Nia Black Amuzie: A Burning Desire to Effect Change in Africa

Nia Black Amuzie is a Media Personality/Commentator with a focus on African/Black cultural, social, and political issues. She was awarded the Global Diaspora Champion Award by the American Caribbean Chamber of Commerce for her work in advocating for diaspora affairs in the United States and also for her extensive work in improving education in Africa under her nonprofit, Glow Up Africa. Amuzie is a graduate of the prestigious King’s College London where she did her Masters in Global Health and Social Justice, tackling global epidemics around the world while focusing on international actors like the UN, IMF, and WHO. She’s worked on several mental health projects both in the UK and in Africa and currently serves as the Moderator of the Virtual Monthly Series with the Ambassador of the African Union to the U.S as the featured monthly guest. While in Houston, she has worked as the Executive Director of MANNA Houston, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to families in need and feeds 10,000 families across the Greater Houston Area.

In this interview with Mary Nnah, she talks about her burning desire to continue to influence Africans to lead a life that is enriching and successful

Share with us your growing up and how it has influenced your career path.

I was born in Nigeria and moved to the U.S. when I was 15. I grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Went to High School in Chicago and lived with my three older sisters and my father. My mother at the time was based in Nigeria. Just like every Nigerian family that migrates, we moved to find better opportunities. I am thankful for the opportunity to move to America, honestly. I always say, “America raised me,” because it is in America that I discovered my gift, my passion, and most importantly my voice. Watching Black Americans treated as second-class citizens broke me to the core. I went to a school on the Southside of Chicago where students didn’t have access to good educational infrastructure. The buildings were damaged, and we didn’t have enough textbooks. There was a huge disparity between what students in black neighborhoods had access to and what students in white neighborhoods had access to. That sparked a fire in me, and I spoke against the inequality on different platforms while in High School in Chicago. When I visited Nigeria in 2009, I saw the state of Nigeria and I broke down. I thought if I can fight for my black brothers and sisters in America, what about my people? We don’t have good electricity, our roads are bad, and the healthcare and educational system is broken, I thought I needed to be a voice within the diaspora whether through media or outreach and that’s what I have been doing.

What does Black stand for in your name?

Everyone always asks me about that! Growing up in Nigeria, people called my father, “Eddy Black”. His name is Edwin, but Eddy for short. My Dad has very beautiful deep dark skin, and so people started calling him “Eddy Black”. He became a household name in my Village, Akpulu in Ideato North, Imo State, and he was known as a humanitarian, one of the first people to put electricity in my village. His name carries weight in my village. I decided to take on the “Black” to honor him and continue his legacy. More importantly, I took on the name to embody Black Excellence. I want my actions as a black woman in the world to bring positivity to the Black Diaspora and for the world to view us with the respect we command.

Your interest lies in African culture, social and political issues being in the Diaspora, what informed this?

My desire to effect change in Africa! I always say this, the greatest immigrants are the ones that learn and equip themselves in a foreign land and take their skills and all they’ve learned back home to develop their nation and continent. That is why we migrate. To be exposed and to learn new things. For the sake of cultural, political, and economic exchange. And with this mentality, I am challenging every African in the Diaspora to do the same. Imagine how powerful we will become if every Nigerian in the diaspora takes their innovative skill back home. It’s over. The rest of the world can make room.

How well would you say Diasporas fare in contributing and being an impact on the GDP of Nigeria?

Very well! According to an article, it stated that Nigeria’s Diaspora remittances inflow rose to $14.2 billion in 2021, which is from $12.9 billion in 2020. A remarkable 10% increase! The reality is that the Diaspora is connected to Nigeria. Our family is in Nigeria, and most of us were born in Nigeria, and we outsource our businesses to Nigeria. This empowers us to pour into the Nigerian economy. We can do more, and we will do more if the Nigerian government provides a fluid avenue for this to happen. Programmes and opportunities that bridge the gap between the diaspora and Nigeria should be put in place so we can reap the benefit of having successful Nigerians in different parts of the world. Ghana and its Tourism sector are a great example. I would love to be involved in bridging this gap in any way possible.

As a TV host and media personality and commentator, how are you able to hone your skills?

Through practice! I practice in front of the mirror, I use google pronunciation to help me annunciate better and I watch those who have come before me, or people doing what I am doing. I watch how they speak, the depth of their voice, and the way they ask questions. Oprah and Michelle Obama are my greatest inspirations.

Share with us some of your activities through your non-profit. How have you been impacting African communities?

Yes, my non-profit is called Glow Up Africa and we focus on empowering youths and rebuilding educational infrastructure. We built a water supply in a school in Owerri that fell apart, then we continued to focus on empowerment, speaking to students in secondary schools and primary schools in Ideato North and providing them with school supplies. During the Pandemic, we hosted an empowerment session for university school students in partnership with another non-profit called “No Back Pack Day”. Now post-pandemic, we are strategizing and working on continuing the water projects in more schools in eastern Nigeria.

You have hosted successful Nigerians in the diaspora, what stands out for you in these interviews?

 This is a very good question! Honestly, what stood out for me, or I should say, a common theme I noticed in interviewing successful Nigerians across the Diaspora is that these individuals have a champion spirit and a tenacious spirit. Living in a different country as a Diasporan is hard! The things we do to climb the ladder: the insults, the challenges, and the struggles are next to none. It’s quite easy to give up and break down. To see these successful people overcome and become the richest and most powerful people in their industries, despite their experiences, is astounding. Every single one of them I interviewed had a strong mentality. To them it was a thing of, either I win, or I die trying, but I will win. Bluntly, this speaks to why Nigerians are some of the most successful immigrants across the world. We fight, and we win.

What do you consider a high point of your career?

Mine is simple, a high point of my career is always when I have an immense impact on people. It could be through a speech I gave or through them watching my program or just by me existing in my black excellence. The highest point will be when I can have an impact on a wider audience and a bigger population. I am thankful for everything I have achieved! God has been good, I got a chance to host the Mayor of Houston’s annual Africa Day event which brings in 13 African Ambassadors, I have spoken on TED Talks in Ghana, preparing to speak on TED Talks a second time in Houston, and I am the recipient of the Global Diaspora Champion Award, I mean it’s endless. I am thankful!

Share with us some of the challenges in the course of work and how you were able to surmount them.

Well, my biggest challenge has been trying to do more work with my non-profit in Nigeria. As a person living in the diaspora, it’s hard to find people that will run with you and successfully implement your work on the ground in Nigeria. I’ll be honest, this is what many people in the diaspora complain about. We want to do more, we want to invest in Nigeria, but who do we trust? The level of corruption is at an all-time high. I tried building a water supply in a secondary school in Owerri and the Principal was asking for 1 million naira before the project will continue. You are asking me to give you 1 million naira before I can help the students in your school? Students who cried to me told me they don’t have water. The project had to be stopped and then the engineer stole all the equipment and the generator, let’s not even go into that. Regardless, we move. I started to focus more on empowerment and speaking to students in different schools, but in 2023, the goal is to help build more educational infrastructures.

A lot of young women struggle with building their careers due to stereotypes, how would you advise them?

Yes, I will tell them to keep building and be consistent. Listen, there will always be roadblocks and challenges when building something. These challenges come in different forms. It shouldn’t stop us from continuing to build. If we are consistent, surely, there will be a breakthrough. And if we are consistent, we will be inspired in different ways to achieve our desired goal. New ideas will come, new inspiration will come and that will lead us in the right direction. Also, don’t let that fire in your burnout. There is a reason why you chose the path you are walking on. Good things don’t come easy, if they did, then people won’t have a story of greatness. It is through challenges that we are molded to become the best we can be. If you fail, fail forward, and if you fall, fall forward.