Ifeanyi Chijindu
Encyclopedia
Ifeanyi also credited as Ifeanyi Chijindu is a Nigerian-American
author
/writer
, entrepreneur
, artist
, actress and screenwriter
.
Nigerian-American. Ifeanyi spent most of her childhood living throughout various cities within southern California
's Inland Empire
.
at eleven and at 15, Ifeanyi sold her first short story
and won 2nd place for it in a contest hosted by Superior Communications and Publications.
By 17, Ifeanyi regularly performed her poetry
at paid venues. Around this same time, Ifeanyi also deepened her interest in acting
and won the part of Maya Angelou
in a local play called Women In Love.
A Girl's Life...the Song that Never Ends, a themed poetry
collection, was published in 2004 and centered on Chijindu's experiences about love, hatred, family, spirituality, racism, sexuality, individual and ethnic identity throughout her childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. Cal Poly Pomona presented her with the Golden Leaves Award in recognition for her literary achievement and for being the youngest person at the university to receive this award.
In 2005, Black Diaspora Magazine published "Healing from Within," Ifeanyi's feature article about Djehuty Maat
-Ra
, creator of DHERBS and celebrity herbalist
who counts celebrities like R & B singer Brandy
and actor Blair Underwood
as part of his clientele.
Ifeanyi wrote for The Poly Post newspaper from 2005–2007 where she displayed her incisive writing style with her cultural profiles on artists like Salvadoran painter Carlos Flores and in film reviews of movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, The Reaping
and The Return
.
In 2007, Ifeanyi's film critiques and social editorials allowed her to receive an award from the Society of Professional Journalists
for "Best Editorial" for an article about how on-campus ethnic centers promote separatism and racism.
In addition to writing, painting, and acting throughout her adolescence and early adulthood, Ifeanyi worked as a freelance make up artist for aspiring actresses and models before creating Goddess
Cosmetics
, Accessories
& Toiletries also known as Goddess C.A.T., an online shop featuring Goddess-inspired accessories along with herbal cosmetics and skin care.
Goddess C.A.T. became one of the few early companies who created healthy cosmetics for women of color before ethnic and herbal
make up gained mainstream
popularity with older cosmetic
corporations.
Goddess C.A.T., Ifeanyi's beauty advice and social commentaries on issues relating to women's roles and beauty ideals have been featured in various newspapers, websites, women's and beauty magazines and blogs such as Glamour
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
/writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, actress and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
.
Early life
Ifeanyi was born in Nigeria and is a first generationFirst generation
The term First Generation can refer to:*First generation immigrant, a citizen or resident who is an immigrant or has immigrant parents*Anything of the earliest kind, often used when describing computers or technology....
Nigerian-American. Ifeanyi spent most of her childhood living throughout various cities within southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's Inland Empire
Inland Empire (California)
The Inland Empire is a region in Southern California. The region sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Inland Empire most commonly is used in reference to the U.S. Census Bureau's federally-defined Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, which covers more than...
.
Career
Ifeanyi showed a childhood interest in literature when she had her first poem published at eight, completed a 90-page novellaNovella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
at eleven and at 15, Ifeanyi sold her first short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
and won 2nd place for it in a contest hosted by Superior Communications and Publications.
By 17, Ifeanyi regularly performed her poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
at paid venues. Around this same time, Ifeanyi also deepened her interest in acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
and won the part of Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou is an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly...
in a local play called Women In Love.
A Girl's Life...the Song that Never Ends, a themed poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
collection, was published in 2004 and centered on Chijindu's experiences about love, hatred, family, spirituality, racism, sexuality, individual and ethnic identity throughout her childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. Cal Poly Pomona presented her with the Golden Leaves Award in recognition for her literary achievement and for being the youngest person at the university to receive this award.
In 2005, Black Diaspora Magazine published "Healing from Within," Ifeanyi's feature article about Djehuty Maat
Maat
Maat is a naval rank of the German navy equivalent to the army rank of Unteroffizier. A Maat is considered the equivalent of a junior Petty Officer in the navies of many other nations....
-Ra
Ra
Ra is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty he had become a major deity in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the mid-day sun...
, creator of DHERBS and celebrity herbalist
Herbalist
An herbalist is:#A person whose life is dedicated to the economic or medicinal uses of plants.#One skilled in the harvesting and collection of medicinal plants ....
who counts celebrities like R & B singer Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
and actor Blair Underwood
Blair Underwood
Blair Underwood is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving numerous Golden Globe Award...
as part of his clientele.
Ifeanyi wrote for The Poly Post newspaper from 2005–2007 where she displayed her incisive writing style with her cultural profiles on artists like Salvadoran painter Carlos Flores and in film reviews of movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, The Reaping
The Reaping
The Reaping is an 2007 American horror film, starring Hilary Swank. The film was directed by Stephen Hopkins for Warner Bros. and Dark Castle Entertainment. The music for the film was scored by John Frizzell.-Plot:...
and The Return
The Return (2006 film)
The Return is a 2006 psychological thriller directed by Asif Kapadia. The film stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kate Beahan, Peter O'Brien, and Sam Shepard...
.
In 2007, Ifeanyi's film critiques and social editorials allowed her to receive an award from the Society of Professional Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
for "Best Editorial" for an article about how on-campus ethnic centers promote separatism and racism.
In addition to writing, painting, and acting throughout her adolescence and early adulthood, Ifeanyi worked as a freelance make up artist for aspiring actresses and models before creating Goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
Cosmetics
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
, Accessories
Fashion accessory
Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement and complement clothes, such as jewelery, gloves, handbags, hats, belts, scarves, wigs, watches, sunglasses, pins, stockings, bow ties, hand fans, leg warmers, leggings, neckties, suspenders, and tights....
& Toiletries also known as Goddess C.A.T., an online shop featuring Goddess-inspired accessories along with herbal cosmetics and skin care.
Goddess C.A.T. became one of the few early companies who created healthy cosmetics for women of color before ethnic and herbal
Herbal
AThe use of a or an depends on whether or not herbal is pronounced with a silent h. herbal is "a collection of descriptions of plants put together for medicinal purposes." Expressed more elaborately — it is a book containing the names and descriptions of plants, usually with information on their...
make up gained mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
popularity with older cosmetic
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
corporations.
Goddess C.A.T., Ifeanyi's beauty advice and social commentaries on issues relating to women's roles and beauty ideals have been featured in various newspapers, websites, women's and beauty magazines and blogs such as Glamour