We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Don. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Don below.
Don, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
The biggest risk I have taken was moving to Dallas moving. It was one of the hardest things that I could have ever done. I was 22 moving out of my home state New York; specifically The Bronx. I had some money saved up, but I knew that it would only last me so long and moving during COVID a lot of the opportunities I had not only as a creative, but as individual with a master’s degree in PR were removed for me because of the virus. The point of my moving to Dallas was to really have a fresh start and create freely. I came down a few months prior to meet some amazing people that really made me feel seen. I weight the opportunities that I could acquire from moving down here so I just moved down here with my clothes, a degree, and a whole lot of determination Chile lol. Moving to Dallas, Texas was not easy. My apartment complex messed up my move-in date and the first year moving down here was terrible but I mean without risk, there is no reward, so you have to put some faith in yourself and persevere and know that your doing what’s best for you.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I started my poetry journey six years ago as an undergrad at Wells College just jotting down my thoughts, Beyoncé quotes anything that spoke to me. From there when I began to get my master’s taking Poetry seriously. I participated in a spoken word program for students attending Syracuse University. It gave me the building blocks to understand my writing. I am now a full-time poet in Dallas, Texas, performing at various venues in various places in the United States, predominantly queer spaces as well as an open mic host in Dallas for the Dallas poetry slams, Floetic experience open mic, which features poets, and creatives of all kind.
What my spoken word is meant to accomplish in featured spaces is to create a dialogue and discussion of the black queer experience, and what I’m most proud of is being in these places and connecting with new followers and fans that are interested in who I am as individual working in this field of poetry. The conversations that can be created from the work that I write and what they’re able to take home is amazing. Hopefully changing the way they interact with queer people or empower the queer people in the crowd to move unapologetically!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
What drives my creative journey is making sure that everybody close to me creatively or artistically is getting an opportunity. From a video gig, a poetry gig, singing, etc. I feel as though as a creative, I understand the struggle of being creative, rushing to gigs cause you need the money, finding out how you’re gonna support yourself and your craft; it’s hard! We must support each other as best as possible and create strong spaces that allow creatives to thrive. Being a poet and understanding how the “Poetry industry” If you call it moves. I need to give back, and I would hope by paying it forward that on the way, somebody will pay it back to me, and so on. It’s always gonna be a new generation of creatives so as one I must continue to Crystal spaces for a new generation to thrive.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Non-creative will struggle to understand that it’s not as easy as clocking in for a 9 to 5. As a creative, our brains, at least for me is always running it’s always trying to come up with a new idea another way to be innovative another way to do things differently, especially with the way technology works. For non-creatives, a lot of the time their brains are very getting this done and moving on even if it’s an entrepreneur mindset. We are always trying our best to push the pen and push the ball that is why we always go so hard about support. That’s why we always go so hard about sharing, supporting, and coming out to see us because it’s not as easy as a single like it’s impactful for us to make it to another level of our career by showing up and showing out it’s. Which is why we are having this whole creative push of support with sharing and commenting. Be loud and out and tell us that you enjoy what we do because that’s how we’re gonna get booked, it’s how we’re gonna be able to go on a tour that’s the only way that art is gonna be in art galleries that’s the only way we’re gonna be on the voice or American Idol that is the only way that people can thrive is by support.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Lifeof.don
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/brncoolsly
Image Credits
The first picture- image credits @The Dream Experiment