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Ronke | Disabled Artist & Traveler

@ronkeadejare

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🇳🇬🇺🇸 artist navigating adulthood, media & travel with a disability
founder @aoadigitalstorytelling
📍nj+nyc|@yalealumni
💌[email protected]

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I'm Ronke Adejare. I am a Nigerian-American theater artist, computer scientist, and content creator from New Jersey. I recently graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in Computing and the Arts with a concentration in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies. Now, I'm adjusting to post-grad life and learning How to Adult for the first time.

The transition from high-achieving student to independent working woman has not been easy, especially as someone with a chronic illness. I live with Sickle Cell Disease (HbSC) a blood disorder that causes fatigue and pain episodes. While it doesn't define me, it does dictate how I live a lot. It is time and energy consuming and very unpredictable. And sometimes what hurts more than the disease is the stereotypes and stigma people with the disease face, whether it's medical racism in the U.S. or social ostracization in Nigeria.

By learning about disability in college and embracing the identity of disabled, I've been able to better manage my illness in an ableist society. Learning to accept all parts of me has taken time but it has made me a person proud in who I am and the communities I represent.

I am sharing my journey for other high-achieving, first-born daughters of immigrants. For Black girls who want to chase all their dreams but also need rest. For people with Sickle Cell and other disabilities who want to be seen beyond the myths and stereotypes. To showcase the joy people with disabilities can experience through travel, art, and beyond while taking care of themselves and their health.

Comment below what you are most eager to learn about navigating young adulthood from a disabled Black girl perspective and follow me @ronkeadejare to join my journey.

#sicklecellwarrior #disabilityawareness #blackgirlmagic #naijababe #genz by @ronkeadejare

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8 months ago

Orange in The House by Aderonke Adejare

I was Inspired to write this poem by Artemis II Mission Pilot Victor Glover listening to Gil Scot-Heron's "Whitey On the Moon" at least once a week on his way to work. Much has progressed in this country since the original poem came out in 1972 yet much has stayed the same. Much has been exacerbated by this current administration.

Happy National Poetry Month! Check out @kocafejc's monthly Open Mic, hosted by @uzothepoet whenever you're in Jersey City. I am so grateful for this space for being my (artistic) home away from home. Also thank you to my little sissy @adeola.679 for being you ❤️

I will continue to make art reflective of our time, critical of our current political landscape, and for the communities I care about. Follow me @ronkeadejare for more!

#poetry #nationalpoetrymonth #sicklecell #artemisii #blackartists taken in Ko Cafe by @ronkeadejare

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6 months ago

bc the exoticism and eroticism of her to the boys got me thinking it's not just them but reflective of the pervasiveness of orientalism in Western culture still to this day... or is this too academic for y'all?

#casaamor #loveisland #parmida #yale #explore by @ronkeadejare

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4 months ago

Periods can be a monthly debilitating experience for people with sickle cell disease.

Birth control (hormone therapy) is an option more people with SCD should consider to improve their quality of life! Please discuss with your care team about what's right for you.

I am excited to talk about this topic because it is an undertalked about complication within the Sickle Cell community yet it's so common. Leave a comment below if you'd be interested in more videos about reproductive health, hormone therapy and sickle cell!

References

Day, M. E., Stimpson, S. J., Rodeghier, M., Ghafuri, D., Callaghan, M., Zaidi, A. U., ... & Sharma, D. (2019). Contraceptive methods and the impact of menstruation on daily functioning in women with sickle cell disease. Southern Medical Journal, 112(3), 174-179.

Pecker, L. H., Hussain, S., Lanzkron, S., Tao, X., Thaler, K., Burke, A. E., & Whaley, N. (2021). Women with sickle cell disease report low knowledge and use of long acting reversible contraception. Journal of the National Medical Association, 113(5), 552–559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnma.2021.05.005

Roe, A. H., Lang, B., McAllister, A., Gaitors, M. C., Smith-Whitley, K., Schreiber, C. A., & Sayani, F. (2022). Contraceptive use and preferences among females with sickle cell disease. Contraception, 105, 42-45.

Sharma D, Day ME, Stimpson S-J, et al. Acute Vaso-Occlusive Pain is Temporally Associated with the Onset of Menstruation in Women with Sickle Cell Disease. Journal of Women’s Health. 2019;28(2):162-169. doi:10.1089/jwh.2018.7147

#womenshealth #scd #sicklecellawareness #disability #birthcontrol by @ronkeadejare

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14 days ago

Didn't get to post videos weekly about Sickle Cell for Sickle Cell Awareness month because of Sickle Cell 🫠

BUT many are coming soon bc I'm starting to feel better & less underwater!

Sickle Cell Awareness is EVERY MONTH! It's year round!

I can't wait to share the videos I've been cooking up for y'all and hope you enjoy them soon ☺️

#scd #sicklecell #sicklecellawareness #disability #girlhood by @ronkeadejare

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16 days ago

Sickle cell is prevalent in the Americas because of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

I want to ensure that correct information is being shared about Sickle Cell and its prevalence. A very prominent sickle cell organization shared a not so accurate graphic so I wanted to explain why it's incorrect.

Sickle Cell is prevalent in Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East because it's an adaptation to protect against malaria. However, it is not an adaptation against malaria in the Americas, even though malaria is in the Americas. Sickle Cell got to the Americas because of slavery.

It's important to acknowledge how slavery has had lasting impacts on public health globally.

I'm fortunate I have both scientific and personal experience with sickle cell disease. So this month I'm going to focus on translating the scientific to the general public and the personal experience to the scientists.

Sources:
- Life-Threatening Infectious Complications in Sickle Cell Disease: A Concise Narrative Review | Frontiers https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2020.00038
- Global distribution of the sickle cell gene and geographical confirmation of the malaria hypothesis | Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1104
- Tracing the Shadow of Slavery: An Analysis of Sickle Cell Disease's Genetic Legacy in African Diasporic Communities https://www.academia.edu/129360582/Tracing_the_Shadow_of_Slavery_An_Analysis_of_Sickle_Cell_Diseases_Genetic_Legacy_in_African_Diasporic_Communities
- CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/sickle-cell-research/php/transfusion-complications/social-media-graphics.html

#sicklecell #sicklecellawareness #scd #slavery #malaria by @ronkeadejare

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a month ago

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month!! if you really care about your bestie with Sickle Cell (me), become a hematologist!! Pulmonology, ophthalmology, and emergency medicine are also acceptable fields.

More serious and funny videos about SCD coming this month so stick around and follow me @ronkeadejare to learn more!

#scd #sicklecellawareness #sicklecell #medschool #medicine by @ronkeadejare

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a month ago

the video vixen

📹: @kemiomoni

#model #2000s #goldenbirthday #blackgirlmagic #olandria taken in New York City by @ronkeadejare

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2 months ago

Golden Birthday Girl ✨

👗: @ladyblacktie
💋: @adeola.679
👩🏿‍🦱: @slayedinbraids / @m._val
💅🏿:@tlc_nails_and_spa_mantua_nj
📸: @kemiomoni
Face 💳: Mom & Dad (@adekemi1121)

#goldenbirthday #24 #rooftop #hotgirl #nyc taken in Jersey City by @ronkeadejare

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2 months ago

Exposure to Broadway is so powerful.

Seeing Wicked on Broadway in high school led to me majoring in theater, building my leadership and confidence skills, and is the basis for my life as I know it right now.

I was fortunate that my high school hosted a field trip to see a Broadway show for (relatively cheap) $125 in 2018 and it is so amazing that NYC high schoolers will have a to go for free!!!

Seeing one Broadway show can change the course of someone's life. I'm so glad @nycmayor @nycmayorsoffice are choosing to change thousands of lives.

I can go on and on about how awesome this is. Theater education is so important! Support the Arts!

#theater #broadway #mamdani #nyc #livehighlights by @ronkeadejare

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2 months ago

like this was actually my Super Bowl y'all don't understand #loveisland #loveislandusa #brinity #lovewins by @ronkeadejare

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3 months ago

a little message for my SCD warriors today and every day ❤️

#scd #sicklecellwarrior
#sicklecellawareness #worldsicklecellday by @ronkeadejare

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4 months ago