Aida MandicAd
In some circles of the world, tragedy and human suffering are abundant, but in the same spaces, hope can be found. With billions of people living simultaneously on this planet, it’s only natural to encounter different expressions of humanity. However, many people lack the mental fortitude and awareness to be prepared for life-threatening situations. Society’s focus on digestible topics doesn’t empower people to cultivate skills of self-defense and resourcefulness either. Yet, change can be made by speaking about unsightly hardships. Fostering spaces for open discussions will allow society to find solutions to ignored problems and cultivate a brighter future.
Aida Mandic, a Bosnian-American author, poet, songwriter, and entrepreneur, is working to make this societal shift. Since she was about four, she’s had dreams of creating socially impactful creations. Born in war-torn Bosnia and Herzegovina, Aida’s life began with disaster. At two years old, she fled the country with her mother to avoid the genocide. War had uprooted her existence before she could even begin to understand the world.
In the years following, Aida’s previously middle-class family shuffled from country to country as refugees. They first lived in Croatia, then relocated to a refugee camp in the Czech Republic, later moving to France, Malaysia, and finally the United States. Although Aida finally had a place to call home, her meetings with grief never subsided. She was a victim of relentless bullying by her peers and had an emotionally abusive relationship with her father.
Despite her deeply dysfunctional upbringing and the trauma of being a refugee, Aida has channeled her emotional burdens into art. In five years, she has authored over 100 books about social justice and life as a refugee. In her best-selling book What Is Life Anyway?, Aida incorporates thought-provoking poetry about the dark truths of living and prompts readers to reflect on what they believe human existence should be.
Each of her books also includes a food-for-thought section at the end to bring awareness to the vulnerabilities that many people may be ignoring. Whether physical or emotional, Aida pushes readers to examine themselves and the world without rose-colored glasses.
“All of my art was born from difficult emotions, but it serves to educate and equip others,” Aida says. “I ask some very unsettling questions about how someone would survive a natural disaster, a violent attack, or something more emotional. Most people avoid thinking of the worst-case scenario, which cripples them from ever being mentally prepared to overcome those situations in the future. I want my work to inspire people to become their own savior who arms themselves with knowledge that will help them reach their full potential.”
Aida has used her resilient and compassionate mind to solve major challenges outside of the creative world. She is the CEO and founder of Searchkey, an ed-tech platform connecting students to financial and academic resources. Aida was also a founding member of IdeaGist Blockchain Incubator, one of the largest virtual incubation platforms.
For the rest of 2024, Aida will dedicate her energy to pursuing a career in acting. She hopes to bring important issues to the big screen and highlight the importance of developing self-respect and critical thinking skills to overcome any obstacle. Aida would like to found a nonprofit organization for women and girls globally to access free self-defense services and legal representation once she becomes well-known in entertainment.
“I want everyone, specifically women, to build a home within themselves so they are never seeking something externally that they already possess,” Aida says. “Everyone can make their dreams come true, but they have to be unwavering in their pursuit of greatness. The world is a playground for ideas. Try something different even if others tell you not to. No one ever becomes a changemaker without stepping on a few toes.”
You can learn more about Aida’s background in her interview with Cliche magazine and through her YouTube channel.