Born in Cape Town in 1987, Akona began studying at the Market Photo Workshop in 2008 where she completed the Foundation and Intermediate courses and the Advanced Programme. Akona has published internationally and exhibited locally; her 2010 series from the body of work Tshepisong was published by acclaimed photography journal Camera Austria and part of her work from the series Kick, Push was shown at the 2011 Joburg Art Fair. Akona's proposed work for the Women In Photography Mentorship extends her interest in skaters and how they identify themselves through skating. Akona particularly focuses on skaters from townships in Johannesburg.