Derrick Ashong

Man of the Moment Derrick DNA Ashong He has won over the formidable Oprah Winfrey and been described as the voice of ...

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Man of the Moment

Derrick

DNA Ashong

He has won over the formidable Oprah Winfrey and been described as the voice of a new generation – Derrick Nana Kwesi Abaka Ashong, popularly known as DNA, is armed with a vision that cuts across racial, social and political barriers. Artistically talented, intellectually astute, politically informed and socially connected, DNA is the host of The Derrick Ashong Experience on Oprah Radio, a show he describes as “media with a conscience on a global reach”. A magnetic personality laced with a witty sense of humour, DNA is the New African Woman’s ‘Man of the Moment’. He spoke to Belinda Otas.

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hile it is not unusual to hear a radio talk show host discussing the impact of social media on our lives, DNA succeeds at making it sound cool, hip and attractive. If you have seen an episode of The Derrick Ashong Experience on Ustream, or listened to him on the internet, you would have observed that DNA is animated, eloquent and expresses himself without hesitation.

The show, which started airing in January 2010, has been described by Oprah Winfrey as “everything everybody told me”. A blend of politics, pop culture, social media, music and the arts, which is informed by Ashong’s experiences and travels, his vision is to bridge the gap and reach a global audience, so other people can share their experiences. He asserts the show is not a programme you listen or watch and absorb but a conversation.

“It’s a conversation, the same conversation I have with my friends, family and people I meet. We are just expanding the pool of people who participate. It’s called The Derrick Ashong Experience because it’s not a normal show. Our conversation happens 24/7 on Facebook, Twitter, Ustream. It’s an ongoing dialogue intermixed with the weekly broadcast.” Ashong’s understanding of global issues and the social and political context in which they exist, belies his 34 years of age. In 2008, he was dubbed the ‘YouTube Phenomenon’ by the New York Times after a video with Ashong responding to questions about the then Senator Obama from a journalist in an engaging manner went viral. Ashong would later post a follow-up with an impassioned monologue detailing his reasons for supporting Obama. This opened Ashong to a wider audience, establishing him as an individual who is relatable, one of the reasons the new generation he is speaking to can identify with him. Asked what qualifies him as the voice of a new generation, Ashong says: “When you think of a new generation, don’t just think about that in terms of age. When I think of a generation, I think of a new generation of thought, a way of thinking that is more expansive and globally interconnected. That means there are people who are part of that generation who are 16 or 60. It is more than age, what it means to be the voice of a new generation, because we are thinking about a globally interconnected one. It’s a way of moving past traditional lines of geography, race, culture and ethnicity and really getting to the ideas. And it’s not that the commu

“Leadership is not declared. It is evident. You are a leader by your action”

Photos: B.Quinto

arts & culture Profile

arts & culture Profile

Photo: GEORGE BURNS. HARPO, INC

DNA (far left) appeals to all ages and races and counts Oprah Winfrey (left) amongst his admirers

“As Africans, I think we have to evolve in a new direction where our young people begin to feel more empowered” nity will always be in agreement but it’s a community that is interested in dialogue rather than just growing up in an ossified or ideological framework that doesn’t allow for any other perspective but one form of thinking. So, being globally interconnected is that interconnection that makes us broad, knowledgeable and educated, because we learn from being willing to speak and listen to each other.” Ashong was born in Ghana, raised in Brooklyn, New York, and has lived in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He currently resides in Los Angeles. A graduate of Harvard, he is a classically trained pianist, a self-taught guitarist, singer-songwriter, performer and actor. A public speaker, he has lectured on five continents, from the UK to the US, on the use of media as a tool or human development. A social entrepreneur, Ashong is the founder of Take Back the Mic, a youth-centred cultural movement that encourages young people to take leadership roles in the arts, politics, society and business. Ashong’s goal to bridge the gap goes beyond the remit of his radio show. A member of the internationally recognised Next Generation Leadership Forum, a body which brings innovative leaders together with the goal of tackling today’s pressing political, environmental, religious and economic issues, Ashong’s aim is to raise a generation of leaders. “As a young African, I look at what a lot of our leaders who have become so enamoured by power have done and I see they have not done the best they could have for the people.” Hence, he wants to use his leadership potential, skills and opportunities to 78 | New African WomAn | SPRING 2010

help build other leaders and make a great impact on the advancement of society. “As Africans, we have a society that respects and cherishes our elders and that is a wonderful thing, but I think we have to evolve in a new direction where our young people begin to feel more empowered. We cannot have a life based on what it once was and we cannot accept what people say just because they have grey hair. We have to be able to make a statement for what is right and what we want. You don’t have to be 50 to do that. You could be 15, 20 or 30 and if you understand what’s right and are willing to work for it, that is what we should encourage, because the leadership we have today in Africa and frankly, across the world, is not giving us the solutions that we need to have a tomorrow we can live with, and they will not be around to face the consequences of their actions. Therefore, this new generation needs to begin to take responsibility today.” Ashong says it is important we as individuals serve as leaders and role models in our communities. “You can be a leader in whatever you normally do. Leadership is not declared. It is evident. You are a leader by your action.” A firm believer in the value of education, he says that getting an education is not about memorising and regurgitating information. It’s about learning how to observe the world around you, engage, comprehend and better position yourself to deal with the situations that come your way. Hence, he says, “The best way to be a leader is to be a student. Therefore, all of us are leaders and so much so, we learn to be followers because we can’t all lead in everything.”

In spite of his intellect, Ashong is fully aware of his fallibility, as he says: “I don’t have all the answers. I do stupid things every day and I’m a fallible human being just like everyone else. I love and appreciate the fact that I’m not perfect and that I can strive to understand towards perfection, and my humanity is in that, and I’m still growing. Once I understand that, being a leader is easy because it is an ongoing process and an evolutionary one that we should all participate in.” Ashong believes music is a way of including people in a dialogue and interpreting things going on in the world. He is co-founder and leader of Soulfège, a band that fuses hip-hop, reggae, funk and West African highlife. Ashong says they create Afropolitan music, a bridge between the Diaspora, a sound he describes as “Afro-Diasporic Groovalicious Funkadociousness – it’s like Bob Marley jamming with the Fugees on a street corner in West Africa.” A man who understands the role of women in society, Ashong is a strong advocate of equal rights for all. He acknowledges the role of his mother in his life, describing her as a strong and gentle woman. As a public speaker, he says he has met and spent time with women who are educated, ambitious and influential. He believes society is now in a position where women are able to have better access to education and more professional opportunities. However, he adds: “I think we still have more work to do with equal pay and equal work and also in Africa, getting more women access to education and it’s not just in Africa. “In my experience, I have met a lot of very, very, brilliant and talented women who are doing impressive things and I hope that more young girls can see that and not feel that they need to have the approbation of a man in order to feel good about themselves and also, that they don’t need to be in conflict with a man in order to fully express their womanhood.” While he recognises the differences between men and women, he says: “Women should not be forced to choose between a career and a family or neglect some of their personal interest. We need to cultivate a society where it’s okay to be a professional and it’s okay to have a family and that is the same for men and women. ”