Sharon Alenda and her Afrocentric journey to empower women of color
The curious light of TheAfricanDream.net fell on black woman excellence, and as a result, we are writing in celebration of a black woman making strides in the fashion industry in the diaspora — Sharon N. Alenda is our special guest.
Sharon & Co is a clothing line owned by Sharon that has become a household brand in the diaspora and in Ghana, where Sharon is originally from. In an interview with TheAfricanDream.net, Sharon explained that she creates her clothes from indigenous fabrics that are Euro African and Indian-inspired and yet very ethnic and modern. Her firm specializes in women’s wear, men’s wear, shoes, handbags, and other fashion accessories. She will be adding children’s clothing soon.
Sharon & Co draws inspiration from the initial sewing and designing from various eccentric prints and stencils that reflect everything from the four seasons to the pastel coloring of expansive home decor. Sharon has been a part of several designing organizational bodies, they’ve supported the World Bank and various United Nations and Worldwide trade Initiatives as a result.
Through its network and experience, the company supports the professional development of African women and generally women of color. Sharon & Co hopes that every woman of color can reach a point within the fashion retail sector where she can make a living wage. To Sharon & Co, what they do is more than just a business.
“We are empowering women of color,” she proudly says, “through our recognition by various international bodies like The United Nations and trade organizations as a business, we’ve been able to create esteem for women of color in fashion retail and help eradicate poverty,” she told TheAfricanDream.net in a chat.
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It is proven that some 45% of women in African, Asian, and Latin American countries sew garments or professionally have in the past assembled clothing items and for Sharon & Co, being able to give the chance to every woman of color to express their fashion sense through their clothing products is a “service to humanity’s advancement” Ms. Alenda told TheAfricanDream.net as she shared her passion.
The ambidextrous Sharon is also a non-fiction Christian Author. Most of her books are written to empower the soul, the spirit, and the mind of the average African woman. Her latest book compiled and written to fellow African women is titled Reflections of A Queen which is now sold in select bookstores and also available on www.amazon.com.
This book has become beloved by a lot of women of color who say they have had warm feelings after reading it. Sharon’s Reflections of A Queen talks about the fundamentals of Christian romance, Christian dating, and the end result of a wonderful marriage. She was ordained in her role as a female pastor or Reverend within the Christian body of Women’s Ministry Development within the Ghanaian Christian Diaspora community in the United States.
Sharon’s professional work experience also veers into the Maternal Health and Women’s Health sector, and by the time of publication, TheAfricanDream.net asked if she was working on a project in Ghana…
Her response – “When I travel to Ghana, I will establish my all women-owned business infrastructure which will be centered around Fashion Merchandising; Beauty Therapy, and the Mass Production of cosmetics and women’s clothing including women’s apparel, finely beaded jewelry, fine accessories, shoes, and handbags all for the economic and social empowerment of women of both Ghana and Africa — giving back home is always a part of me, but this will be a substantial undertaking I wholeheartedly want to make a reality.”
Source: TheAfricanDream.net / Africare Women’s Development
Oral Ofori is Founder and Publisher at www.TheAfricanDream.net, a digital storyteller and producer, and also an information and research consultant.
