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Lola Akinmade Åkerström

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Lola Akinmade Åkerström
Occupations
  • Photographer
  • Travel writer

Lola Akinmade Åkerström is a Nigerian photographer, speaker, travel storyteller and an international author whose books are published in 18 languages.[1] She is based in Stockholm, Sweden.[2] Her work focuses on culture, tradition, and lifestyle.[1]

She is a Hasselblad Heroine and 2018 Bill Muster Travel Photographer of the Year.[3] In January 2024 her novel, Everything is Not Enough, earned a nomination in the Outstanding Literary Work at the NAACP Awards.[4]

Early life and education

She started her early life in Lagos state in southwest Nigeria, where she completed her early schooling before relocating to the United States at the age of 15.[5] She studied Geography Information System (GIS) and holds a masters degree in information systems at the University of Maryland.[6][7] At the age of 19, she gained admission to the University of Oxford in England but failed to pursue it because of funding issues. In 2006, Åkerström relocated to Sweden with her husband.[5]

Career

Her work focuses on culture, tradition, and lifestyle.[1] Åkerström started her career as a field journalist at Eco-Challenge.[8] She worked for 12 years as a GIS developer before becoming a professional photographer. Between 2006 and 2007, she joined Matador Network and worked as an editor.[6] In October 2009 she resigned her appointment at the GIS world to pursue her passion.[6] In June 2011, Åkerström contested in a pre-selection program organised by Quark Expeditions to pick a writer that will be traveling to the North Pole for the project of documenting its ecosystem.[9] In 2012 she participated in the expedition race in Fiji, where she started the combination of her traveling, photography and writing skills.[10] In 2016, she visited the Italian Unesco World Heritage Sites of Sabbioneta and Mantua for exploration.[2]

She has dispatched from more than 70 countries and her work has appeared in publications, online and in print, including National Geographic Traveler, BBC, and CNN, The New York Times, The Guardian, Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Vogue, BBC World Service, National Geographic Traveler, Travel Channel's World Hum, San Francisco Chronicle, Forbes Traveler, Sherman's Travel, Fodors.com, ISLANDS Magazine, United's Hemispheres, AFAR, Guardian UK's Been There, Smithsonian.com, City Magazine, The Away Network, Transitions Abroad, and The Matador Network.[1][non-primary source needed] [11][12] She has collaborated with brands such as Dove, Mercedes Benz, Intrepid Travel, Electrolux, and National Geographic Channel.[13]

Her photography is in the National Geographic Image Collection and she is a member of Women Photograph and Wonderful Machine. She was recognized as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) in Media & Culture, and she runs her own online academy, Geotraveler Media Academy, dedicated to storytelling.[1]

She is the current editor-in-chief for Slow Travel Stockholm.[14][non-primary source needed]

Awards

[15][non-primary source needed]

Year Class Category Awarding body Work
2017 First place Category 7: History SATW Enchanting Odense
2017 First place Category 5: Sport or Adventure SATW Northern Lights
2017 First place Category 4: Food and Wine SATW From Sea to Table
2017 Second place Category 1: Single Destination SATW Stockholm
2017 First place Category 1: Single Destination SATW Lagos
2016 Honorable Mention Best in Travel Writing Solas Terracotta
2015 Gold Category 127: 50+ Travel NATJA "The New Age of Adventure," Women's Adventure Magazine
2015 Silver Category 125: Personality and Profiles NATJA The New Age of Adventure
2014 Bronze Category 140: Local Lifestyle NATJA "The Silence of the Swedes," Roads & Kingdoms/Slate
2014 Bronze Best in Travel Writing Solas Travel & Shopping – Fake Birds
2013 Silver Category 193: Travel Tips & Advice NATJA "5 Ways to Get More Mileage From Smart Phone Photos," Mashable
2013 Silver Category 140: Local Lifestyle NATJA "The Silence of the Swedes," Roads & Kingdoms/Slate
2013 Silver Category 172: Landscape, Seascape NATJA "10 Tips for Photographing Northern Lights," Fodor's
2013 Finalist Category 125: Personality and Profiles NATJA "Insight-Ice Hotel/Arne Bergh," Qatar Airways Oryx Inflight Magazine
2013 Finalist Category 149: Culinary Travel NATJA "Navigating Gothenburg’s Culinary Scene," BBC Travel
2013 Gold Award Best in Travel Writing Solas Culture and Ideas – Decoding Lagom (Sweden)
2013 Regional Award Winner: Africa The Hot Mommas Project Press Release
2012 Bronze Category 173: Portrait, People NATJA "Through the Lens: Kwazulu-natal, South Africa,” National Geographic Channel
2012 Silver Category 149: Culinary Travel NATJA "10 Things to Know About Sweden’s Food Culture," Sweden.se
2012 Finalist Category 132: Eco, Environmental or Special Purpose Travel NATJA "Stockholm’s Green Groove," Thai Airways’ Sawasdee In-Flight Magazine
2012 Silver Category 176: Photo Essay NATJA "The Spirit of Lapland," Wild Junket
2012 Silver Best in Travel Writing Solas Travel and Food – Meat My Love (Global)
2011 Gold Category 145: Personality and Profiles (Internet) NATJA "Slow Food From Sápmi" – Sweden.se
2011 Gold Category 149: Culinary Travel (Internet) NATJA "Revamping classic Irish tea at Dublin’s Merrion Hotel" – Matador Network
2011 Silver Best in Travel Writing Solas Travel and Food – Sweet Pillows (Portugal)
2011 Judges’ Vote Black Weblog Awards Best International Blog – Geotraveler's Niche
2011 Silver (Group Award) Lowell Thomas Award Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) Online Travel Journalism Site-Matador Network
2010 Silver Category 140: Local Lifestyle (Internet) NATJA Back to Sender" – Matador Network
2010 Bronze Award Category 120: Local Lifestyle (Print) NATJA "Röckåbilly" – Hemispheres
2010 Silver (Group Award) Lowell Thomas Award Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) Online Travel Journalism Site – Matador Network
2010 Gold Award Best in Travel Writing NATJA Travel and Shopping – Walkway to Nowhere (Nigeria)
2009 Bronze Award Best in Travel Writing NATJA Travel and Shopping – Market Hopping Around Lagos (Nigeria)
2008 Runner-up Winner Narrative Travel Writing Contest NATJA Transitions Abroad – Market Hopping Around Lagos (Nigeria)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Lola Akinmade Åkerström – IWMF". www.iwmf.org. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  2. ^ a b Bastock, Louise (2016-05-06). "Meet a traveller: Lola Akinmade Åkerström, travel writer and photographer". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  3. ^ "Lola Akinmade Åkerström". www.hasselblad.com. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  4. ^ "Davido, Tems, Burna Boy, Asake, Pick Up NAACP Image Awards Nominations - Afrocritik". 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  5. ^ a b "Lola Akinmade Åkerström: The GeoTraveler Who Finally Found Her Niche". Career. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Awomodu, Gbenga. "Proudly African, In Love With Scandinavia & Exploring the World: Time Out with Lola Akinmade, Award-Winning Travel Writer & Photographer". BellaNaija. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  7. ^ "Lola Akinmade Akerstrom". The Advice Project. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  8. ^ Nellie Huang. "travel writing corner interview lola akinmade". wildjunk. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  9. ^ staff. "Join Lola Akinmade to explore the North Pole". Nigeria Abroad magazine. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  10. ^ "interview Lola Akinmade Akestrom". jetting around. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  11. ^ "Stop! This is what lagom truly means". 2017-06-30. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  12. ^ Awomodu, Gbenga (2011-04-01). "Proudly African, In Love With Scandinavia & Exploring the World: Time Out with Lola Akinmade, Award-Winning Travel Writer & Photographer". BellaNaija. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  13. ^ creative, efelle. "Virtual Meet the Author: Lola Akinmade Åkerström, "In Every Mirror She..." National Nordic Museum. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  14. ^ "Contributors". Slow Travel Stockholm. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  15. ^ North America Travel Journalist Association. "Award". Retrieved 6 June 2016.
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