Then & Now

In the final episode of this season, AMAKA Editor-In-Chief and Editorial Director Ivie Ani sits down with Tunisian entrepreneur Hasna Kourda. Hasna is the CEO & Co-founder at Save Your Wardrobe, a virtual wardrobe that’s changing how fashion and AI merge. As textiles from European countries are exported to and thrown away in landfills across many African countries, causing major environmental issues, Kourda’s work aims to stop the cycle. The businesswoman is bridging fashion and tech, while on a mission to make the industry more sustainable.

Ivie Ani sits down with Her Excellency Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao to talk Pan-Africanism, Black womanhood, her incredible career, and more! Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao is a political activist, medical doctor, CEO of the Bell Family Medical Centers, and the former African Union Ambassador to the United States. Emigrating to the United States during the 1970s, Her Excellency has found success both as a medical professional and diplomat. While tirelessly and passionately lecturing about how Africa’s past has affected its present and future, Her Excellency advocates for the advancement of Pan-Africanism to reunite African nations and Africans in the diaspora for the betterment of the continent.

AMAKA Editorial Director and Editor-in-Chief, Ivie Ani, sits down with Amaarae. Amaarae is a Ghanaian-American afro-fusion singer, songwriter and producer, well-known for her 2020 critically acclaimed debut album, The Angel You Don’t Know. The 26-year-old artist has made waves over the last few years with her singular sound and image that is just as disruptive as it is inviting. She’s been hailed a fan-favourite, leaning in between genres, looks, and audiences— a fun and focused beloved beginner with a promising career ahead of her.

Our host, Ivie Ani, sits down with Ghanaian-American film and culture critic Zeba Blay. Zeba’s work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, The Village Voice, and Indiewire. Formerly Senior Culture Writer at HuffPost, Zeba has spent her nearly decade-long career writing about pop culture at the intersection of race, gender, and identity, and is best known for creating one of the most recognizable and ubiquitous hashtags of the last decade, “Carefree Black Girl.”

Our host Ivie Ani sits down with Karun. Only in her 20s, the Kenyan R&B singer-songwriter has already mastered balancing fame with her personal purpose. Karun is no novice at navigating the music industry. Having amassed immense success since her early teens as a member of the group Camp Mulla, the once-child star has shined steadily ever since.

AMAKA presents Then & Now, a podcast spotlighting career insights from a range of notable emerging, mid-career and veteran figures. Stay tuned!