Dayan Kodua presents her “BLACK SKIN”
The Author
My Name ist Dayan Kodua. I was Born in Ghana and raised in Germany. I am an actress. You can also learn more about me reading my interview with Jean-Jacques Dikongué from Tribune2lartiste: https://www.tribune2lartiste.com/entrevue/nous-sommes-devenus-de-vrais-fonceurs-et-cela-est-beau-a-voir-parce-qu%E2%80%99en-meme-temps-nous-creons-et-devenons-des-modeles-_455.html
What inspired this work
Being raised in the northern part of Germany, Kiel, i did Not see many to any successful Black People around me. so when I moved to Los Angeles, this is Where i for the first time saw what is possible. I saw Black People doing so Great things. Managers, CEO, doctors, Lasers, etc. So when I Return to Germany in 2009, this is whe i started looking for the role Models we have in Germany. The successful Black People we dont See in the media. The Education Black People no one mentioned. And that is Where the idea to My Book ” My Blak Skin. Black. succesful. German was born. I want to put some One the succesful Black People in Germany in the focus, so the young people will and can see what is possible through education, persistence and focus.
– About realization of the work
It took me 4 years to realize this Book project because i needed sponsors/ the state to help me. The first year was working on the concept so i can Show it to somebody. A very good german friend of Mine supported me with that. And the second year was to find at least 5 People to add to my concept. And the first person that days ok, i will join the project was a TV Host, Yared Dibaba, then a very famous german Journalist, Günther Wallraff, the culture office in Hamburg ( Kulturbehörde), then photographier and a Journalist for the Interview. This is how I started. Then step by step other compagnien, people joined the project. I just had to do alot of research to find find back People in different working field and from different afrikan background. That was a lot f work. Bäche i dd not wanted to have 2 people in the Same working field. So while working on the Protagonists, had to Fond a Publisher. And that too me 2 years. People liked the idea, but because the Book project was Kind of unusual, nö ne wanted to publish it. A Book with 25 Black people in Germany:-). So i Register o be my own Publisher. 3 days later, One of the Publisher i submitted My Concept to, Valley me and Said, Germany Need this Kind of positiv Project. Wie want to publish the Book. I thought they were kidding that was the Publisher “Seltmann+Söhne”.
Anecdotes and scenes surrounding this work – A short summary of this work.
“MY BLACK SKIN” The book is available from 1 April. You can order from Amazon.de, or directly from the Publisher Seltmann + sons book publishing.
In My Black Skin book, 25 Afro German figures show what is obvious with pride: their dark skin. But this book is more than just a coffee table book–it is also a guide to success. The protagonists from politics and economy, art and culture, science and sport report, as they have made it to top. They are role models and show that you can achieve anything regardless of skin color and origin, if you just believe in yourself. YES I CAN!
The idea of “My Black skin” comes from Dayan Kodua, who came as a girl from Ghana to Kiel. She is the first black “Miss Schleswig-Holstein”, and is successful as an actress today. Dayan Kodua was supported by the photographer Thomas Sha, who artfully uses the portrayed characters in scene. — via My Black Skin.
