About Ayana Sands AKA Empress Yana

Ayana Sands, M.Ed. AKA Empress Yana

Ayana Sands is an educator, storyteller, and advocate for emotional awareness and self-worth in young girls. With a Master’s degree in Education, she has spent years working with youth and families, witnessing firsthand how early friendships, identity, and self-perception shape a girl’s confidence as she grows.

Through storytelling, Ayana creates spaces where girls can see themselves honestly and learn the language of healthy boundaries, self-respect, and emotional strength.

Her book series, The Girls We Become, follows girls through different stages of life—beginning in middle school—showing how the patterns we form in friendship and self-worth can shape the women we become.

Ayana is also the founder of EmpressLyfe, a community centered on self-care, personal growth, and empowerment for women and girls. Through her work, she encourages both mothers and daughters to build relationships rooted in honesty, compassion, and emotional health.

 When she's not engaged in writing or teaching, Ayana loves to immerse herself in cooking, reading, dancing, traveling, roller skating, yoga, and indulging in self-care. Additionally, she cherishes her roles as a mother and wife to her family!  

She believes that every girl deserves to grow up knowing this simple truth:

She is already enough.

Connect with Ayana

Website: EmpressLyfe.com

Instagram: @MyEmpressYana