which will also include nonviolent storytelling.
Also in 2020, Sylvan launched SEGI TV, a free OTT streaming network built on the pillars of equality, sustainability and community which is scheduled to reach 100 million U.S household televisions and 200 million mobile devices across Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV and others.
As Executive Producer he currently has several projects in production including The Trials of Eroy Brown, a story about the prison system and how it operated in Texas, based on the best-selling book, as well as a documentary called The Making of Roll Bounce, about the 2005 coming of age film which starred rapper Bow Wow and portrays roller skating culture in 1970’s Chicago.
He sits on the Board of Directors of Uplay Canada, (United Public Leadership Academy for Youth), which prepares youth to be citizen leaders and provides opportunities for Canadian high school basketball players to advance to Division 1 schools as well as the NBA.
A former competitive go kart racer with Checkered Flag Racing Ltd, he also enjoys traveling to exotic locales. Sylvan resides in Vancouver and has two adult daughters.
Sylvan has been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and has been seen on Fox Business News, CBS and NBC. Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc is headquartered in Seattle, with offices in Los Angeles and Vancouver.
Social Impact Authors: How & Why Kam Lashley Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.