Author: oshunxala

From Beats by Dre to Kenzo to Project Runway!

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In 2012 I made my first appearance on National TV in a Beats by Dre commercial as a dancer seen alongside LeBron James, Cam Newton, Lil Wayne, Machine Gun Kelly and others. I had been wanting to get my face on television for a while. I had just finished doing a couple of years of background work when I decided to start doing commercials. I joined LA Casting and submitted myself on various projects.

When people started calling me out of nowhere saying, “Hey I just saw you in a headphones commercial,” it was such a surreal feeling. I wanted more of that feeling.

2014

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About a year or so after doing my Beats by Dre commercial and getting an agent immediately after that, I got booked as a dancer on a campaign code named ‘Waack.’ Little did I know that this campaign would end up being a WORLDWIDE campaign running for two years for Kenzo Totem Parfum. It would be seen everywhere from Russia to Martinique, from South Africa to Paris. I was featured in the commercial and the two main billboards. I’d also meet 8 of the most talented amazing people that I’m thankful to know and we’d call ourselves K9, for Kenzo 9! People who traveled and saw the campaign kept sending me photos of myself in different countries. That was some cool stuff to have my face in places I hadn’t even been yet.

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Now in 2017, I will be one of 16 designers competing on national television on Project Runway!

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I notice how I always STAND OUT!

In each of these instances I let God take the reign. I just sit back and let it be. I’m thankful for all of the opportunities presented and enjoy them and I am always looking forward to the next. I do know however that I also co-create these opportunities with the Most High.

If I hadn’t been obedient in taking the action for what I wanted for myself, none of this would’ve happened. As Elie Goulding stated in the Beats by Dre Commercial, “Anything Can Happen!” So I’m making sure I make it happen for myself! Anything I want!

What’s next?!?

I’m eager to be obedient to that leap of action and see…and have accomplishments like these happen more than often and just inspire, impact and have fun along the way.

All Glory to the Most High

Batani-Khalfani

Destined to Rule!

Batani-Khalfani on Project Runway!

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Los Angeles based designer, Batani-Khalfani will be a part of the cast of designers on Season 16 of Project Runway! Project Runway airs August 17, 2017 and 8pm on the Lifetime Network.
Batani-Khalfani is known for her contemporary Ankara designs as well as unique high fashion designs. To get in touch with Batani-Khalfani for appearances, interviews, seminars, etc., email, designer@batanikhalfani.com. To see some of Batani-Khalfani’s designs go to www.batanikhalfani.com or IG Batani-Khalfani.

To pull any designs for red carpet, magazines etc., email designer@batanikhalfani.com.

Photos by Jonte Campbell, IG: @lab_addikt

 Batani-Khalfani,  Destined to Rule!

IG: @batanikhalfani

FB: Batani-Khalfani 

Tomeekha Pitre’s Self Realization Retreat

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This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending and faciliting yoga at Tomeekha Pitre’s Self-Realization Retreat.

Twelve women including myself gathered at a luxurious home in Desert Hot Springs, CA to partake in silent meditation, energizing juices and foods, words of wisdom and healing, yoga and amazing scenic views from March 24-March 27. The experience was life ascending.

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Queen Series: Queen Nzinga

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Welcome to the Queen Series, highlighting and paying homage to the different African Queens throughout time who have paved the way.

We first bring you Queen Nzinga, a fierce warrior Queen!

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Queen of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms of the Angolan Mbundu people, she fought against the Portuguese and set her people free from capture.

One of the best know stories of Nzinga was when she was sent to represent the king during the meeting with Joao Corria de Sousa, the Portuguese governor, in Luanda. Prior to the meeting, the Portuguese are said to have prepared the room with only one chair. This meant that Nzinga would be obliged to stand during the negotiations, thus making her seem inferior. Instead of doing so, Nzinga had one of her male servants get down on his hands and knees, thus serving as her chair.

She was a warrior Queen who fought and didn’t back down. In 1626, Nzinga became the queen of her people following her brother’s death. In the same year, the Portuguese renewed their attacks against the Ndongo by hiring the Imbangala to do their fighting for them. Unable to defeat the Portuguese militarily, Nzinga and her people fled westwards, and founded a new state at Matamba.

From Matamba, Nzinga fought against the Portuguese in a war that lasted three decades. Amongst other measures, the queen offered sanctuary to runaway slaves and Portuguese-trained African soldiers who came to her kingdom. Additionally, she stirred up unrest within Ndongo as well, which was at that time controlled indirectly by the Portuguese via a puppet king. Moreover, Nzinga exploited European rivalries to her advantage. This can be seen in the alliance that she forged with the Dutch, who were the rivals of Portugal.

Nzinga is said to have continued her fight against the Portuguese. More importantly, perhaps, were the efforts made by her to transform her kingdom into a commercial power, considering that it occupied a strategic position between a part of the African coast and it’s interior. By the time of her death in 1663, Matamba is said to have had developed into a formidable commercial state that was able to deal with the Portuguese on an equal footing.

What an amazing warrior Queen. She is an inspiration to us all. The passion and fight for her people led her to being one of the most revered Queens in our history.

Long live Queen Nzinga!

Photography by Sean Nicholas Amey

Creative Direction and Styling: I AM BATANI

Crown by: Shop 1323

Queens Reign Supreme

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Stealth

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In another life I was a bad ass ninja with stealth moves and fly dresses…in my arsenal was a piercing stare and I wore long red braided hair…

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All photographs by Jonte Campbell.

Creative Direction and Styling: I AM BATANI

-Be bold, be free, be Batani-Khalfani. 

 

With a smile

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When I was a child, I was always seen with a huge smile. It amazed everyone that I was happy all of the time. How could that be?

Now as an adult I still wear the huge smile but not as much, maybe about eighty percent of the time. Other times when my eyebrows are furrowed, I’m in deep thought but still smiling on the inside.

No matter what goes on in my life, I decided that my smile was my best accessory, my best weapon and my ultimate truth.

So I smile big and very often.

It not only helps me create an aura of positive energy, it allows me to transfer that energy to others. In some ways I feel like my smile is my super power and that my laugh can drive away all hurt, anger and sadness and that if I see a stranger we can automatically connect back to our essence…with a smile.

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Headshot by Blaze Hall.
“Smile from the inside, out.”

-Be bold, be free, Be Batani-Khalfani!