An Interview with Aziza Kibibi

Aziza Kibibi is a New Jersey–born author, activist, media personality, and mother whose work bridges memoir and mission.

After suffering over seventeen years of incestuous, physical, and psychological abuse at the hands of her biological father that resulted in five pregnancies and four births, Aziza escaped, raised her children, and put her father in jail.

Her landmark memoir, Unashamed: a life tainted… Vols. 1 & 2, chronicles her survival of incestuous abuse, child molestation, and violence, and has cemented her reputation as a fearless storyteller. Her voice reaches far beyond the page: she’s been featured on Investigation Discovery, ABC, PIX11, FOX5, and Glamour magazine. Her memoir has earned widespread acclaim across platforms. On Goodreads, it holds a 4.51‑star average from 180 ratings—66% of readers awarded it five stars and 25% four stars, praising its “powerful” narrative for its unflinching honesty. On Amazon, readers described it as “an eye opener” with “raw realness,” and called it “a real page turner” that uplifts survivors of trauma.

Beyond her memoir, Aziza’s multifaceted career informs her writing with depth and authenticity. As the founder and CEO of Precious Little Ladies Inc. (PLL), she develops community abuse prevention programs and awareness campaigns that underscore the empathetic urgency in her prose. Hosting the podcast Self-Published and the radio talk show A to Ziza on 91.7 FM Gems Radio has honed her warm, conversational tone. Her blog, Unashamed An Open Book, offers intimate reflections on faith, femininity, and resilience, while her entrepreneurial spirit deepens her narratives of resourcefulness. Aziza has amassed a social media following of over 300,000. She uses her platforms to share content to educate, inspire, and encourage her followers on surviving abuse, parenting, living a healthy lifestyle, self-love, and healing from trauma.

Aziza’s passion for creating a world where children can grow up safely and abuse survivors can be supported is evident in her activism. She fights tirelessly to criminalize incest in New Jersey with Aziza’s Law (Bill A4524), which has educated legislators on the impacts of long-term incestuous abuse. And the work has paid off. Aziza’s Law is currently in legislative committee.

Currently, Aziza is expanding her storytelling horizons with a novel, a self‑help book, and a screenplay exploring the historical impacts of slavery on Black relationships—projects that promise to continue her mission of empowerment and healing.

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Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

I’ve loved writing since I was a child. I’d write “roses are red” poems for my grandmother to see her smile. I was homeschooled, and my television was limited to educational programming on PBS. My favorite show was Reading Rainbow. I admired how the stories took me to another world. Reading Rainbow encouraged me to read, and I’d spend hours in the library whenever my father went. I’d read fairy tales from different cultures, cookbooks, and books on science and nature. Fascinated by the fairy tales, I dreamed of writing my own. It was also an escape from the sexual and physical abuse my father inflicted on me. My relationship with my mother was tumultuous to say the least, and as the oldest daughter, I had a lot of responsibility. I related to the many iterations of Cinderella I read in those fairy tales. So I started writing about what my father was doing to me in a diary, which helped me cope. Unfortunately, my brother found my diary and gave it to my father. I stopped writing after that, except for the writing I had to do for my father’s production company. I didn’t pick up the pen again until I escaped my father. I started with poetry, then short stories, then my memoir as a form of therapy.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I fancy myself a chef. I cooked professionally for nearly twenty years. Now, I cook and bake for my family or for my social media audience during live demonstrations. I was a personal shopper for a moment, selling pre-loved designer accessories on eBay. I love fashion and style. Personal style is an art form that expresses how you want the world to see you. It’s a type of armor for me. I love the slightly restricting structure of a well-tailored suit or a corseted dress. It makes me feel ready to take on the world.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

Initially, I titled my book “Absence of Contrition” before I even finished it. After consulting with a close friend who is no longer with us, he said it was too complicated. Since the “absence of contrition” means “unashamed,” he suggested I go with the latter. Many other works were published under the same title, so I hesitated to take his advice. After meditating and praying on it for a week, I decided to follow his suggestion but add the subtitle “a life tainted…” because it captures the essence of the message I want to convey in the book– that I am a life, a person, a woman– and while what happened to me does not define me, it has undoubtedly contributed to the woman that I am. The ellipsis means that the story isn’t over.

What part of publishing your book made it feel real for the first time?

When I held the first copy in my hand. The printed version of Unashamed: a life tainted… is two volumes. I published the volumes separately as E-books. But as a purist, I love the feeling and sound of turning pages. My book wasn’t as real to me because that element was missing—the element that transported me back to the joyful moments in my childhood. Once I could turn the page in the print copy of my memoir, that’s when it felt real.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

“Oh Father” and “Live To Tell” by Madonna. “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. “1999” by Prince. “Moonlight I. Adagio sostenuto” by Ludwig van Beethoven and Murray Perahia. “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone. And the lullaby “Hush Little Baby.”

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

The one thing I hope that will stick with readers is that they recognize their own strength through my story. I pray that people can see their own potential and abilities to overcome adversity by reading my book.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

The fact that I published it! Oh my gosh! It took four years to write. My daughter passed away while I was working on it, and I didn’t write for a year and a half, which isn’t counted in the time it took to finish my book. I was a single, working mother in college, taking seventeen credits per semester and double majoring to get two bachelor’s degrees so I could improve my quality of life for my kids. Yeah, the fact that I published Unashamed: a life tainted… at all was the most rewarding part of publishing my book.

What creative projects are you currently working on?

Unashamed: a life tainted… is becoming an audiobook! I’m recording that now. I’m writing a second book called The Hump: A Guide to Getting Over It. It’s a narrative self-help book that uses personal anecdotes, research, and insights to help readers discover tools and techniques for healing and resilience. Be they a survivor of abuse or a person looking to overcome a difficult challenge, The Hump is a roadmap for anyone looking to break free from negative cycles and start making progress on their journey towards their best life.

I have three screenplays in the works: a short film, a full-length feature, and a dark comedy series pilot. The series pilot is loosely based on my life from my oldest daughter’s perspective.

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