We recently had the chance to connect with Kween Sankofa-Bey and have shared our conversation below.
Kween, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I am most proud of building myself. One of my life goals is to truly become the Greatest version of myself for myself. I seek to master myself. Nobody sees the hours of self reflecting I do. Nobody sees the journaling and shadow work I do. Nobody sees the hours I put into reading self help books. Nobody sees when I sit with myself and meditate. I do a lot of work on myself daily. I choose to keep this to myself because I am working on me for me. I am truly proud of building myself up. I am proud of myself for accepting myself flaws and all and still pushing myself to be better and do better daily. I am proud of the Woman I am building.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Kween Sankofa-Bey and I am a Hand Painted Fashion designer. My brand is Kweens Royal Tees soon to be known as Kween Kouture Klothing Brand. I Hand Paint all of my kustom designs on apparel and accessories. My specialty is Kustom pieces. I love kreating something unique, fly and one of a kind for my clients. My brand was kreated and inspired by my Melanin, my Ancestors and my Lineage. I kreated my Kweens Royal Tees brand to uplift, inspire and encourage my Melanated Brothas and Sistas to embody their Royal and Ancestral lineage. What sets my brand apart from others is my original artwork, my use of bold kolors, my use of Ancient Khemetic symbols, Ancient history and my passion for my Kulture and CommU.N.I.T.Y. I love representing my heritage utilizing my klothing brand! I value my use of art and kreative expression to showcase my love for my Ancestral lineage.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Marcus {Marc Twang} Benson saw me clearly before I could see myself and my talents. Marcus is one of my best friends. He saw my Greatness before I ever discovered who I truly was as a kreative. We have been friends over 23 years. And from the beginning Marc Twang saw my gifts, he saw my talents, he saw my inner star, he saw all of me. He not only gave me guidance in discovering my talents, he gave me game on the industry. He taught me how to cultivate my gifts and helped me to express my kreativity in new and exciting ways. He helped me nurture my gifts and find my voice in the world of Arts! I will always be eternally grateful for his friendship, for his guidance, for his support, for his wisdom and for him helping me to discover my talents and learn how to express them. ThAnkh yah Marc Twang for always seeing me! Love you for life!!
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one kind thing to my younger self, I would tell my younger self. YOU ARE ENOUGH, YOU ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, AND YOU ALWAYS WILL BEE! NOW..GO SHINE AND NEVA DIM YOUR LIGHT FOR NOBODY AND NOTHING!
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire my late Grandmother Lula Mae Green Johnson aka (Big Mama) for her character. She was a woman of integrity, grace, class, elegance and a woman with a pure heart. She gave from her heart without expecting anything in return. She gave effortlessly. I never heard her complain. She always carried herself with respect and honor. She was hard working, loving, honest and truly an Angel amongst humans on this Earth. I will always Honor and Respect my Grandmother because she set a standard as a woman that I strive to live upto daily. She was and will always be my SHERO! She was a Powerful Matriarchal force in our Lineage but she never abused her Power. Instead she taught us through her actions and wisdom. ThAnkh yah Grammie Bug for all your guidance, wisdom, unconditional love and teachings even beyond this physical plane. I am grateful! I carry all your teachings in my heart and your voice is still present in my mind daily! Continue to help me navigate this physical plane, continue protecting our Lineage. You are still Powerful and your presence lives beyond the flesh. Ase’
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I hope people tell about me when I’m gone is how much I inspired them. Not only through my works of art in fashion, in music and in writing. But how I inspired them through my actions and how I carried myself in this lifetime. The story I hope people tell about me is how I inspired them by being unapologetically myself and never being afraid to simply be me. The story I hope people tell about me when I’m gone is how giving I was. Not only giving of material items, but how I gave my time, energy, advice and love to all who I encountered. The story I hope people tell about me when I’m gone is how much I overcame and still kept pushing myself to Greatness! The story I want told about me is I am Raw as Coleslaw but also Sweet as Pie, I always keep it real and neva tell no lies! My legacy will not only live on through my fashion, music and writing but through the people I have encountered who will have many stories to share about how I impacted their lives!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kweensroyaltees.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kweensroyalteesllc
- Other: https://www.aliveshoes.com/brand/kween-soles
Image Credits
@fashionbytexas
@toddwhite
