Meet Anna Nyakana from West Hartford, Connecticut who is an author and entrepreneur.

About Your Hustle

Business / Project Name

Niyah Zuri Books & Niyah Zuri Studios/”Niyah Zuri and The Pharaoh’s Throne“

How did you get started?

Anna Nyakana is an Award-Winning and Bestselling Author, Motivational Speaker, Entrepreneur, and Business Owner of Niyah Zuri Books and Niyah Zuri Studios.

She was born in Berlin, Germany in 1986 to a Ugandan father and German-Moldavian mother. However, her family immigrated to the United States in the early ’90s, settling in West Hartford, Connecticut. Anna began pursuing her writing and musical passions at the age of 6. She also spent her teenage years sharpening her songwriting and live performance skills until releasing her debut album in 2007. The author then proceeded to attain her Bachelor’s degree in Business in 2011. She subsequently extended her writing talents into her first literary work, “The Student Survival Guide to Online College.” Anna also assisted numerous students during their journey of attaining higher education.

How did you get to where you are today?

Through her personal experiences, Anna discovered there was an overwhelming need for multicultural children’s books. She decided to make a book where heroines could slay the fiercest of dragons versus filling the typical princess in distress role. Out of this desire, the Niyah Zuri series was born. Anna took the next few years to write and publish her greatest literary work. “Niyah Zuri and The Pharaoh’s Throne” hails as a time-bending exploration of ancient lands. It is lead by the headstrong Niyah Zuri and her best friends Miguel and Hugo Gonzales. This chapter book is geared towards upper elementary through lower middle school readers. It comes equipped with a full glossary and free online resources for parents and teachers to access.

Anna has been featured on many media outlets to spread the Niyah Zuri message. These include SiriusXM, Entercom Radio, NBC CT, ABC WTNH, FOX 61, and News 12 Connecticut. During her interview on SiriusXM’s “The Karen Hunter Show,” Anna stressed the importance of diversity in the classroom. “It is critical for children to see a reflection of themselves in the books they read. My mission is to inspire them, one adventure at a time.”

Working directly with school administrators in her state, she has implemented the Niyah Zuri series into the curriculum of several school districts. In addition, she is working tirelessly to spread the Niyah Zuri message of diversity, heroinism, and history across the country through in-school author visits and virtual lessons. “Niyah Zuri and The Pharaoh’s Throne” and “Niyah Zuri and The Mayan Eclipse” are available on www.annanyakana.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all major bookstores and retailers. Anna Nyakana lives with her children in Connecticut, U.S.A.

Challenges and Obstacles

Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of your struggles along the way?

There have been many obstacles in my journey. In the very beginning, publishers rejected my manuscript. Others loved my story idea but wanted to make my main character less “urban”. I have kept all the rejection letters until this day. I would not compromise my fearless Black heroine. Instead, I decided to publish on my own to get my book into the hands of young readers.

The first year I sold a few hundred, the next year a few thousand and last year 10,000. In addition, another obstacle occurred when implementing by book into the curriculum of schools in my State and abroad. Many administrators didn’t believe this was a crucial story to a child’s development. I fought to change their minds and succeeded. As a result, I proved that our stories are beyond Black History Month.

About Your Product / Service

What do you do? What are you most proud of? What sets you apart?

Niyah Zuri Books is the book imprint for the Niyah Zuri children’s book series, most notably the bestselling “Niyah Zuri and The Pharaoh’s Throne.” I specialize in bringing representation to kid’s books for they “deserve to see a reflection of themselves in the book they read. Additionally, my mission is to inspire them, one adventure at a time!” Therefore, I am most proud of implementing my book in countless districts of my own state, across the U.S., and in Canada. I also know that the Niyah Zuri series is changing the narrative; brining diversity to the classroom.

My persistence sets me apart. I don’t focus on sales like normal authors or even collaborate with normal author channels, for instance. Instead my focus is impacting a child’s mind for a lifetime by ensuring they are learning about world culture and multiculturalism in schools. Furthermore, I uplift my community by supporting other entrepreneurs who join me in the movements of inuring and uplifting our youth and communities. I am now elevating my mission beyond books. Therefore, through my company, Niyah Zuri Studios, I am creating a cartoon series based on my books; pitching to networks in the coming months.

Pricing Information

“Niyah Zuri and The Pharaoh’s Throne” is $9.95 for autographed paperback and $7.95 for eBook on my website www.annanyakana.com

Business Contact

Website: www.annanyakana.com – Email: contact@annanyakana.com Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @Niyah_Zuri