Today we’d like to introduce you to Ama Konadu.
Ama, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I was about 3 or 4 years old, I told my parents that I had been here before. They’ll tell you that they “looked at me like I was crazy” and weren’t quite sure I knew what I was talking about. While they might’ve been confused, I was very clear about who I was before I came to be their child in this present lifetime. Each time I told it; my story never changed. Year after year, I recalled my identity in past life as an Indian woman named Sara who was a nurse that couldn’t have children because I had feminine problems; which I later died of. I, in my past life, was an Indian woman, a nurse, I was born and raised here in LA. While I knew deep down inside that my story was true, it wasn’t one that I felt could be shared widely without getting side eyes and/or feeling like I might be outcast.
It wasn’t really until about 2017 that I began to understand what it means to have reincarnated and what it feels like to be connected with my former self. As life/adulthood came along and roughed me up a bit, I was forced to truly take a step back and reflect on my identity—on who I was, where I’d been and where I was heading. It was in that period of reflection that I began to recognize some synchronicities across major life events. The more I sat with each moment, the more I was gifted with additional parallel moments which enabled me to piece things together and make sense of it all.
“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” — Zora Neale Hurston
The period between 2017-2019 made Zora Neale Hurston’s sentiments so clear to me. Young Ama Konadu hadn’t yet recognized the plane that she existed on, reflection in my adulthood reminded me that, while things may seem absurd in the moment, life will find a way to tie up loose ends and bring about clarity to those who have tuned in enough to make sense of it all. I say all of that to say: while I’m still on a journey of discovery, I’ve found so much power in knowing that my present self is one that feels aligned with that of my former/spiritual self.
By education, I’m a social worker. I received my Master’s in Social Work with an Advanced Policy Practice concentration from Columbia University. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Southern California… I spent much of my academic career doing student organizing work alongside/in support of Black folks, people of color, and other people of marginalized communities. That work inspired me to do some private racial equity consulting/workshop facilitation/curriculum development. While the racial equity work and more traditional social work were (and remain) important to me, late 2018-2019 helped me identify some of the unhealthy manifestations of the work. In an effort to tend to my mental health, I’ve taken a break from the work in pursuit of aspirations previously avoided due to fear — acting and modeling.
Today, I proudly identify as a multi-hyphenate creative — a creative entrepreneur. I truly believe that I’ve finally begun the work that my soul desires — healing. Using art as a conduit for healing, for myself and others.
Initially, all of the synchronicities scared me and made me want to run from any bit of self-reflection. However, loved ones holding space for me made me feel secure enough to open up about my soul’s journey and my deepest secrets.
I recognized that I have so many stories to tell, stories that I once held as secrets and, now that I recognize my power, those secrets have turned to stories. Stories to be told for liberation — my liberation and the liberation of any other soul that may feel connected to my stories. I have stories to be told for healing — for my healing and the healing of any other soul that can benefit from it.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
TW: sexual violence & suicide.
HAHA! No, it has definitely not been a smooth road. However, things are starting to make a bit more sense and I’ve gained a lot of healing and closure through reflection, writing, drama school, and the overall exploration of my creativity.
The obstacles started at a young age. Two aspects of my identity that have presented a unique set of challenges for me, and that I constantly reflect upon/will continue to have a lasting impact on me are:
(1) My identity as an intersectional Black woman;
I grew up in a predominately white, affluent neighborhood and as someone who, now, very strongly identifies as a Black woman, I spent much of my childhood searching for my place and identity. My desire for a sense of belonging in many of the white spaces I navigated was a driving force for much of my racial equity work.
(2) My identity as someone who has experienced sexual violence;
From the age of five up until the age of ten, I was repeatedly molested by my swim instructor in Ghana, where I spent my summers. My childhood sexual abuse felt like it stripped me of my childhood, I have little to no recollection of it, other than traumatic experiences. When long-time friends and relatives mentioned things from my childhood, I was so frustrated with my inability to recall those moments.
2017 was “the year of the critical juncture” for me, there were just so many moments in that year that were unclear and made it difficult to predict whether or not I’d come out on the other side of those situations alive. From a lumpectomy for a fibroadenoma, loss of a friend to suicide, a painful ending of a situationship, loss of 20 pounds, health issues, post-grad slump, uncovering truths about sexual assault, and too much more — 2017 exhausted me to no end. I am so grateful for my friends for helping me through that time. So many people played a role in helping me make it to the other side. I’ll never forget, one of those junctures was life or death for me and I’ll never forget when 3 of my sister-friends (Sydnee, Alana & Alivia) sat with me in my living room in Harlem and created a safety plan with me. If it hadn’t been for them in that moment, I wouldn’t be here today and would not have found the power that I’ve found in using my voice and stories to heal. 2017 opened the door for me to explore art, and specifically writing, as a conduit to healing. Art, writing and drama school in particular helped me find myself and my life’s purpose — I’ve begun reconnecting with my childhood self and she’s been able to utilize art to recall some of those positive lost memories.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m a multi-hyphenate creative — a creative entrepreneur. My day job is as a Marketing Coordinator at an independent R&B + Jazz record label. However, independently, I write, act, model, support others in building their brands and reaching their full potential, and more recently I’ve been doing video production. When I believe in something or someone, I ride for it/them til the end, I love to connect people to one another if I believe it could support their overall goals/vision. As cliché as it may sound, I strive to leave a warm, positive impact on every space and person I interact with.
I also own a hair fragrance line called Daisy’s Tresses, named after my great-grandmother Daisy. So, aligned with leaving a warm, positive impact on every space and person I interact with, I tend to be known to command the room with delicious and delightful aromas within my tresses. I sell both Argan Hair Gloss & Fragrance and Hair Milk & Conditioning Fragrance which come in 9 different scents. I started selling them at the request of family and friends that wanted their hair to smell like mine. They’re great for all hair types; but, as a Black girl who loves her crochet braids, I started selling them with Black women and protective styles in mind.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To be honest, I don’t have a concrete definition. Growing up, I might’ve had a definition for you, and it would have been dependent on academic degrees and other accolades that now don’t have as much meaning to me. I used to have an “end goal,” something that I imagined would make me feel like I made it once I achieved that thing. And now, success is really dependent on my spirit. Success is how aligned I feel with the work that I’m doing and the way that I’m moving through the world.
What am I looking for? I guess you could say I’m looking for those synchronous moments that I used to run away from. Those moments show me that I’m on my life path and am living in my purpose…and for now, that’s all I need.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.amakonadu.com | www.daisystresses.com
- Email: [email protected] | [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/msamakonadu | www.instagram.com/daisystresses
Image Credit:
Personal photo credit – Karlie Castro-Kahn; Photo w/ whiteboard – Ellie Jayakar; Photo w/ yellow dress & yellow daisies – Alivia Curl; Headshot with knit shirt & blue backdrop – John Sutton; Daisy’s Tresses Flea Market Setup – Ama Konadu (self); DSC_1076 mauve bodysuit – Karlie Castro-Kahn; DSC_0950 2 piece pant “suit”with foot up on wall- Karlie Castro-Kahn
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