We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful AhSa-Ti Nu Ford. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with AhSa-Ti Nu below.
AhSa-Ti Nu, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from what I’ve been taught through family, friends, life and ultimately from my desire to live out my passion. As a black woman, many of us are taught to be resilient from sexism from racism, and many of the other isms that exist in order to make it through life. Resilience is baked into who we are as humans trying to navigate through our journeys and all of its many ups and downs. Music and music composition help me to navigate my journey. My need to create and be a part of music gives me the courage, wherewithal and resilience to stick with it in spite of the times of being told no. Music along with working to give voice to those most marginalized is a part of my purpose and calling.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a Black Queer Woman, mother, multi-disciplinary artist, sound engineer and producer whose work is rooted in soul, jazz, R&B and gospel. Established as a solo artist in 2015, I utilize soulfully-based music in a contemporary context to tell the untold stories of marginalized communities. I have released four music projects as an independent artist, with the most recent being a collaborative project entitled Lyfe Cycles. You can find all of my music on my website, www.ahsatinu.com, or wherever you find your streamed music.
My creative process centers on the integrity and social context of communities of color, showing how music and poetry can act as modes of resistance and empowerment for the marginalized. My work seeks to provide a platform for underrepresented communities and to create a space for the voices and experiences to be heard and seen. I enjoy using my performances to challenge racism, misogyny, misrepresentation and centuries of oppression. The content of my presentations are deeply rooted in the rich sounds of African-American music through jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, reggae and rock as I seek to engage in mutual teaching and learning with community members.
For years, I performed as a background vocalist with accomplished artists in various genres. Having performed with artists such as Yvette Flunder and Shirley Miller of the renowned Edwin Hawkins ensemble, Meklit Hadero, Sean Hayes, Quinn DeVeaux, The Stone Foxes and many more, I have become a veteran to the stage and recording studio. As an accomplished sound engineer, I have worked with a vast number of artists and celebrities. In my community engagement work, I have served as an instructor and mentor for the Freedom Arts & Education Center organization as well as with the Center of Creative Arts youth program. Through my work, I have served as a social justice advocate in numerous ways, such as serving as the acting director of the National Black Liberation Alliance, a community organization dedicated to the betterment of marginalized communities with a specific focus on the Black community. As an educator and consultant, I have led diversity and equity courses, some with my specific course on “The Practice of Humanity Through Radical Inclusion”.
It is my goal to push the boundaries of commonplace practices of injustice in American society, and to inspire others to do the same. In a time where lives continue to be challenged and even taken due to race, gender, sexual or affectional orientation, it is imperative to empower those who are oppressed. It is more important than ever to represent and celebrate the strength, resilience and perseverance our communities have demonstrated for generations and to give voice for generations to come.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Over the course of my time as a professional artist I have learned some important aspects in what it means to be successful in this area of work. The first is to continually practice being open and having a willingness to be vulnerable in your artistry. Through exploration of various cultures and musical genres I have found an abundance of knowledge and self-discovery. Having a sense of openness and vulnerability has helped me to produce some of my best work. I believe art to be an infectious medium in ways that allow us to connect, learn and discover our humanity. I also believe artistry and music in particular, to be the divine communication that crosses all borders, races, cultures and any other barriers and allows us a point of connection to one another.
The second thing I have learned is the importance of practicing my craft to develop my gifts. Practice is a means to growth and inevitably, change. In my youth I always wanted to find a quick and easy way to get things done. Thankfully, I had family and mentors who encouraged me to practice, not for the sake of making things perfect, but instead as a means to help me to become more of myself. They saw something in me that I could not see, but in taking time to study, learn and practice I found my own voice and my own way of of creating art.
The third thing that I have learned is the importance of using my platform to make a positive difference in the world. As artists, we have an opportunity to reach so many different people from various backgrounds in ways that others are not able to. At the center of any type of art, is love, whether it is self-love or love expressed for others, it is through that love that we can inspire people to be a little more kind, respectful and tolerable of one another. I have learned the value in using my platform as an artist to help people find their way to a common ground. Even more so, I have discovered the value of using my platform to help ignite communities to continue to bend the arc towards equity and justice.
From all that I have learned, my advice to others seeking to follow in this journey, would be all that I have stated above, along with the importance of professionalism. Merit alone will not always be what gets you the call back. Understanding that while artistry can be freeing from the confines of society, to do it well, is to treat it like a business, you are a small business owner. This means handling the creation of the art, as well as the administrative, management, financial and all other business aspects, or hiring people who can. This also means showing up on time, being organized with your calendar and having respect for the crew and your audiences. I once had an instructor say, “you’re only as good as your next gig”, which really stuck with me and is partly why I get the calls to come back. Trust in your skill and your knowledge, be professional in your dealings and good things will come your way.
Being an artist is not any easy calling but it can be an amazing gift once you find your path.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Being an independent artist has its pluses and minuses. One of the major pluses is having the autonomy to create and develop your work in the ways you see fit. I truly love having the freedom to create and compose the music that comes through me. One of the biggest obstacles I face as an independent artist is having the funding to fully support my work. I am grateful for grant opportunities and the grants I have been awarded that have contributed to my work. While they are certainly helpful, those grants often only cover a portion of the funding needed to complete a full and professional project. I dream and work to reach a time where I am able to fully fund a project and offer equitable pay for musicians and artists that I am privileged to work with, without worry of funding. My efforts to find organizations and individuals willing to fund my work is an ongoing one.
Another challenge of being an independent artist is doing all of the many jobs needed in order to be successful. It can be difficult trying to manage all of the different roles needed to support your artistry while also working to create art. I am actively working to find the right people to join me on my musical journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ahsatinu.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ahsati_nu/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahsatinumusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ahsatinu
- Other: https://linktr.ee/ahsatinu
Image Credits
Nye’ Lyn Tho Photography Kita Anthony Mel Peters
