An Inspired Chat with Seven Florence of Leeds, UK

Seven Florence shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Seven, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I wake up at about 4am and I meditate for an hour. Sometimes, all of my thoughts from the day prior don’t fully process overnight, so I spend sometime to let the calm of the day clear my headspace. The next 30 minutes is something to wake my mind up like exercising, a game, or looking at world news.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Derrick Florence II, but I usually go by Seven these days. I’ve spent most of my career as a digital media designer, esports professional, music artist, and filmmaker. I recently finished my second postgraduate degree with an MA in Youth Work & Community development while preparing to play American football for the Manchester Titans in 2026. Most of what I do revolves around informal education and social activism. I’m a Mental Health First Aider in England and I’ve played American football for 21 years while coaching for 9 and operating as a mental health specialist for 2.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I think there’s a part of me that is done with being overly forgiving for my own peace. I am much more in favor of justice and confrontation. I think the world could use more tough conversations and reflection on our past experiences. Rugged individualism has destabilized the fabric of society where we have never been more scattered when it comes to being on the same page. It’s time to come together even if it’s rough.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
2022. I think that was a really hard year for me because my world got bigger quicker than I could adjust to it. I think it caused me to mature much faster than my peers around the same age when it comes to deciding what to do in life and making long term preparations to begin making a difference in the grand scheme of the world.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Technology. I would love to do a Ted Talk on how we can mix old experiences and norms from Web 2.0 and those from Web 3.0 to create a much more inclusive and beneficial digital experience. I’ve decided to focus my attention on digital youth work in the UK and I’ve learned so much about the short and long term effects of integrating so many different digital strategies. I think we need to pump the breaks on artificial intelligence and spend some time getting to re-learn the technology from the ground up again. A good foundation is everything.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
How I got here in the first place or why I even decided to go through with it. I’m not sure if I entirely chose it, but it definitely chose me.

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