Hailing from Pittsburgh by way of Ghana, Hawa Who is a name you’ll want to remember. She’s not just a poet, fashion designer, or cybersecurity analyst, she’s a cultural force, building a multidimensional brand that unapologetically celebrates emotional depth, Black luxury, and diasporic identity. Through every poem, garment, and digital post, Hawa Who is inviting others to embrace the full spectrum of who they are.
From Ghana to Global Storytelling
Hawa’s journey began in Ghana, before she immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 12. Her identity as a Ghanaian and Hausa woman deeply informs her art and business today. By day, she’s a Cybersecurity Analyst at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center at Carnegie Mellon University, and by passion, she’s the creative mind behind two self-published poetry books and a thriving fashion brand, all under the name Hawa Who.
“I’ve always existed at the intersection of logic and expression,” she shares. “I’m showing that you can be a poet and a programmer, both can coexist.”
Poet of the Diaspora
Hawa’s literary debut, Petals of My Heart, was a raw exploration of love, loss, and self-reclamation. Her follow-up, You’re a Lover Girl (2025), is a bold declaration of romantic and emotional self-worth and a celebration of modern womanhood. Both books were written, designed, and marketed independently, selling through her own platform, HawaWho.com.
Through poetry, Hawa elevates Black femininity and centers emotional healing. She’s not just writing, she’s curating a world of storytelling. Her creative marketplace, Petals and Pages, aims to extend this experience into merch collaborations and more.
Fashion With a Soul
From the emotional to the visual, Hawa Who Shop, her luxury graphic fashion brand, offers wearable art for men and women. Think contemporary streetwear fused with poetic storytelling, identity expression, and deep cultural roots. Every piece reflects Hawa’s signature aesthetic: soft, soulful, and unapologetically powerful.
Built from scratch, self-funded, and digitally scaled using AI and automation tools, Hawa’s fashion line is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand that integrates e-commerce, emotional branding, and content-led growth, all managed solo by Hawa herself.
Style Icon & STEM Advocate
While building her brand, Hawa has also carved out space in the world of modeling, with features in Vogue, Zara, and Harper’s Bazaar. She blends grace and grit in her presence, a visual storyteller who exudes what she calls “unbothered elegance with poetic depth.”
But perhaps most striking is her role in STEM. As a Black woman in cybersecurity, Hawa is a powerful symbol of duality. “Creative women belong in technical spaces too,” she says. Her visibility in tech and art offers a roadmap for others to embrace complexity rather than conformity.
Purpose Over Popularity
Starting with zero followers, no investors, and no formal team, Hawa’s journey was far from easy. Building her fashion and publishing ventures while balancing a full-time tech job took emotional resilience. The recession hit hard, forcing her to pivot toward deeper storytelling and intentional product launches.
“I wasn’t just selling clothes or poems, I was creating safe spaces for people like me,” she explains. Her success is rooted in authenticity, community, and intentional growth over viral trends.
A Brand That Heals, Inspires, and Liberates
Hawa Who is more than a business, it’s a movement. Her brand offers:
- Books that dive into love, diaspora identity, and self-worth.
- Fashion that embodies emotional honesty and Black luxury.
- Creative services and speaking engagements that uplift complex, creative identities.
Using a fully vertical business model, Hawa maintains full ownership of her art, brand narrative, and customer experience. She consults on identity-based branding and plans to expand into workshops, pop-ups, and merch collaborations centered on healing and cultural pride.
Inspiring the Next Generation
For Hawa, the goal is simple yet profound: “I want people to stop shrinking and start expressing. You don’t have to choose between softness and strength, you can be both.”
Through her presence, poetry, and products, Hawa is shaping a space where African American poets, Black luxury fashion, and self-published Black women authors rise in cultural resonance.
Her Vision for the Future
Her vision for the future is rooted in purpose and global impact. Hawa hopes to build a creative ecosystem that not only uplifts Black voices but also creates spaces for emotional healing through storytelling. Whether it’s a hoodie that speaks volumes or a haiku that softens the soul, her mission is clear, she wants people to wear their story proudly, boldly, and beautifully. Every poem, design, and digital post she shares is part of a larger movement to inspire unapologetic self-expression and cultural confidence.
You can connect with Hawa and explore her vibrant world of poetry, fashion, and creative storytelling by visiting her official platforms. Dive into her literary works and fashion collections on her website at hawawho.com, and follow her journey, inspirations, and latest creations on Instagram at @hawawho_official
