By Amaka Okunji, ’13
The Little Black Book selected Nana-Yaa Misa, president of African Rhythms and co-founder of M.A.P.S. as Miss Independent for fall ‘ll. We had the opportunity to ask her about her family’s cultural contributions to her college experience, future goals, and advice to future students at Penn.
LBB: I was also wondering what your goals were, did you want to go straight to med school or take a year off, or something else?
NM: I’ve always wanted to take a year off to relax and live, but I realized that as you get closer to that point, you have to find a job and I have to say that it is intimidating and overwhelming and though I still don’t know what I want to do, I really want to travel. Though I’m scared to travel and to step out of my box, I really want to. I’m thinking about Botswana or Senegal, especially because I have found a love of Senegal because some of the dances that we do in African Rhythms are from there. At the same time, I want to branch out of Africa and I am thinking about places in South America and Europe.
LBB: So you mentioned that you grew up in Ghana, tell me about that and the experience of coming to the United States?
NM: I lived there for twelve years and came to the United States in eighth grade. I went to school in Bethesda and I lived in Silver Spring. However, I finished 6th grade in South Africa. I feel like the biggest cultural shock was communicating with adults. I was raised to give extreme respect to adults so much so that I had a fear of communicating with people that I classified as ‘adults’. So it was really surprising because in 8th grade, not only were people communicating with the teachers, some were rude and talked back. It was good and bad because it allows students to talk to the teachers about ideas and points but also allows them to be disrespectful. Even to this day, I have a little trouble with it. Another culture shock was how ‘free’ everyone was and I remember that my mom would always find a reason for us not to go out or why something was dangerous. I even remember that she didn’t want us to learn how to drive! To this day, I don’t know how but I do want to learn eventually.
LBB: What else do you do on campus?
NM: My friends and I started M.A.P.S. (Minority Association Pre-Health Students) during my sophomore year of college. We wanted to start a group where minority students could come together collectively for resources and advice. It is a chapter of an already established national organization. I am also a part of Onyx Senior Honor Society.
LBB: What advice would you give young black women, who aspire to enroll or are enrolled at Penn?
NM: When I came to Penn, initially, I was intimidated at first because I was a minority who didn’t come in with the privileged background that many have here. It was a long time before I learned that I was here and that I deserved it. I learned that I am not only here as a Black woman, but also as a student, an individual and an intellectual. I advise other upper and underclassman to definitely own your experience, acknowledge and appreciate your background, yet remember that you are a part of a larger community.
