In 2021, during lockdown, Sahara picked up photography.
Like many people during that period, she found herself at home with more time to explore something new. She bought her equipment, started practising and began learning the craft. What started as a lockdown hobby has since developed into a creative career, community work and an opportunity to have her photography displayed in one of London’s busiest spaces.
Today, one of Sahara’s photographs is part of the ‘My Escape’ outdoor exhibition at King’s Cross, following an open call from Camden. With approximately 30,000 people passing through King’s Cross and King’s Boulevard each day, the exhibition has given her work an audience far beyond where her photography journey began.
Meet Sahara Ashanti, the founder of Ashanti Maroon Photography. She is a prominent London-based photographer, creative director, and community educator. She works extensively in creative development, leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
We sat down with Sahara, to talk about choosing herself, building with purpose and what continues to drive her:
What does "choosing yourself" mean to you in your life and work?
So choosing myself in life means that I'm living a fulfilled life, a life of purpose and a life where everybody around me, my family, my friends, my community are best served. I'm my best self when I'm choosing myself. So yeah, it's all about autonomy, living for me.
How do you stay motivated when progress feels slow or things aren't moving as quickly as you'd like?
when things are not going as quickly as I like. What keeps me going is the fact that I know things take time. It's a long process and what I'm trying to achieve isn't something that can happen overnight. For example, I'm in the middle of doing a documentary. I started 2 years ago.
It really does take time. It's it's a a stepping stone. So, it's like planting seeds and waiting for them to flourish. So, I'm fully aware that if it isn't coming now, it's in the pipeline. And I just got it in me. I know it's happening. And I'm quite a determined person, quite tenacious. So that's what keeps me going and and the fact that I've got children, my sons, actually adults; just knowing that what I want to leave for them and the legacy. So that's what keeps me going.
You've mentioned building something bigger for the future. What role do your children play in that drive?
So, I've got two sons and they are the reasons why I keep going as well. I just know the legacy I want to leave for them is going to be humongous. You know, it's generational I'm thinking about. So, it's not something that's going to happen today or tomorrow. It's something that's going to take time and I'm fully aware and that's that I think that's just my energy. You know, I just know it's coming and it's going to be there for them.
Can you tell us about your journey into photography and how this exhibition piece came to be?
I started photography in 2021 during lockdown. I bought my equipment, stayed focused, and practiced constantly. Camden later had an open call, so I submitted my work and this piece was selected to be showcased here in King's Cross. With approximately 30,000 people passing through King’s Cross / King’s Boulevard each day, it’s exciting to see my work become part of this 'My Escape' outdoor exhibition.
Seeing it on display for so many people to enjoy is a huge achievement and feels like watching the seeds I planted years ago finally bloom.
How do you see your photography work connecting back to your wider community?
Beyond taking photos, I actively work with the community to help create opportunities for others. I want to share my work and ensure that platforms and milestones like this are accessible to all of us.
We are so proud of Sahara's journey and incredibly rooting for her as she achieves more success in her career path.
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Stories like Sahara's is exactly why the Women of Grass-Fields exist. Through The Woman Behind The Look, Grass-Fields features the women who wear the clothes, but also in everything that exists beyond the outfit. The careers they are building; families they are raising; businesses and creative projects they are pursuing; communities they contribute to and the ambitions they are still working towards.
What stood out to you most about Sahara’s story? Tell us in the comments.
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