Ameiye Ballard

Professionally, I am a retired OB/GYN Nurse Practitioner, a lay midwife, and CPR instructor.  I also teach Pigeonese/Piglatin as a language.  I am an ordained Minister of Metaphysics, since 1992, and I have a Masters, degree in Metaphysics. “The Spirit of A Woman” and “Don’t Push the River” are two books that I have published. My five wonderful and creative children are my lifeline and keep me sane.

I met Kwame in 1967 one Easter Sunday while at the Bronx zoo with my two oldest daughters. He approached me and began telling me how black and beautiful I was, and that he was part of an organization that puts on fashion shows for black woman with natural hair. He was talking very fast because I was looking at him like he was crazy. Although I knew he was telling the truth because my father always told me how black and beautiful, and I looked like the Nubian woman of Africa.

Kwame then presented me with his business card. About a week later I went down to meet him in Harlem at his studio.  There I met his brother Elombe. He introduced himself and when I told him that my name was Eleanor, he said, “oh no we will have to find you an African name.” We then walked over to a wall, and he showed me an article of a woman who had just returned to Nigeria and her name was Ameiye. It meant the innocent one in Yoruba and was pronounced (AH-May-EE-Yey).

 My experience with the Grandassa models has given me the courage to forge ahead in my life. (GANEHO) (It is all good.)