Meet Abesi Manyando | Celebrity Publicist, Author and Songwriter

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

Hi Abesi, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

My thought process was to flourish happily in a field that I enjoyed and have a career not a job. Specifically a career that could give me the freedom to not have to answer to a boss while utilizing my creative skills such as writing and art in someway.  I’ve always known that I wanted to have my own business even as a child. I never pictured working for anyone. As a young girl my initial dreams were to be a fashion designer, artist (painter, illustrator) and later a writer. Ive always known myself to be a creative and knew that I could only be happy flourishing in an artistic field.

Being the child of an immigrant who was highly educated with a doctorate degree, my father pushed my siblings and I to be practical in our education and career choices so I initially went to college as a pre-med/biology student and by sophomore year I knew that I didn’t want to be a doctor anymore. I wanted to major in something that gave me more flexibility to be creative. So I studied business management and marketing because I believed it presented the benefits that I sought. This helped me because I understood that I could integrate that creativity with marketing.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

I am the Founder of the top public relations & branding development firm, Abesi PR. I am also an author. Although I’m most identified as a leading global PR executive, I’ve always seen myself as a creative writer obsessed with art, culture and humanity.

I created a business to survive and ended up thriving instead. My PR firm is a kaleidoscope of various figures in music, entertainment, medicine, sports, philanthropy and politics. I have worked with recognizable names such as  Grammy award-winning artists, Future and Nelly, Rolling Stone’s Artist of the Year, Lil Baby, Saweetie, Dr Ramis Gheith, Senator Jamilah Nasheed,  the George Floyd family and many more.

Outside of my remarkable career as a publicist, I have written for major publications such as The Huffington Post, Blavity, Medium, and XO Necole. I am also the curator and managing editor of 7thandLotus.com, an informative popular lifestyle blog centered around culture, global news, fashion and arts & entertainment.

I am most proud of my popular children’s book, “Jarvais Po: The Secret Adventures of a Potato which is centered around a potato who is getting bullied by some of the other fruits and vegetables on his farm. It is a classic inspiring tale and lesson on self-worth, value and bullying.

Abesi Manyando is a real life “Olivia Pope.” She is best known as the celebrity publicist and strategist behind many of our favorite stars, athletes and politicians but beyond being a global communications strategist and CEO of Abesi PR Media, Abesi defines herself as a true creative gifted in writing, arts and culture. She enjoys drawing, painting, poetry, learning foreign languages, watching ballet and playing tennis.

Abesi is the Author of Amazon best selling children’s book (in inclusive education) Jarvais Po: The  secret adventures of a potato.  The powerful book is becoming a favorite in classrooms all over America because of its lessons on self worth, bullying and the power of embracing your individuality.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

If my best friends,  Diamon or Keisha were  visiting they would first come to the battery and we would walk around the neighborhood and enjoys the restaurants and scenery. I would definitively get them  some braves World Series merch. I would take them to the High Museum of Arts and then to sushi around the corner at Ra Sushi. There is also an extraordinary gallery in the city, Zucot gallery which has incredible pieces and the best Black art in the South.. During the week if they were in the mood for some Caribbean food, I would take them to Rodneys or Collabos which has good African cuisine.

To work off the southern cuisine, we could workout at Pepper Boxing in the Battery where I am a member. I like hiking so we could go to the Chatahooche nature preserve and hiking trail. They have beautiful waterfalls. We could check out live music at a jazz spot. Even though its about 40 minutes from Atlanta, we could drive to Chateau E’lan for wine, the vineyard and the castle kind of setting that every woman should experience.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shoutout all the incredible teachers that I’ve had in my life, Mrs Teague, Mr. Granda, Mr. Uri , Mrs Tipton and my favorite writer, Professor Toni Morrison.

Website: 7thandlotus.com

Instagram: abesipr

Linkedin: Abesi Manyando

Twitter: abesipr

Other: Amazon link for my book https://www.amazon.com/Jarvais-Po-Secret-Adventures-Potato/dp/1736374001

Image Credits
Theary Louneoubonh