From surviving in the shadows to commanding the spotlight.
Today, Raphaela lives independently in Amsterdam, running Zohra Media and RISE Academy entirely on her own terms - surrounded by a close-knit family, her loyal Chihuahua Jimmy, and a global community of high performers.
She speaks on international stages, coaches leaders through high-stakes visibility, and lives with an unshakable sense of self.
It wasn't always this way. Not even close.
Growing Up Between Worlds
Born on 7-11-1989 in Hoorn, the Netherlands, to a Dutch mother and an African-American father stationed in Germany as a US soldier, Raphaela grew up feeling like an outsider in a traditional countryside town.
Navigating life as a mixed-race girl—and later discovering she was an INFJ with AuDHD—she learned early on how to read every room and wear a flawless mask just to fit in. Behind closed doors, unstable family dynamics left her feeling completely alone. By 15, she was on her own. By 18, she was navigating life without a safety net.
In 2014, determined to understand where she came from, she traveled to Oklahoma with the major Dutch television documentary Spoorloos to meet her biological father and American family for the very first time. That journey finally gave her the missing pieces of her identity.
Still from the Spoorloos documentary meeting her family in Oklahoma
Hitting Rock Bottom And Rebuilding From Scratch
Knowing your roots doesn't automatically heal years of survival mode. Driven by hyper-independence and the pressure to prove her worth, Raphaela pushed forward until life forced a full stop.
In 2019, after a series of financial setbacks and wrong turns, she lost her home. She spent months moving more than 40 times—between shelters, temporary rooms, and a concrete garage box—before making the hardest decision of her life:asking for help and accepting it.
Through sheer grit and debt restructuring, she slowly clawed her way back. In November 2021, a housing program finally offered her a studio apartment in Amsterdam, allowing her to move out of the garage and rebuild her baseline stability.
Just five months later, in April 2022, a car struck her while she was riding her motorcycle.
Forged in the Fire
The crash shattered the right side of her body, leading to emergency surgery, years of grueling multidisciplinary rehabilitation, several medical procedures, and lasting chronic pain. At her lowest point, stripped of her newly found independence, she faced the darkest mental battle of her life.
She chose to stay. And she chose to rise.
On November 11, 2022, right in the thick of her physical rehabilitation, she secured a permanent, stable home where she could truly heal. Even while navigating recovery, she mapped out her business plans and refused to let circumstances define her.
Step by step, Raphaela retrained her body and reprogrammed her mind. She stopped trying to be "perfect" and mastered focused, aligned execution instead. Armed with a permanent physical disability, a massive gap on her resume, and sheer unwavering resilience, she stepped back into the professional world in 2025—serving for a year inside the Dutch Central Government, purchasing her dream car, and launching Zohra Media and RISE Academy full-time.
Behind the scenes at Zohra Media in Amsterdam
Why Raphaela Is Here for You
Most coaches operate from the belief that you are broken and need to be fixed. Raphaela rejects that completely.
You are not broken. You are simply misaligned—exhausted from spending too long wearing a mask to survive in environments that weren't built for your energy.
Whether you are stepping onto a global stage, leading a company, or building a public brand, Raphaela translates hard-won resilience into clear, practical strategies. She helps high achievers drop the mask, protect their peace, and lead with unshakable presence—without burning out.
Your background, your past, or your starting point do not decide where you end up. You do.
Ready to Write Your Next Chapter?
NEWS!
COMING SOON: THE OFFICIAL BOOK
RISE: Radical Self-Ownership
Turn Adversity into Unstoppable Power, Drop the Mask,
and Master Your Executive Presence
By Raphaela Zohra | Published by Zohra Media
Releasing soon in Hardcover, Paperback, and Audiobook (narrated by Raphaela).
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