We were lucky to catch up with Dajai Monae recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dajai , appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

My brand or Public figure name “Dajai Monae the Dallas Activist” was originated by the community. I always went by Dajai Monae and wanted my actions and community engagement to speak for me. “Dallas Activist” was formed from peers of my community that saw me doing the work that fit with the name.

In 2017, I began my social media ranting of the injustice minorities face within this country daily. I did not have an expected goal of how far my voice would reach, I just wanted to educate my peers. In my mind, I’m thinking “we’re young, this is our generation, our time. We can do it! We can be that change.”
What I didn’t know is, everyone does not share the same passion as I and everyone is not as educated as I am on the issues we face. So my plan to action is to educate, lead by example, then execute together.

2022? let’s talk about evolvement! Evolvement from both my end as a activist turned business owner turned black boy mom. This put my activism on a different level.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Dajai Monae is a Dallas activist that advocates for equality, justice and humanity for the people. Bringing awareness to bias, and unfair actions towards ethnic group or unjustified circumstances. My platform is to create unity and equality by bringing awareness to racial injustices, deemed and seen as normal, due to the recent instilling of some, that injustice is acceptable. During my undergraduate program at Texas Southern University, I enrolled into a political science course with a professor that was a representative of the city of Houston. His lectures were both literature and open discussion. Through his course I gained an interest in politics and the justice system. In 2018 I started my nonprofit organization, The KEEY Foundation which dedicates time to youth literacy and the homeless community. Through my nonprofit I hope to lead my community by setting an example to invest in our youth as they will be the next leaders.

“As a great man once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

My solution is to inform the community of unfair acts, their rights and educate people on equality and unity by setting examples of kindness and love.” -Dajai Monae

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

25 year-old Dajai was killing the year with her social activist commitment. Vice President of a large social justice organization in DFW, Protesting, rallying, constructing policies, conducting town halls with city officials, traveling state to state to conduct rallies, protests and podcast to spread a message nation wide.

At the end of 2020, I found out I was pregnant. First time mother scared out of my mind. “How will I continue my journey with a baby?” “Will people still support me and my movement if I take off for a year to birth my baby?” All of these questions are running through my mind. The biggest of all “should I keep this baby?”

I notified the president of the organization I was apart of and HE was upset. “She messed up.” “I didn’t want this to happen.” “This looks bad for the organization.” “She’s incompetent to do her job duties with a baby.”

My thoughts were all over the place at this point. This was extremely hurtful and disrespectful to me on many levels and that is when I had understood the phrase “Moms can be bosses too.” Let’s not talk about sexist and chauvinism.

I stepped down from my position immediately, continued the movement and created another nonprofit and started a business. That’s how you define resilience.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

As a business owner if you don’t have investors to invest within your startup, all money will come from you. Whether you fundraise it, save it, take from your 9-5 job, all start up funds will come from you.

I saved a little over $2,500 for my start up and prayed that I made sales to cover my equipment and product line.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Dajaimonae
• Facebook: Dajai Monae
• Linkedin: Dajai Monae

Image Credits
Tuesday Nicole – Facebook Komo Photography- Instagram