Our name comes from a Madagascan folktale…
The story goes that long, long ago, humans needed a concept of death or the world would become overpopulated.
So we had a choice: Live like the moon and be reborn alone each month, or live like the banana tree, that withers and dies but leaves behind offspring.
In the end, we chose to live like the banana tree, because what is life if you can’t share it with family and friends?
The name Plantain is a homage to the distinct flavours of our African, Caribbean and Asian roots.
Plantain was founded in 2012.
During her international work as a Health Researcher, Felicia Chang, had observed how the sharing of real-life stories connected people in ways nothing else could. That got her thinking, “If we shared and understood each other's experiences and complexities, couldn't we all get along a little better?"
Realizing that we need to capture stories before they disappear, she transformed her grandmother’s story into a short film (Popo’s Journey) that did well at film festivals and inspired her to set up, along with her co-conspirator, Zaake De Coninck, a company that others could reach out to whenever they felt ready to celebrate their stories. Our perspective is that by beautifully sharing our stories, we can help to create a more connected, empathetic, and grounded society.
Fast forward to today, and Plantain has worked on projects that span the globe. Our team is as diverse as the stories we tell and, depending on your project’s scope, it may have been crafted by any one of the following:
Felicia Chang, Co-Founder & CEO – Felicia believes in taking a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving, and is always learning something new. She is trained in Global Health, and has lived in Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Germany.
Zaake De Coninck, Co-Founder & Director - Zaake was trained in Psychology and Health Research in Canada and Sweden (publishing a few papers along the way), but today he is particularly interested in how our early life experiences shape our human development
Tyrona (Ty) Heath, Board Member - Ty is the Global Lead for the B2B Institute @ LinkedIn, the former President of LinkedIn's Black Inclusion Group (BIG) and the Co-Founder of LinkedIn's annual TransformHER conferences. She is also a two time Olympic Trials qualifier in track and field for the 800 meters in 2004 and 2008.
Timiebi Souza-Okpofabri, Intern - Armed with a B.A. in Ethnicity, Race and Migration, Timiebi is also a DJ of female DJ collective, Battimamzelle, @batti.mamzelle
Filipa Ferreira, Book Designer - Filipa is a talented graphic designer with an exceptional eye for layouts and typography. Her positive attitude, attention to timelines, and love for her craft make her a perfect fit in giving a visual identity to your personal stories.
Rita Davis, Book Designer - Passionate, with a deep interest in art and culture, Rita adds a unique flair to all the visual identities and editorial projects she embarks on.
Victoria Muriti, Artist & Illustrator - Whimsical and creative, Victoria is currently based in Moscow.
Leo Kina, Artist & Illustrator - Fun and versatile, Leo collaborates from his home in Brazil.
Ann Dardaine, Senior Researcher - Ann has worked as a Genealogist for programs on the BBC and PBS. She is also an avid writer and is currently completing her first novel.
Anne-Marie Lazarus - Senior Researcher - Ann-Marie is a savvy, thorough and detail-oriented expert on ancestry records with a love for beads and jewellery making. She has worked as a Genealogist for programs on the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are?
Ryan Lee – Filmmaker/Audiovisual Expert. Ryan is a cinematic storytelling wiz who trained in audio engineering under Grammy award winning tutors, and has worked internationally on award winning video content.
Navid Lancaster - Audiovisual Expert. Navid is a stickler for timelines and tech. He helps with preservation of all audio memories.
To capture the uniqueness of your stories, we have built a diverse network of trusted writers and editors that range from seasoned published experts to rising star talent.
Contact us to learn more about our team and beliefs.
Careers
We’re always on the lookout for ambitious, creative and passionate people to join our team! Whether you are a writer, designer (print/web), developer, or storyteller of any other kind, please reach out and share some of your work by emailing us letstalk[at]plantain.me.
Alternatively, Design your own Job.
Are you a curious, creative person excited about helping people save and share their memories? Tell us how you would like to work with us!
Plantain is currently collaborating with Succession Strength and The Long Distance Grandparent.