Power in the Pandemic: Akua Obeng-Akrofi
Akua Obeng-Akrofi
YouTuber & Co-Founder, WEBelieve
Atlanta, GA
Describe your original response to COVID
Originally I did not understand the gravity and was more-so detached. My thought process during that time was “oh, protect yourself” but I didn't anticipate it would have a large impact on my life.
Was there a moment or clear shift in the way you responded to the pandemic?
There was. Right when COVID was starting, I was in season for track and I was in the process of planning a WEBelieve Tour and the principals of partnering schools started suggesting that we shut down or postpone. Around that same time, different NCAA conferences were also cancelling spring sports. At that rate, I had to make decisions about whether or not to stay in NYC.
We were getting ready to monetize WEBelieve and it seemed like that was halting too so my co-founder, Chelsea Miller and I had to evaluate what this shift meant for our organization.
It was that moment where things went from ‘oh’ to ‘wow, need to do something ASAP..this is serious’.
Talk to one or some of your proudest moments during the pandemic
One of the things that the pandemic gave me during this time was clarity.
On a day to day basis, we don't usually take the time to reflect. I have always been very creative and hands-on and have always been striving to find what I can do with my life that incorporates my natural given skills.
I invested heavily in my YT (The Raw) and started braiding and learning how to do nails. All these things have revealed and highlighted the creativity that lives within me. If we were operating on a regular day-to-day, I would not have had the time to delve and explore my creative capabilities.
When you look back on this season...what do you want to remember?
God is in control. We made so many plans for 2020 and like the great quote says ‘you make plans and God laughs.’ This pandemic really really showed that. There is always a next step and always a ‘where do we go from here’.
Describe how you’re feeling right now in one word
Starting from last year, I started watching pastor Mike and he usually decides one word to stand on for the year and I came to the conclusion that the word God was showing me was FEARLESS.
“With competition and running, you have to be fearless because the moment you show fear, you throw the race."