Sharmadean Reid on helping young, working-class, entrepreneurs do what they love
#15 – Sharmadean Reid
WAH, the psychedelic banner under which Sharmadean runs a number of creative projects — all aimed at celebrating independent women — started life as a hip hop fanzine in 2005. After gaining a cult following, Sharmadean, keen to create a space where the community could come together — like the vibrant barbershops that dot the neighbourhood — founded WAH nails salon in Dalston, East London. WAH is a celebration of creative women, more than an aesthetic, and Sharmadean is passionate that everyone gets a shot at doing what they love.
“Ten years from now I’d love to be a patron of the arts, helping support young people who want to achieve their dreams. I remember moving to London [from Wolverhampton], from a single-parent family, and I had no money, I could barely afford my rent, I definitely couldn’t afford a computer. So I would love to be able to help other working-class kids who have a dream, to achieve it. And I want to facilitate young women, single mums and the like, to make their own money.”
This is just a short excerpt from Huck’s Fiftieth Special, a collection of fifty personal stories from fifty inspiring lives.
Grab a copy now to read all fifty stories in full. Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss another issue.
You might like
Halloween in Brooklyn, photographed over 50 years
Spirits and soul — Larry Racioppo’s new book documents half a century of the October festivities in New York, while tracing the city’s ever-changing character.
Cruising on the West Side Piers, New York’s wild side
West Side Highway — In the late 20th century, the area was an if-you-know-you-know hotspot for the city’s gay scene. William Howell’s new photobook immortalises it.
Ahilya Bamroo is Gen Z India’s authentic ambassador
Reel relatable — The influencer turned actor speaks about trolls, beauty standards and youth activism.
What went down at Huck’s 20th birthday party
84 issues and counting — We took over east London’s Jaguar Shoes with friends old and new to celebrate two decades and our new issue, with Tony Bontana taking the decks for a special set.
Inside the Los Angeles scene kid revival
The Rawring ’20s — For the cover of Huck 84, photographer Alexis Gross and writer Anna Zanes meet the latest faces of scene, who are finding freedom to express themselves through its technicolour, unafraid aesthetic.
Introducing our new issue of Huck Magazine: It Starts With Us
Huck 84 — For our second 20th anniversary issue, we spotlight 20 people and groups providing the world with a hopeful future.
