Mum

Theia: Before we get into your work and what you've done, I'd love to know who are some of the key influences of your work that you think have shaped the work you're doing now?

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Sagalee: Yeah, definitely. So there's been influences growing up in so many different areas, right? For me, it was Kyrie Irving. I really love Kyrie Irving. He's an NBA player. He's one of the best point guards in the world and he's born in Melbourne... I remember this one time he came to Melbourne in his early career in the NBA and my mum did a whole night shift but still took me on a train to Foot Locker in the city to meet him. Didn't end up meeting him because the line was so long. I managed to take a photo of him holding a subway, walking to his car with his dad and I posted it like ‘I just met Kyrie Irving’ even though I technically didn't. But I really love his mindset off the court. So that was a big influence for me.

But in terms of the years, in the last six, seven years, that really influenced me were people such as Don Miguel Ruiz, who's the author of The Four Agreements, which I preach about to every human being to this day. I still buy books for people to this day as a gift… As well as that, my mother. In terms of outside, I think when you grow up without having maybe a male figure, you look at people online, right? For me, Nipsey Hussle was very influential with the way he thinks about things. J. Cole as well. I like J. Cole's point of view about being perfect who you are. He has this one song called Crooked Smile, I think that's an affirmation type of song where it just reminds you, you know.

There's so many. There's so many individuals that I've met on the street. My grandpa, but again, my mum's the biggest influence.

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The engine

Theia: Each of these different projects that you've run, they're all kind of representative of different parts of your identity, different parts of your life. They're basically like outward expressions of the things that you care about. Like for Council Culture, it's the influence of your mum and therapy and journalling. Similar for Shooters Shoot, it's the influence of sport. Better Cycles is about kids going out cause you had an active childhood and going out into your neighbourhood. LOCATIONest is this really incredible vehicle for your curiosity as a person and your interest in storytelling. All of these things, they seem like separate projects, but actually to me, it feels like it's the same engine, just like running in slightly different directions and dimensions.

I'd love to ask you, when did you realise that you're actually not working on separate projects? Because to me it sounds like these are the founding stages of building a company.

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Sagalee: I get what you're saying, correct me if I'm wrong, but what you're saying is that a company is one full body that has the same mission?

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Theia: Yeah. You’ve got one mission going forward and all of these things are different initiatives working towards a very similar mission.

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Sagalee: So in a way, I'm focussing on the things that I would have loved to have in my life growing up or have supported me or impacted me, like the platform to have conversations and hear other people's worlds. Cause there's a quote, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. So like that platform of different people on LOCATIONest is that village where if you go on it, there's a catalogue of different stories, where you feel like you can relate…

What I'm trying to say is that like that, as well as having bikes, as well as having the opportunity for free therapy, you know, learning how to journal at a very young age, you know, having a space where there's a massive event where you're showcasing your talents and your community, where people look like you. For example, I'm Muslim and a lot of events don't have an area to pray, and a lot of people feel a bit uncomfortable to pray anywhere. For me, I could pray in the corner, and still be proud regardless of who might walk past, but for these young people, they might feel uncomfortable. So like, this is kind of like creating a world where that younger me would have loved to be in.

You're right, that's my mission, to heal all the parts that I had growing up… It is one engine at the end of the day. It's my lived experience making all these things. I'm just trying to have some creative twist to it. So you're right, that makes me think a bit more like how it's more for my younger self that I'm doing these things for. So shout out to you actually. [Sagalee and Theia laugh]

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