Inspired Us: People power and unexpected challenges

For the latest in our Inspired Us series we asked Bee Pahnke and the Dragon Rouge team what things in the world have inspired them this month.

Thou shalt not be ignorant 

At the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, some of the last remaining survivors gave impassioned speeches about the importance of learning from our history. Marian Turski, a Polish Jew who was deported to Auschwitz as a teenager, declared the 11th commandment as “Thou shalt not be indifferent” – a stark reminder to all of us about our power and responsibility in the wider world.

It’s a power we’ve seen taken seriously – recently, by the restaurant hospitality scene in London, rallying together for the environmental crisis in Australia. Restaurants like Brawn (who rebranded to Prawn for a charity lunch) and Bright have been raising money for their Australian brethren across the globe, with staff working for free and produce given generously.

And for more inspiration about the power of people, there’s Knock Down The House on Netflix. A documentary about the ordinary people standing up to the traditional political systems. Brave, everyday heroes making a difference to the world. Because there’s power in all of us.

Getting into the big wide world

We’ve been exploring. From the Austrian alps and the vast, impressive expanse of nature so different to the one we see every day, complete with a mesmerising sundog. To getting lost closer to home, exploring streets not yet wandered and finding art in unusual places.

Keeping our eyes peeled and ducking away from screens keeps us fresh and curious. Here are some of our favourite spots from around the city. 

Taking on a challenge

There’s something irresistible about a challenge. And at Dragon, we’ve found ourselves being inspired by challenges both big and small.

From one of the team seeing their dad start learning piano at 50, to another seeing their 6-year-old son learning to read in both English and French. They’ve been inspirational prompts for us to continually challenge ourselves, no matter how old we are.

And beyond personal challenges, to take on taboos, too. A recent wander saw one of the team stumble across Camden’s Vagina Museum. Deconstructing the societal attitudes towards female bodies and sexuality, it was an educational journey into a topic we’ve been taught to shy away from.