An Interview with Atu Darko: A Global Citizen Dedicated to Service
Atu is a global citizen in every sense of the word. The man spent the majority of his career living abroad and has traveled to several different countries. The man speaks five different languages. He is also a talented individual with experience in communications, performance, and science.
What sets him apart though is more than just his career. It is also rooted in who he is as a person. The same characteristics that he embodies in his personal life he also brings to his professional life.
In a recent interview, Atu shared his professional and personal journey. While he tries to maintain a separation between the two, the Global Citizen told me about his journey. The insights he gained working for internationally-recognized names such as Univision, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, NATO served him well. We spoke about love and loss, fortune and opportunity, and how his faith in Buddhism informs him as a service-oriented individual.
The former Director has experience working in environments that put him out of his comfort-zone. Born and raised in New York City, Atu was surrounded by different customs and cultures. He is also the son of Ghanaians who immigrated to the United States. As he grew older Atu learned to appreciate his upbringing while also stepping away from what no longer resonated. This courage first came while he was in school and he became involved in the arts. While attending an art school in New York he tried to become an actor.
"I would walk into rehearsals. There was already a lot of heavy competition for Black actors. Many of them were not being offered opportunities. The ones who were typically had more "American" names. Somebody with a name like Atu? No, I definitely didn't get a call-back."
At the time, no one would hire him. However, he explored other avenues. His love for the arts followed him as he went on to build his career in media. The man was put out of his comfort zone almost immediately. His first role was with Univision. Though he was often the only Black man in a predominantly Latino space, he felt a sense of connection and his coworkers treated him kindly. They also extended opportunities for Atu to learn and grow. It wasn't long before he became fluent in the Spanish language.
“There’s racism in Latino communities to be sure. When I was working with Univision though…there was a sense of camaraderie I often didn’t feel in White circles.”
This is where his love of languages took hold. Atu went on to learn Greek, French, and Dutch during the next step in his career where he served as a Public Relations Officer in Brussels, Belgium for NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). The man grew into his own as a professional working with some of the world's most renowned politicians. Every day was a new experience for him.
Then Atu got the call. After a competitive process, Atu received word that he was offered an opportunity with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. While he moved in his career, Atu became acclimated to Belgian life. The man started performing in theater as a means of celebrating life.
"I got involved with a local troupe. They were absolutely amazing. I felt so warm and accepted by them."
It was while he was in Belgium that Atu also met his husband. The two of them dated and knew each other for several years before they decided to make their union official. Throughout the duration of their union, Atu loved his husband greatly but he also sensed that there was a disconnect. While Atu always considered himself as a spiritual person...this often clashed with the values of his husband...who was an avowed atheist who thought that all religious traditions were basically fairytales.
Early in his life, even before he met his husband, Atu felt a sense of connection with Buddhist traditions. He resonated with their notions of detachment and recognizing that our well-being was often shaped by what was going on within us and not just externally. The man incorporates meditation into his daily practice and he even studied under two Zen masters when he and his husband later moved to Los Angeles.
It was partly because of Atu's recommitment to his faith in Buddhism that led to their separation. "My ex-husband was very critical of religious traditions. It wasn't enough for him to disagree. He always made fun of them and he would discourage me from practicing. I would feel ashamed for even wanting to be spiritual. It was one of several reasons that he and I decided to separate."
The couple separated not that long ago. When asked about how this separation impacted him, he said, "It was definitely difficult. However, I look back and I realize it was necessary. The version of myself that I was when I was with him was not what I wanted for myself.
I wanted to be more connected to my spiritual sense. I wanted to be connected to who I was as an artist. This was not entirely his fault either. I was choosing to make sacrifices for us and our relationship. Those were parts of me that made me who I am as a person."
Shortly after, the man sought solace in spiritual practice. Zen practice became pinnacle to Atu's journey. This is what drove him to start volunteering at the Zen Center. There, he contributed his skills as a cook. The other practitioners were amazed at his commitment to service. He told them, "I am happy to be a part of this community."
People that encounter Atu often comment on his Zen. It is something that Atu uses to build new connections and to live his truth. This came from the years of being unseen and unheard.
When asked about his experience working abroad, Atu said,"Some of the greatest memories come from my time abroad. I met so many amazing people. It is true that I experienced limitations in my career because the channels of professional development were not there. People make a lot of assumptions. I would even be mistaken for being the same person as somebody else. Even though we looked nothing alike.
"Leadership is often identified with Whiteness. I was passed over for opportunities to grow into my career because of my Blackness. Europeans have their issues but the racism that I experienced in the United States was completely different. It is way more polarized here."
Atu doesn't dwell on what happened in the past. He is eager to experience life. The man is putting himself back out there now that he is single again. The leader is ready to embrace new opportunities.
"I want to commit my life to service. If we don't give to our communities... what are we living for?"
A dedication to service will not always bring financial gain. The lessons that you will learn from life though will teach you more about the world than anything. When we reckon with ourselves and what we value, and how we want to take ownership of our lives, amazing things can happen.
This was the approach that Atu utilized. He detached himself enough to use these lessons as blessings. Atu knows he is not lesser than and is worthy of prosperity. He is not entitled. Everything he had he had to work for it. Atu is a man who knows what it means to be one of the people.
To find out more about Atu and his qualifications, you can take a look at his credentials here.
