Episode 6 | From Oakland to West Africa: Akintunde Ahmad Weaves Cultural Preservation, Transparency & Decolonization into Global Fashion Systems

Akintunde Ahmad is not just a designer—he’s a disruptor, a political poet, and a fourth-generation Oakland native with revolution in his DNA. As the founder of Ade Dehye, his work isn’t just about fashion—it’s about radically ethical design.

Rooted in Oakland’s legacy of political defiance and sartorial swagger, Akintunde bridges continents, weaving West Africa’s ancestral craftsmanship with a future of fashion that prioritizes sustainability, transparency, and decolonization. In this very real conversation, he lays bare the hard truths: how the global fashion industry has long profited from African labor while shutting out Black designers, and why it’s imperative for folks to build ethical, circular fashion systems that equitably center - not exploit - the continent.

But Akintunde doesn’t just talk the talk. He’s about the receipts—ensuring that the very artisans and communities most impacted by climate injustices are creatively and economically elevated. He calls on Black American creatives, visionaries, and entrepreneurs to forge real partnerships with African textile experts while dismantling the racialized capitalist barriers that keep Black designers locked out and the global diaspora disconnected. (Hello F.U.B.U) 

This isn’t just about clothes—it’s about global community, cultural preservation, and a revolution in how we communicate, connect and create.

Tap In! 

https://adedehye.com/

https://www.akintundeahmad.com/

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