Olivia Senghor - Dongala

Olivia is a mother, a wife, a writer, an artist, and activist. She is a beauty industry veteran with over a decade of experience. She founded and runs her beauty agency called ”A La Mode Management LLC”.

Her agency has serviced clients ranging from celebrities, music performers, models and bridal parties in Europe and America.

She has focused her artistic passion around black consciousness and empowerment with projects like Afropolitain Magazine, Representing African illustrator Nicholle Kobi and various entrepreneurial endeavors.

She continues to pursue her makeup/grooming artistry while writing her blog, her poetry and participating to podcasts. In her 40's, she now reaches another great milestone in her career—published author.

Born in Senegal into a rich heritage that includes works like "Negritude" from her uncle Leopold Sedar Senghor, poet and founding President of Senegal, she brings an African outlook to her work despite having spent her late childhood in Paris, France. Overall, she brings a historically colorful perspective to the modern black narrative.

She currently resides in the USA. However, as a Pan-African and a spiritual person reconnecting with her ancient biblical bloodline "Black Hebrew", she recently decided to take a break from the "West" to return to the land of her ancestors to learn from the Lemba tribe, Igbos, Bantu Jews and the migration of the lost tribes of Israel. She hopes to settle in her native continent. Africa is the ”nectar of her being”.

 

PORTRAITS OF INFERIORITY

This pitch black book weaves stories of characters who are interconnected by their portrayal of the complex struggle with black identity.

In her first ever book, Olivia Senghor-Dongala shares provocative inspiring stories. ​

The cast consists of black men and women identified by their names and professions.
Thought-provoking subjects are tackled.

OLIVIA SENGHOR-DONGALA originally wrote these monologues as separate stories. She wanted the public to have a feel of each character and perhaps allow the reader to relate to one.
The purpose is to see the problem for what it truly is. Her writing style is idiosyncratic and she often uses vernacular language, unique structure, and unorthodox punctuation (excuse her French) to emphasize syncopation.
Portraits Of Inferiority is a theatrical piece full of elements of caricature in the portrayal of the "Heroes and Sheroes". The description, or imitation of the characters is written in which written in which certain striking characteristics and thoughts are exaggerated in order to create a grotesque effect and an uncomfortable feeling in the mind of reader. This first book of "The Pitch Black Books Series" is ultimately a tool for emancipation, empowerment and mental liberation.
​The author wanted to write her portraits in a way that mimicked how every day "Blacks" think, act and speak, so she could draw her reader's focus to the experience of reading and listening.

Her ultimate desire is to have the monologues performed on stage (live) and adapted as an audio book.

As a sum of monologues, the first of the pitch black books volume series, is untitled « Portraits of Inferiority ».

It is a revolutionary art piece, containing a series of twenty separate stories that are accompanied by the pictures of the amazing documentary photographer MAROUSSIA MBAYE.

As of now, Olivia Senghor-Dongala is working on her second pitch black book untitled "Triumph". A horror story that tragically, has always been part of the black existence. Triumph is a testimony. A cautionary tale, for "Black Men" in a society where "White" is always right. It is a book based on a true story of Rape, Race and the failure of the US justice system.

You can purchase the books on Amazon platforms for kindle, paperback formats and on her personal online store for the hardcover table book.

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WORDS OF THE AUTHOR

Controversy is everywhere around us. Everyone has an opinion, some stronger than others. What makes a topic controversial is not just the disagreements behind it, but the emotional reactions and how long those disagreements can last. Many go on for months, years, or even decades. This book I hope will spark healthy debates and keep the audience engaged.

The point of speaking on this controversial topic is to get my people talking. Of course, there are going to be those that still disagree with me when all is said and done. However, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Behind my words is really a wake-up call to the black audience. I am trying to shed light on a situation from my own perspective. Usually When people hit a nerve, they know they’re doing something important. So I find it necessary to shake our comfortable minds.

I try to be fearless, truthful, and go with my gut. But also, I always remember to be respectful and to stay relevant. There sometimes is a very fine line between speaking my mind and simply insulting others, which is never my goal. I am not here to offend anyone. "The Pitch Blacks Books" exclusively are for emancipation and self love.

Olivia Senghor