Barbara’s oldest daughter, middle child, and favorite, Aprili is driven by her mother’s example of love. Aprili is bold. A humble being, with fierce tendencies, whose life began in the nation’s capitol occupying Turtle Island, she has seen the world turn from a spectrum wider than colors. Raised in between Indianapolis and the Bay Area’s San Jose, she’s lived in towns and cities all over the States.
One such city is Atlanta, the home of Spelman College, where Aprili achieved her Bachelor of Science in Biology. During undergraduate studies she embarked upon field study in Wildlife, Ecology and Conservation, Kiswahili, and Kimaasai while in Tanzania. In addition to her bench-Science background, Aprili traditionally studied Development, Education, Dance, Anthropology and finally, Spirit & Activism in Black Women’s Autobiography.
Having been awarded with the Horatio Alger Association National scholarship of 2006, the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium National Scholarship of 2006, and the Benjamin Gilman International Scholarship in 2009, Aprili fulfilled her dream of being a scholar. All in all, she attended five prestigious colleges and universities in the States, and three institutions throughout East and North Africa, by the completion of her degree in Biology from Spelman College. Aprili graduated from Spelmanite to Spelman Woman on May 15, 2011 (with honors). To date she has enjoyed classes and visits at dozens of Colleges and Universities all over the US and the continent of Africa. On February 11, 2013, as a Master’s student at the University of Pennsylvania, Aprili experienced a life altering shift from this realm we too often call reality; her break(through) has come to be known as entering a parallel universe. A mystic initiation.
Everything has forever been changed, and this has caused a handful of encounters with the possibility of death up until 2019. Aprili has the following to say: it is my drive towards self discovery which has kept me embraced in a global community of love. She is keen to show up for herself, rather than grind culture. Her inevitable challenges have put her in a position to share with the world, knowledge of the magic in often labeled mental health. Aprili’s pronouns are she, hers, we, my and mine.
At present, we enjoy studying and teaching yoga, the study and teaching of Swahili, and storytelling and writing from life’s experiences.
My greatest hope is to share healing through the art of writing. Look out for my masterpiece:
Aprili whisks you along a journey where hip hop raised her, streets made her, and a love for Swahili language grounds her today. Triumph and tragedy, she’s cookin’ up what she calls the realest memoir ever, entitled Be.
