Jonathan Adjei-Boateng’26 first explored art in eighth grade. When he was enrolled in a new school that no longer offered art, he had to step away from it. Even so, his interest in creativity never fully disappeared. Seeing his sister create simple designs for people using Canva brought that interest back.
“I felt my sister was using the tool as a means to an end, but I saw it as a tool I could use to explore all my creative ideas,” he said.
He began with templates before gradually moving into designing from scratch; building both confidence and technical skills along the way. That progression eventually led him to more advanced tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, where he could create greater depth and intention.
Arriving at Ashesi, he joined the Ashesi Student Council (ASC) Public Relations Team as a graphic designer to refine his craft.
“My first job for the ASC was to design a Boiler Room poster, and I essentially had to crash-course my way into understanding Illustrator,” he shared. He also explored creativity more broadly by joining the Artyverse Club, where he met others who shared similar interests. “Artyverse was not just for people who were already good at certain disciplines of art. It was a platform for exploration and learning,” he explained. “Most importantly for me, it was an avenue to learn and de-stress at the same time.”
While balancing academics and extracurricular activities, he founded HDNradio and the HDN (pronounced “Hidden”) Society. Over the past two years, HDNradio has evolved from a platform that promoted emerging musical talent on social media into a broader creative hub supporting photographers, DJs, and other creatives. “For example, if you’re a DJ with a new mix, HDNradio can help spread the word, so others get to know about it,” he explained.
These efforts led to the creation of Anigye (meaning “happiness”), an annual event that brings together upcoming musical acts to perform for live audiences as a way of giving them exposure.
“I remember the excitement and satisfaction that came with pulling off the first edition of Anigye,” he said. “I had always wanted to give back to the creative fraternity, and I felt that was one of the best ways to do that.”
Speaking about HDN Society, an alternative streetwear brand, Adjei-Boateng explained:
“It serves as a vehicle for me to explore creative concepts I have for clothing—not just printing on shirts, but also helping people develop a sense of fashion, especially those still figuring out their style.”
Since its inception, the brand has produced streetwear collections that reflect stories relevant to specific audiences. His favorite collection, the Blackout Collection, was inspired by Ghana’s period of erratic power supply, commonly known as “dumsor.” The collection features black-and-white pieces that reflect the concept of load shedding, which characterizes Ghana’s erratic power supply.
Looking back, Adjei-Boateng describes building HDN Society as a “very good learning experience.”
“Although I learned the fundamentals of entrepreneurship from the Foundations of Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship (FDE) course, I learned even more about running a business from starting Hidden Society,” he said. “I’ve also learned to accept criticism, because when taken in good faith, criticism helps businesses improve.”
He describes his Ashesi journey as one marked by “stress,” “pain,” and “pleasure,” expressing gratitude for the opportunities that enabled him to pursue his passion for art.
When asked how he plans to balance his field of study, Management Information Systems (MIS), with his passion for the arts, he said: “I don’t see my degree and my passion as separate paths. MIS gives me the structure and tools to build, while art gives me the vision and voice to curate experiences for other creatives like myself.”
