Southern University is dedicated and well-known for producing excellence in many aspects, and the students are no exception. 21-year-old Amaya Johnson, a Southern University senior, is a prime example of Southern’s Excellence. Amaya is the creator of Meraki by Maya, a custom fashion brand providing a wide variety of handcrafted products, from elaborately designed dresses to protective silk bonnets.
Amaya has been sewing since the age of 16 and started Meraki by Maya in 2020 during the pandemic. When you are a creative person, inspiration can come from anywhere, for Amaya specifically, she states, “I get my design inspiration mostly from my clients… other times it can come from TikTok, and things I may see and like on TV or in real life.” Amaya’s talent has not gone unnoticed from the community, as she has crafted and customized dresses for birthdays, prom, photoshoots, etc., in addition to flag and majorette uniforms for St. James High School, all of which resulted in glowing reviews for Ms. Johnson herself. Most of her creative processes are shown on her Instagram page, @MerakibyMaya.
After being an entrepreneur for five years, she continues to find inspiration from her growth as both a business owner and student. As students, a common struggle is balancing schoolwork with extracurriculars. Amaya confesses, “Balancing school and business is not easy, but I do it by taking things day by day… Keeping up with my daily and weekly to-do list is extremely vital to ensure academic success as well as entrepreneurial.” As a fashion merchandising major, there is a lot of intersection between her schooling and business, and Amaya also credits her education as a factor that continues to push her and her business further, “The more I learn, the more I am able to apply.”
Of course, being a business owner comes with its own set of challenges. Amaya is no stranger to these challenges, as she recalls,” I have had multiple setbacks, some monetary, and some unsatisfied clients,” but neither of these obstacles prevented her from continuing on her journey as a fashion designer. Upon graduation, Amaya expresses a desire to continue expanding her brand and eventually open a showroom to host her designs.
Ms. Johnson also leaves a word of advice for other students interested in starting their own business, “Do lots of research, and take advantage of free certifications and workshops, because they can teach you a lot.” Amaya’s dedication to perfecting her craft is influential to students and future students at Southern University because she shows that it is possible to pursue career goals and education simultaneously, and in style.
