Black Love Role Models: Gabes and Anna Deku

BLISS: What role do you play in the lives of your single friends? 

G&A: We are aware that some people shut out their single friends when they start dating or get married, but how would a single person know how the dynamics of a married couple operate if they constantly get shut out if their friend’s relationship status changes? We actually make a conscious decision to not treat our single friends differently from the friends who are in relationships or married.

We have good friends who we both deeply love who are single, however, we still have them ‘round for dinner or go with them. Hanging out as three can be just as fun; our friends actually love doing so and never feel like the “third wheel”.

BLISS: What’s your take on Black Love? Is that a theme in the UK?

G&A: Black Love is very much a theme in the UK too. I think the black community needs examples of what true black love looks like because honestly speaking, a lot of us don’t have great examples of that and representation is important. We are so proud to be a black couple who not only embraces but celebrates our culture and heritage.

In a world where being black is not celebrated, we decide to be culture and show that black is beautiful, and that includes black love. We love everything about each other and the fact they we have the same black struggles makes us even closer to each other.

“We are so proud to be a black couple who not only embraces but celebrates our culture and heritage.”

Black is beautiful and it’s exciting for us to think that we will one day raise beautiful black children who will be secure in their identity. They will not be confirming to the patterns around them but instead be setting the bar for what it means to be a strong black individual. We know the challenges that will come for them being a minority, especially in the UK, but we take it as our responsibility to be an example of black love for them to look up to in the household.

BLISS: What can we look forward to with your YouTube channel and platform this year?

G&A: As Gabes says “More Vim, More Vom”, translation we are planning on sharing more by uploading more videos each week! We are committing to uploading at least two videos, with a potential of a third. Our uploading schedule is Mondays and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. BST and if we get over excited we’ll post a video at 12:30 p.m. BST on Saturday.

We are a real married couple who are not scared to be open, transparent and vulnerable as we share the lessons of our marital journey so that those watching can learn from our successes and failures.

Are you single this Valentine’s Day? Watch their latest video on the benefits of being single:

Big thanks to Gabes and Anna for sharing their inspiration and wisdom with us! I’ve been part of the #DekuFam for a while now, be sure to support them and subscribe to their YouTube channel!