Interview of Akasha Barker

Akasha Barker describes her childhood in Brooklyn, growing up with an immigrant mother, and the influence of her Caribbean background. She discusses being artistic and being bullied for being nerdy and feminine, as well as finding community, transitioning, being kicked out of her home, and becoming an emancipated teenager at the age of fifteen. She discusses becoming an outreach worker, her experiences with police harassment and arrest, and how she has persisted despite almost dying and experiencing trauma and abuse. Finally, she shares how she continually finds ways to give back to her community.

Date of Interview:

July 12, 2018

Location of Interview:

NYPL Offices, Midtown Manhattan

Place of birth:

Boston, MA

Pronouns:

she/her/hers they/them/theirs

Interviewed by

Sebastián Castro Niculescu

Summary by

Lane Goldszer