Meet Chemo | Creative director model and photography

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chemo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi chemo, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
My Name is Chemo Fofana I was born in a small country in West Africa called Liberia. I grew up in a small house with 7 people, which was super difficult because we only had 2 bedrooms. My cousin and I always slept on the floor in the living room which was hard because it would be cold at night during rainy season and very hot during the dry season. When I was 2 years old my parents won a lottery visa to come to the United States. I couldn’t come with them because my name was not on the document, so I had to stay in Liberia with my grandparents. Growing up I always thought my grandparents were my parents, but people would always tell me that my biological parents were in the United States. I didn’t believe them because I had grown up with my grandparents for as long as I could remember. Every time I spoke with my mom on the phone I always called her auntie because I thought she was my aunt. My grandparents would insist that she was my biological Mom but I never believed them. When I was 13 my biological parents wanted me to move to the United States but I refused to move because I didn’t want to leave my grandparents and my country that I loved. When I was 15, my biological parents told me that they would like to take me on a Summer vacation in America for 3 months. I was happy about that because I had never gone on a summer vacation. All of my friends always got to go on vacation, but I was never allowed to go. By the time all of my documents were ready I was already 16. When my family brought me to the airport my grandparents started acting weird—like not looking in my face, and they were crying. I was so confused about why they would cry. When I asked them they wouldn’t say anything. Once it was time to board the plane and leave Liberia, my grandparents gave me a hug and told me that they loved me. I took the flight from Liberia to Morocco. I was in Morocco for 4 hours waiting for my flight to New York City. When I arrived in New York I couldn’t even recognize my biological Mom—who was going to pick me up from the airport. My Grandparents gave me a picture of her so I could find her, but she saw me first. She ran up to me clearly very excited and hugged me. She told me that she missed me. I still didn’t trust it. I looked at the picture and looked at her face. It was a match. After that we took the taxi home. Once we got there I met my dad, he showed me my room and the shower. A few days passed and my mom told me that my dad and my 3 young siblings were leaving on vacation. After 3 months I asked my boigilcal mom when I was going back to Liberia. She told me “soon.” After a couple of days, she said it was time for me to go back to my country. My biological mom took a flight with me from NewYork. I was confused because the airport we had landed at didn’t look like the Moroccan airport. She told me not to worry, we were going to take another flight from this airport—which was Detroit—to Morocco, then from there to Liberia. When the next flight—the flight we took from Detroit—landed, we came to the Grand Rapids airport. Again, nothing was lining up, everything looked unfamiliar. I asked again. She told me that I will be leaving the following day. We left the airport and took a car to the house, I found out that this is where my dad and siblings had been living. The next day I asked again when I should get ready to leave for the airport. She told me that she wanted to talked to me about something. I thought she would tell me to start packing, so I answered with a nonchalant “ok.” She asked me to come to her bedroom. She never lets anyone into her bedroom. She apologized half-heartedly, saying that I was going to be living in the United States with her, and that I’m going to be going to school here. I was heartbroken. My world was shattered because my grandparents didn’t tell me the truth. I called them and they told me that they did what they did because they wanted a better future for me. I started school as a freshman at East Kentwood High School. Going to school was challenging because the system was different from what I was used to. When I would go home from school my mom would yell and scream. She would threaten and abuse me. I wasn’t going to give up. I always studied hard to pass my classes even with everything that was going on in my life. Somehow, despite all the odds stacked against me, I graduated high school. I’ve since moved out of my biological parents’ house, and started pursuing things that interest me like photography, modeling, and styling. I believe that everything happens for a reason. My story inspires me to keep pushing forward through every difficulty, because there is nothing more difficult than what I have already faced.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a photographer that specializes in fashion photography.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I really enjoy the nature around Grand rapids. I think its cool how the weather is always changing. I really like Chez Olga—its a Carribean food restaurant in the eastside.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My girlfriend Esther has been there to support me throughout my recent years and I am so grateful for her support.

Website: https://www.esisdesignstudio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eden_fofana?igsh=Nzh6NXNvNTIxdjlm&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
My girlfriend Esther Heethuis took my pictures.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/es.star.heet?igsh=MWVqamNrbW10NWt3Mw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr