“As you pour into me, a Black Non-Binary Gender Queer person, you pour into yourself.” – Temídayo Amay, talking with Billie Krishawn for The SoSu Series
“My non-binary identity is mine and mine alone,” says Temídayo but this gender identity isn’t the only journey that they are claiming. All too often we live an existence that is consumed with working hard to ‘earn’ a space at the table. These past few years we’ve been seeing a shift in the collective community mentality.
Transferring our intentions from proving our worth to knowing our worth and living life in a way that reflects it.
Temídayo’s career alone is enough to prove that they have earned a full existence. When you step inside of their presence, you will experience an energy that is an incomparable example of existing in power and truth. The support, the love, the accolades and the opportunities are theirs. Simply put, they’ve earned it.
“I spent about 5 hours in line waiting to vote…that day I realized I was making a physical commitment to show up and I’ve been showing up ever since.” Temídayo Amay
Moriamo Temídayo Onisemo Akibu, or Temídayo Amay (they/them/friend) is a Non-Binary artist. If you ask how their name is pronounced, they’ll tell you to sing it like a song. They are a first generation Yoruba Nigerian American born here in Washington, DC and is currently based on the East Coast. While they have worked as an actor, director, filmmaker, producer, designer, and healer within the greater Washington, DC community for over nine years, they see their journey truly having begun three years ago in 2017. Their artistry is ever expanding, even now inside of quarantine as they work to become a certified yoga instructor. You can catch the beginnings of this journey on their Instagram @TemidayoMA.
“For me, it’s about lending and letting my full self come through when I’m creating art.”- Temídayo Amay
In everything they do, it is their mission to ignite active dialogue within the generational, diasporic, African millennial community. This community encompasses zero, first, and multi-generational members of the African, LatinX, and African American identity. In sparking this dialogue, Temídayo hopes to expand the definition of the BIPOC diasporic identity to include more gender expansive and LGBTQIA+ stories. Temídayo believes in the power of storytelling to give both witness and participant a voice in the healing process. They have witnessed how countless storytellings of the Blaque body re-traumatize both audience and artist. But a new world is possible.
“I went to my first march against police brutality. It was so liberating and powerful to be there and take direct action.”- Temídayo Amay
In their own words, “It is time for us to retell our stories, to let our imagination rewrite our history and manifest our wildest dreams into our reality … As we retell these stories, we have an opportunity to see them, breathe them in, believe in them, release them, and expand upon them for ourselves and for the next generation of artists, activists and community leaders.”
“I am going to do my best to show up and listen, and take charge of my accountability. – Temídayo Amay
May you listen to the beautiful call to action. May you delve into self reflection and begin your inward journey to change. This world is yours to claim, you just have to remember that it starts with you.
Temídayo Amay on being a non-binary actor in Washington, DC.
In the interview, Temídayo mentions The Black Artists Coalition, of which they are one of the founders.
Support for Temídayo Amay:
Venmo: @Momoaki
CashApp: Black Life Sanctuary™ @momoaki
We hope our series adds to your understanding of the world, and deeply appreciate your support. All proceeds will go to further productions of the series.
CashApp : $TheSoSuSeries
Venmo: @TheSoSuSeries
You must be logged in to post a comment.