Seeing as I am constantly surrounded by other Ghanaians, it’s not hard to sneak glances of authentic Kente cloth with swirling patterns and bright colors out of the corner of my eye.

What’s a little less common, though, is seeing people of other cultures and ethnicities strut down the sidewalk with a headwrap and traditional beading around their necks.

Or so I thought.

As of late, I’ve seen more and more diversity amongst who buys and wears West African clothing, the market for apparel expanding and ever-changing.

Usually, I’d expand on the unreasonably large margin for error and cultural appropriation—but today, I’m taking a more positive approach, looking at the bright side.

Ghanaian retailers and designers are profiting due to cultural diffusion and marketing on social media, encouraging others to try new things and expand their horizons beyond what they’ve seen in westernized department stores and online.

I’ve never been ashamed of my culture or anything of the sort, but I feel a little more prideful about being the face of my mother’s clothing business and choosing to wear a kente skirt every now and then.

Little confidence boosts like this do wonders for me as an African American in a world that demonizes and contests anything foreign. 

Had I grown up in an area that wasn’t so bent on labeling me and chose to celebrate who I am and what being Ghanaian comes with, I may have tapped into it sooner. Several beautiful dresses were left to rot and collect dust in drawers because I did not want it to be what defined my identity.

Today, there’s more to me than being Ghanaian, but it’s still who I am, and I am eternally grateful for those who have opened up their minds to spreading and receiving that culture with open arms.