Tiana Akoh-Arrey, a nine-year-old ridiculed for having natural hair in London, England, transformed her traumatic experience into a bestseller by penning the book My Afro: Twin Best Friends.
The book has achieved widespread acclaim and even made it onto Amazon’s bestseller list.
Tiana has always had a passion for writing and reading. When she first began writing complete sentences, she was just 4 years old. She also considered writing about it when she was only six years old and experienced bullying because of her hair.
“One day at school, a kid made fun of my afro and said that it made me look like a lion,” Tiana revealed in an interview with Good Morning America.
That made me really sad, so I asked my mom to straighten my hair to look like my other friends who did not have an Afro. She explained to me that I should learn to be proud and accept my hair as it is because it’s beautiful. I was trying my hand at writing short stories, so I decided to write about my hair.”
Dorothy, Tiana’s mother, read the narrative and was so moved by it that she decided to send Tiana’s writing to Conscious Dreams Publishing. Then, Tiana’s tale was released, making her a novelist at 7.
Tiana’s actual experience with her thick Afro hair served as inspiration for the novel My Afro: Twin Best Friends. They want to look alike on photo day because the main character’s best buddy has smooth, straight hair in the novel.
The narrative traces my exploration of friendship, self-acceptance, and identity. This teaches readers to embrace who they are and celebrate others’ diversity.
According to reports, the book sold over 700 copies, exceeding sales goals for a first-time author and placing it on Amazon’s bestseller list. As one of The Week Junior’s Heroes of the Year for 2022, Tiana has also received recognition.
Assuring me that bullying is never about me but rather the bully trying to express their unhappiness at seeing someone different and trying to make others feel small, Tiana stated, “I am really proud of myself. It has confirmed the assurance my mum gave me that bullying is never about me.
“I am happy I have managed to not feel small but also helped other girls have the courage to wear their Afro hair in all shapes and styles without feeling embarrassed about their hair or caring what people say. I feel like I have been empowered and also empowered others.”
