With a passion for radio, music, education and mathematics, Radio Today’s Natashia Bearam-Edmunds, is as versatile as they come.
Natashia B, as she is known to Radio Today listeners, is the fiery, quick-witted host and producer of a lifestyle, community news and music show called, Jozi Today.
She is also a well-known face among youngsters in South Africa as an educational TV presenter and maths specialist at the hugely popular youth learning channel, Mindset TV.
Natashia took the opportunity to sit with the Randburg Sun, offering her advice to schoolchildren who are nearing the end of their exams.
Q. You’re a radio personality, why would you be so concerned with maths?
When people hear that I’m in media, they’re always so surprised to learn that I have a degree in pure maths too; it’s almost as if there exists an impenetrable divide between being creative and being mathematical.
You can pursue any passion you have regardless of how diverse your dreams may seem. I’m proof of that. I’ve been a student, teacher, reporter, author and radio presenter. Don’t ever be limited by what you know, it is possible to achieve so much more than you imagined.
Q. What it the most important advice you can give to the class of 2017?
Learners so often think that if they get bad grades, they are not going to be able to be successful and this is simply not true, endless opportunities are available to them even if they do not excel academically.
Q. What if learners don’t do as well as they expected?
At this time of the year, as learners anxiously wait for exam results, it is important to put things into perspective. Remember, exams are temporary and even though exam grades are permanent they do not define you as a person, there are many roads to success – choose wisely.
Q. What is one thing that has always inspired you?
There is a quote that I love, which is often attributed to Albert Einstein: “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” So that is something that I have always kept in my mind, and will hopefully help others to find their talents and pursue them with fervour.
You can catch Natashia’s My Joburg Show on Radio Today, AM 1485, and DStv channel 869.
If you’re in need of mathematics revision, you can also watch her show weekly on Mindset TV, available on Starsat, DStv and Open View HD.