Office for Diversity and Inclusion | The Stern Showcase

“I was Born and raised in BedStuy, Brooklyn. My mother originally wanted to name me Rebekkah from the bible but my father didn’t feel like that would entirely represent me. After doing some research they honored their admiration of the seven Kwanzaa Principles by naming Nia Imani. Nia means purpose and Imani means faith in Swahili. My mother was born in San Fernando, Trinidad and my father was born in Harlem, they combined their different upbringings and values of Black culture with my name. My mother would always tell me growing up that I have a purpose in life and with faith I would be able to navigate the world gracefully.

My current goals upon graduation are to continue working closely with creatives from Brooklyn and being a consultant/marketing director for these artists through my agency, Eban Noire. I will continue editorial modeling and working in luxury retail. I also plan to land a career in Public Relations or as a Business Analyst for Telfar or another Black owned luxury brand.

My highlights of my time at NYU Stern have to be Spring Junior year when I studied abroad in London and was able to travel to many different countries. With that access to global ventures it allowed me to recognize how much larger the world is and how miniscule unpleasant moments are. While living in London for four months I met business owners similar to me and learned a few things about the market abroad. Once I came back from London, I was excited to return to New York campus with more confidence and no longer experiencing imposter syndrome. I wasn’t able to travel much growing up and getting that opportunity was amazing and I wouldn’t have been able to experience that without Stern.

My goal is to fulfill my entrepreneurial dreams and try my absolute best while here at Stern to pave the way for other brilliant Black women just like me, looking to reach success. I mean, it’s in my name, it’s written in the stars, as an Aries named Nia Imani, I have a purpose and with Faith I will serve it under any condition.

As we celebrate Black History Month 2023, I am most proud of seeing the other Black faces around Stern who are taking charge and making space for themselves to learn and grow at the same level as their counterparts. After the pandemic the influx of new Black business owners and passion projects on the rise is amazing to me. I’m proud of our will to still work and find a balance with our hobbies, that is something I was raised to value. My father is a music producer and audio engineer, and my mother works in corporate but lives her dreams through creative writing and acting. I love to see duality and undeniable talent. I am excited to see our next group of legends and inspirational figures from my generation, I am so proud of us!

I am proud to be at Stern because NYU itself is a powerhouse. And Stern separates itself because of our confidence and credibility. Stern is a top business school that is very competitive; and I worked hard to get here. So I’m proud of my accomplishments and all that Stern has to offer in order to continue my journey. My name is Nia Imani Ryan.”