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[What’s something you wish people would ask you when first meeting you?]
"People automatically feel like they know me because I just be hosting everything, and that’s a different spotlight to be in because people automatically think that they know you. People don’t even come up and say hello or how are you anymore, just like the basics. The basics: "How are you?" Allow me to answer that question before, you know, we move to other things or you feel like you know me. It can be very overwhelming when I’m done hosting and all these people run up to me, and I don't even know them. And they want to follow me; they want to know what it is I'm doing, when’s the next line dancing class. People text my phone every day and don't even ask, "How are you?" Just straight, I need this; I'm looking for this. Yeah, so a good "How are you?" now and then is good. It might be the only thing I require. And allow me to be honest, because Ima be honest. I'm exhausted; maybe I'm tired; maybe I don't want to be bothered. And then we get into another part: how is that person going to receive the truth? Some people wouldn’t know how to respond, but yeah, allow me to answer honestly and do what you will with that. And I don't know what that is. It could be you supporting me in any way. I love support, so if I say something and I'm feeling a way and you brush it off, then ima brush it off ima be like, “Oh, this person really don't care about me, I'm not telling this person nothing else. They won’t get nothing else from me!" So yeah, I think a good "How are you? How are you doing?" is nice. Nobody really asks those questions anymore, and maybe it’s because they just don't care."
[What’s something you’re most proud of/take the most pride in?]
“I take pride in having gifts and knowing how to use them. So, like, hosting. I've been hosting for a long time. About 2009–2010 is when I started, so about 15 years. Wow. But yeah, hosting for this long and just sharpening my tool, sharpening my gift is something that I've cherished over the years and ive learned how to use properly. And I don't know; I've just polished it so well that I take so much pride in it, to the point where... You know prices have increased, of course, for my services, but when you understand your worth and the quality of the work you put out, you no longer have to accept the other stuff that comes with it. There’s a lot that comes with being a host. There’s a lot that comes with being a model, there’s a lot that comes with a lot of things that I do. But one thing that I know for sure is that when I perfect this or if I become an expert, this is something that I know I can do and I can do it well. And it's going to make room for me. So if none of the 9–5 ideas work or none of the professional stuff that people saw for me, and this is stuff that people saw for me, not that I saw for myself but I was willing to try everything. If none of that stuff worked out, I always had a few things I could fall back on. So I take pride in my gifts and talents. But I also take pride in; me and my friend were just talking about this. I think my purpose in life is to help people who are in transition. Because transitions can be uncomfortable, they can be scary, they can be a lot of things, and some people don't know how to manage that well. Some people see them as setbacks, or they see them as bumps in the road. I see transitions as catapults that will shoot you to some place you never even thought you could be. And I have the ability to help people be less stressed in a transitional state and feel more comfortable with what they’re going through, or growing through.”
[What impresses you the most?]
“I’m impressed by a lot of things I’ll say that first. But mostly by people who are talented, who have some type of artistic ability. If I had to rank them I’d say playing an instrument would probably be at the top, then singing, visual arts and then dancing. But yeah any type of artistic abilities. Those are things that people are born with, those are God given things. And I just love watching people in their element. [It’s definitely a thing to witness] Yeah when people are performing it um, it excites me. Im very impressed by a show and it could be a lot of things; the music, the lights, I just love a great experience. Make an experience worth my time. When things are worth my time, thats when I’m impressed. Because I waste a lot of time of BS and whenever I go to something and I show up looking good, you know actually take the time to show up and then I’m feeling like “well why am I here?” So a good performance definitely impresses me. Im also impressed by people who are just genuine and honest with themselves. It not about being honest with other people, it’s about being honest with yourself. And understanding who you are and never wavering on that, never being wishy washy with yourself. I don’t like people like that.”
[What’s something you remember/miss about the old DC?]
“Okay I'll do both. One thing I remember, I was a young kid, had to be about 3 or 4. It was my birthday and my mom took me to the monument and it was the million man march. First time I ever seen Louis Farrakhan, and like all these black activists in person. I just remember having a good time. I remember getting free food. I remember falling asleep under a tree. I also remember just like hearing the state of black people at the time. I cant even put into words how organized it was. Everything was just so organized when it came to black people then. Think about it, there were so many people there on the monument grounds. [It’s crazy that you were there, at such a young age] Yeah I was there. My mom got tired of walking so we set up under this tree. It was close to the bathrooms I remember it was right by the Smithsonian. And close to the metro thats another thing. Thats one thing I vividly remember being a part of, and it was my birthday! It was a great day. I was getting all the birthday love, all the black love. It was so cool there were people in African prints, the Nation of Islam, the bikers were out it was a lot. It was a good time. It was no violence, no violence at all. There were big speakers so you could hear everybody talking, it was crazy
One thing I miss for sure is when we used to have Unifest. Unifest was like just community. It was when the community came out. It was on MLK by the big chair. It was put on by Union Temple, the church over there and they would have performances. You gotta go on YouTube. They would have a parade, there would be food. There wasn’t anybody preaching it was just music. In the morning they’d play gospel and all that and then when it got late, the GoGo bands came out and thats how that happened. It used to be an all day thing, they’d shut down the streets and yeah I miss that. I miss having that time where it was a whole community thing. I said something like 2 months ago. I was talking to my sister about Kid Konnection. So Kid Konnection is this yellow like bus/van and they come into all the bad neighborhoods, and basically teach the kids about God. And when I was young kid connection would come to my neighborhood on a Saturday and they would come around playing this song just like the ice cream truck would. They would really go through the neighborhood playing the little Kid Konnection song so you knew, its time for kid connection! And they would go to the top of the neighborhood in the open field to park the truck. The truck had a little stage that came down and they would do puppet shows they would do all types of things, we had snacks. I was about to say I miss that but they’re still around! I saw them the other day and I nearly cried. I was like “y’all changed my life” a lot of my friends from that age are dead and gone. Like they don’t understand how much they saved me.”
[If you could tell your younger self something right now, what would it be?]
“I would explain to him how life goes on. And how you can’t always beat yourself up about the things you cant control. To relax. To trust hisself. Trust God, trust that gods going to make a way. I’d tell him that he’s handsome. And id also tell him to find peace with being alone. I think growing up I wanted to fit in so bad I wanted to be in everything I had FOMO, fear of missing out. I had to be a part of everything yeah I would just say, find peace with being alone and to always try your best in life. I always felt like I was an exceptional kid I just had a lot going on”