Meet Valentine Nwenyi

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Valentine Nwenyi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Valentine , so happy to have you with us today. You are such a creative person, but have you ever had any sort of creativity block along the way? If so, can you talk to us about how you overcame or beat it?

Writers block in my opinion is the equivalent of starvation. At least to me, the desperation I feel to get food while starving is how I crave to beat a writers block. To overcome it is to not think, just do. I’ve beaten it a few times, and other times, it has beaten me, but it is always the victor who tells the story, hence my being here.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

It has always been my dream to play basketball professionally, and I continue to do that. I’ve always considered myself a journeyman, and that I am currently doing. But I think the best part in my opinion of being this professional that isn’t seen on TV is doing what professionals seen on TV do. I came up with an idea to go around the country to bond with as many basketball communities as I could through giving. Not giving necessarily because they’re in need, rather because they’ve earned it. Sneakers, that’s what I give, and the project is called a sneaker tour. I was successful with it in Ghana. I’m writing a new chapter here in the United States, and boy am I looking forward to what comes out of this.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Relentlessness, hunger and persistence. Without any of these I’ve had more than enough reasons to slow down or stop completely.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

No one goes far without a team. A team brought me this far, and a team will take me further. I desire people that will see the projects we handle, the basketball communities we reach as bigger than ourselves. I think it allows us to serve to the best of our abilities that way

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @82intl_waters