Art & Soul Searching w/ Veronica
Name: Veronica Odetunde
Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden
Ethnic Background: Thai & Nigerian
What was it like growing up Nigerian & Thai, in Sweden?
It was interesting, but also fun. Having two different cultures, I got to meet a lot of different kinds of people. Being able to see and understand the differences between them helped me learn to respect people for who they are and what they believe in. My parents never really agreed on things, but that actually shaped me to be open and to adapt quick.
What experiences have helped you to accept your identity?
Growing up, I was more connected to my Thai side, but I realized as I got older that I was the only one in my family that saw myself that way. Because I look black, I’m treated like a black person which made me more proud of being black and able to connect with the Black experience. Especially going to Gambia, New York and here in L.A., seeing people that look like me being proud and happy with who they are made me feel the same.
In Sweden, for black people, there was a lot of self-hate. Not like, “Oh, I hate being black”, but we had been taught we weren’t pretty, not as smart and we felt that so that came out in things wee said and did to each other and ourselves. I never had a black teacher until I moved to the US. Seeing a black cop or doctor, I had never seen that before so that empowered me when I came here in 2012.
What made you want to live in the U.S.?
Growing up in Sweden, I watched a lot of American shows like The OC, One Tree Hill, The Hills, Laguna Beach and I thought it looked pretty and nice and fun, honestly. And, my dad lived here when I was 12 and I remember liking it here then. Sweden has always felt small to me, I never felt like I could be myself. There’s an idea/culture in Sweden where you’re not supposed to be better than anyone else and it holds a lot of people back. I want to do more, I have dreams.
So, when I thought about going to a university, I knew I always wanted to go somewhere else. I got into a school in London and didn’t go because I wanted to be somewhere warm. So, I started out studying journalism at SMC and then switched to media/communications when I finished at CSUN.
Why did you choose to study media?
I chose journalism because I wanted to do something creative where I could write, but now it's starting to look like copywriting for me. I tried PR and don’t think its my thing, but I also like production, poetry and creative directing.
Tell me about Words by Weronica…
I started my page after I tried to launch my magazine called The Push. It was a lot of work to the point that I felt like I couldn’t do it, but a friend encouraged me to continue writing. So, I started thinking and ended up writing a lot and thought, “Oh yeah, this is kinda good.” I was taking my negative feelings and putting them in words and I remember thinking if I’m gonna be on social media. then I want to help myself or someone else. So, I thought let me start this platform, share some of my work, but I didn’t post it online until I went to Thailand for vacation. I remember posting it, taking it down, and then posting it again and being nervous until random followers reached out to me with support and love. It felt good to be honest about how I was feeling.
Tell me about the exhibition that you produced over the summer.
My exhibition "ARE YOU STRAIGHT. FAM?” happened this summer. I applied for a space on this long art wall provided by the government. I was planning to post poems, but saw that people could see it from the tram. Then, I decided to do photos instead. So prior, I invited black people in the area to come and eat and talk and wear their natural hair - have a hair talk and talk about racism, in general. That turned out well, the photos were posted, it was really nice and when I would go to the space to fix it up, people would say positive things. In a city, where it’s mostly white people, the wall stood out because you don’t really see black people represented.
What got you into photography/modeling?
I started modeling when I lived in L.A. I was interning at a showroom when my boss asked me if I wanted to model for an underwear company. I’ve always liked having photos taken of me, but it was after the shoot that I realized it wasn’t scary and that it came natural to me. So, last year actually a small Swedish agency contacted me and liked my pictures. They said they’d love to represent me which led to me doing my very first campaign with a brand I loved growing up called Monki which was shot in Morocco. I realized that this is the type of work I’d be interested in doing. Since then, I’ve done another job with the same brand and a smaller Swedish jewelry brand and shoots for fun with different photographers.
What are your feelings about the modeling industry’s response to curvy models?
I feel like there are a lot of brands using different types of models, but I would also say some brands will use curvy models for a campaign, but when you scroll other site it’s still the same thing. However, movements like Black Girl Magic and body positive campaigns - I love them.
What are your career/life goals?
My plan is to work for myself and write children books, that’s my biggest wish right now because obviously children are the future and I want to be apart of the change. I want them to be familiar with the fact that some families have two moms and that everyone can look and operate differently. I don’t want anyone to ever feel like they have to hide who they are; take up as much space as you want and need. I’ve also been planning to launch a website for my poetry, to sell prints and all that.
You mentioned normalizing families that have two moms. Do you feel like there’s adequate representation for queer identities?
My uncle is gay and my mom has a lot of friends that are trans. So, I grew up not thinking much of seeing a man with long hair and a dress. I didn’t think about it, that form of representation was close to me. But, outside of that, I didn’t see much in the media nor did I feel comfortable until recently. In Sweden, for people that were racialized (discriminated against), they told their stories and I could identify with them. But not seeing so much representation makes me feel like theres so much left for me to do. I don’t want my future children to grow up not knowing or asking offensive questions.
What are your thoughts on love and relationships?
We focus a lot on heteronormative relationships. People assume everyone wants relationships and make it seem like if you don’t have one that you should be pitied. We need to talk more about friendships and other kinds of relationships; instead of people asking me if I have a boyfriend, because I’m a woman, they can ask what kind of relationships I’m exploring. My relationships look the same as anything between two or more people.
What are your passions? What keeps you positive? What contributes to your light?
Outside of photography and modeling, I write to wind down. Music also is one of my biggest things. I love to be comfortable, love cozy setups, like alone time, like nature, flowers, like traveling - seeing new things; don’t like to feel like I’m stuck. I love food, like dancing and hiking. People who know me think I’m funny, goofy, childlike, ambitious, hardworking, empathetic and adventurous. My friends say that when I come it’s when things happen because I’m usually like okay let’s do it…I get the ball rolling.