Ariana Austin Makonnen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Princess Ariana |
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Princess Ariana at the Seeds of Africa Benefit in New York City
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| Born | Ariana Joy Lalita Austin Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Spouse |
Prince Joel Dawit Makonnen
(m. 2017) |
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| House | Solomon (by marriage) | ||||
| Father | Bobby William Austin | ||||
| Mother | Joy Ford | ||||
| Religion | Ethiopian Orthodox | ||||
| Occupation | Philanthropist, writer, arts manager | ||||
| Education | |||||
Princess Ariana Austin Makonnen of Ethiopia is an American writer, arts manager, and someone who helps others (a philanthropist). She was born Ariana Joy Lalita Austin. She started an evening arts festival called Art All Night. She also founded a creative company named French Thomas.
In 2018, Princess Ariana and her husband started Old World/New World Productions. This is a media company that makes movies and TV shows. Their focus is on stories about people of African heritage around the world.
Princess Ariana is the granddaughter of John Meredith Ford, who was a Lord Mayor in Georgetown, Guyana. She works as a Goodwill Ambassador for Friends of Guyana. This means she helps promote good relationships and understanding for Guyana. In 2019, she spoke at a big conference for women leaders in Guyana. She is part of the Ethiopian imperial family because she married Prince Joel Dawit Makonnen. He is the great-grandson of Emperor Haile Selassie I, a famous ruler of Ethiopia.
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About Princess Ariana's Family
Princess Ariana was born in Washington, D.C.. Her father is Bobby William Austin. He was the first African-American professor at Georgetown University. Her mother is Joy Ford. She used to lead an organization called Humanities DC.
Princess Ariana has both African-American and Indo-Guyanese family roots. Her grandfather, John Meredith Ford, was the Lord Mayor of Georgetown, Guyana. Her great-grandfather, Thomas Janki, was an important religious leader in British Guiana.
Education and Her Work
Princess Ariana studied English literature at Fisk University. She graduated with high honors. While at Fisk, she was invited into a special academic honor society called Phi Beta Kappa. She also studied abroad in England at Magdalen College, Oxford. She even traveled the world studying on a program called Semester at Sea.
She earned a master's degree from Harvard University. This degree was in arts education and creative writing. After college, she moved to Paris, France. There, she worked as a teacher and a journalist.
Art All Night and French Thomas
Inspired by a French art festival, Princess Ariana created Art All Night. This is an evening arts festival in Washington, D.C. It shows off visual art, live painting, music, light shows, and poetry.
Five years after starting Art All Night, she founded French Thomas. This company creates cultural and educational events. They have worked in New York City, Camden, and Washington, D.C.
Princess Ariana also works in philanthropy. This means she helps manage money given to good causes. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for Friends of Guyana. She has also written articles for HuffPost.
Media and Leadership
In November 2018, Princess Ariana and her husband started Old World/New World Productions. This media company makes documentaries, movies, and TV shows. Their goal is to tell stories about Africa and people of African descent around the world.
In May 2019, Princess Ariana helped host a special dinner for women leaders. In September 2019, she was a speaker at a women's leadership conference in Guyana. She talked about how to use culture to create businesses.
Her Personal Life
Princess Ariana met Prince Joel Dawit Makonnen in December 2005. He is a great-grandson of the last Emperor of Ethiopia. They met at a nightclub in Washington, D.C.. They got engaged in 2014.
The couple married on September 9, 2017. Their wedding was an Ethiopian Orthodox ceremony. It took place at a church in Temple Hills, Maryland. Before the wedding, Princess Ariana changed her religion to Orthodox Christianity.
Thirteen priests led the wedding ceremony. The New York Times wrote about their wedding, and it became very popular online. During the ceremony, both Princess Ariana and Prince Joel were crowned. This is a tradition in Orthodox weddings.
The wedding party was held at Foxchase Manor in Manassas, Virginia. More than 300 guests attended. The wedding celebrations lasted for five days, from September 5 to September 10.
