TONL Ambassador: Ribicca Mamuye
Representation matters and it is up to all of our collective voices to continue the conversation on diversity. We know that images and words can help promote diversity and our TONL Ambassadors embody the type of community that will push that message forward. We would like to introduce to you one of our TONL Ambassadors: Ribicca Mamuye! Read our Q&A session with her to learn more about her, her fashion & travel blog and much more!
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Where are you from? What is your ethnic background?
I was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
What three words describe you?
If I could pick three words that describe me they would be vibrant, creative and caring.
Describe a regular day for you.
I like starting my days on a positive note, so I begin my day by spending time with God through prayer or reading the Bible. Then, similar to everyone else I spend an unnecessary amount of time checking emails and flipping through social media.
Before officially beginning my workday, I head to the gym to do my morning workout with mini salsa dance sessions in between my sets because one cannot resist moving to the sonorous sound of Celia Cruz. This part of my day is very instrumental in both my physical and mental well-being.
In my-day-to-day job, I work as an analyst to help inform buying and planning decisions within fashion merchandising. After my 9 to 5, I spend time creating content for my blog amromenor.com, cooking, catching up with friends at happy hour or binge watching foreign shows.
Have you faced any discrimination based on the color of your skin? Your profession? If so, how did you overcome it (if you have not overcome it, tell us about that)?
It hasn’t been an easy task navigating spaces that have been built with out people like me in mind. To overcome these obstacles, I have found it very helpful to have a strong community and be surrounded with likeminded individuals. There are specific goals I want to accomplish in my career, creative pursuits and life in general. Over the years, I have been blessed to have family, friends, mentors and sponsors to share these goals with. So when things are hard and I go through challenges, I tap into my community to remind me of my purpose and give me the strength to keep going.
What are your passions?
I am passionate about story telling. After moving to the U.S. one of the hardest realizations I had was the perception people had of my place of origin. Often times most people’s knowledge of the world is limited to the information in western textbooks and media outlets, which in my opinion is incomplete especially when it comes to POC. Through story telling on various social platforms, I am able to challenge these misconceptions fashionably.
What do you wish people knew about you?
Based on the messages I get on social media, people always assume I work in the travel industry. Although traveling for a living would be a dream job, I’m not quite there right now. To fulfill my travel desires, I make the best of my PTO and never waste a three-day weekend.
