Last week, if youâd asked me that, I would have told you I had a new kitten on the way, not that Gigi Hadid would have opened up so many opportunities for me with Maybelline, SSENSE, and Nasty Gal. Nänga Awasum: Honestly, I have a hard time answering that question as anything can happen. What do you have coming up that youâre excited about? The fortunate thing is that I am one of the few with a platform so as a Mankon woman, I am pleading to preserve the rich history of my people and Iâm praying the small village and compound where my grandmother resides isnât next. Homes, villages, and entire histories are being wiped out and the only solution is in the hands of President Paul Biya. I am one of many Anglophone Cameroonians who love and cherish our rich culture and we are being wiped out by a deadly insurgence in the western provinces of the country. Secondly, but most importantly, I want to shine light on the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon. I canât sew or draw, so modelling is my contribution to the amazing world of fashion I absolutely love and belong to. Nänga Awasum: For one, this did happen by chance, but I have always been putting in the work â Iâve been on my own since I was 18.
What donât people know about you that you want them to know? If I donât say things like this and create the conversation, the culture will continueâ â Nänga Awasum Itâs the othering and feeling of not belonging. I want change so that we can all have a seat at the table.Âīeing a dark skinned Black girl in this industry means more than just being hard.
This change also needs to happen for plus-sized dark skinned women in the industry too. Even in that, my struggle is not immense because Iâm skinny. Itâs my responsibility with the sudden platform Iâve been given to bring attention to the hard part of it all, so that the change can actually happen. If I donât say things like this and create the conversation, the culture will continue. I have been my biggest enemy before, all in the name of being the best.Âīeing a dark skinned Black girl in this industry means more than just being hard. In order to succeed in this industry, you have to truly remove yourself, look outside of yourself, and be your biggest critic. My craft is my whole person and I live and sleep in my craft every day. Nänga Awasum: Modelling, like any other art, is somebodyâs craft, but the difference in my career is that I canât simply put my camera away or close my sketchbook. I would also love to shoot with amazing photographers like Inez and Vinoodh.ÂĬan you tell us a bit more about the difficulties youâve faced as a model so far?  I miss the runway, 2020 took that away from us, but Iâm ready for fashion week in September! My dream brands to work with are Dior, Versace, and Prada. Nänga Awasum: I definitely want to go to Europe and experience fashion weeks around the world. Where would you like to take your modelling career? Who are your dream brands or collaborators? I had older sisters whose style inspos were Kelis, Kimora Lee, Mary J Blige, Erykah Badu so my style evolved into a vintage Y2K love child with a modern twist. Nänga Awasum: Honestly, I was a poor kid growing up so everything was thrifted. How would you describe your style? Where do you get inspiration from? Fashion week is just around the corner, so hopefully wearing it will bring some luck this September! Nänga Awasum: I honestly donât know! Itâs made such an impact on my life this week, I might outfit repeat for some castings.
What will you do with the outfit she spotted you in? I aspire to be like her in many ways, especially the way she leaves a positive impact on others, just the way she did with me. Iâve always been a fan of Gigi and everyone I know who has ever met her has always said something about her contagious smile. Yesterday, I was a model, today I am a model discovered by one of the top models in the world. Nänga Awasum: Iâve been getting noticed more than ever with way more opportunities. How has your life changed since Gigi posted the picture of you? I went to HBCU of Morgan State University as an architecture major and gender studies minor, but I couldnât afford it anymore so I dropped out to pursue modelling. Iâm the youngest of five girls, all overachievers, so I had quite the standards to live up to. Nänga Awasum: I was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, but Iâm originally of the Mankon Tribe of Bamenda, Cameroon. Hi Nänga! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
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