Konquerance Arts

All my life I was fascinated with drawings and art, however I had no talent for it. I tried so hard all the time but it showed nothing comparison to others of my age with talent. However through my lack of talent I found motivation to not only build my skills but make something of them. As a child I never felt good enough, I struggled socially and felt out of place everywhere so the only comfort I had was Art and Books. Later on in life a role model of mine, an older cousin lead me to anime. I didn't know it then but my love for anime would save my life and grant me the invaluable gift of a dream. Many years passed and I immersed myself in anime and books. At this time I had grown frustrated with myself. My artistic skills hadn't felt like they had grown enough compared to the time I put in. So I started to copy, but I immediately felt guilty. Passing off someone elses art as my own? I refused to let it continue so I quit art for a while. However as time passed and the void (left from me quitting one of the few things i'm passionate about) grew, I began to fall apart mentally, developing a sense of self-hate and disgust. I felt like I was nobody and less than everyone. I believed my presence meant nothing in the world. My failed attempts of love during this time heavily contributed, however one night reflecting on a specific break up I finally faced the music. I got mad at myself for being a victim so long and letting life just pass me by. That night I made myself a promise and took my first steps of my dream, an amalgam of things I love in life: anime, art, and reading/writing to create being a mangaka(A person creates Manga & Anime). At the time it seemed crazy to even think. A black man? Create a succesful anime? There was evidence all around making it seem impossible. I had never published a story before, my art sucked, there are no successful black mangaka(at the time Yasuke had not come out) but I didn't let these stop me, only fuel me. Nowadays I've taken wisdom from great books like Hurricanes by Rick Ross and The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday as well as wisdom from the countless anime and manga that inspired me to become a young man driven by my dream. I take council from men who helped come this far with truly chasing my dream such as Hamza, Young Don The Sauce God and my Father. Through this journey I've been supported by my Mother, Aunt, and amazing friend group and recently found an amazing woman to share my dream with. The road ahead may be tough but I'm more than prepared and you can be too, life is a labyrinth of choices and "paths" What path will you choose?