Vlademir (Vadu) Rodrigues is a visual artist who specializes in photography and has been capturing his travel journey across 25 countries and three continents. He divides his time between his professional career as a freelance photographer and #PositiveWestAfrica, a project that uses travel, photography, and storytelling to change the narrative of West Africa and inspire others to see it in a more positive light. He was a TEDx Praia 2021 and VII Ignite Talk—Cabo Verde speaker. His works can be viewed on the Cabo Verde Ministry of Culture website; on international news outlets; and in various projects and collaborations with international groups, such as Voador in Portugal, Soju Africa Photography Project in the United States, The Lion King production in the United Kingdom, and Help Me Learn Africa in Gibraltar and Ghana. After completing the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, Vadu plans to take #PositiveWestAfrica to a new level, using his voice to reach a wider audience and inspiring people to see the world through the same lens. Vadu sees the world as a place of inspiration, joy, and culture, where people thrive every day by making the best of what they have.