We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zay Poole. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zay below.

Zay, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

Growing up I’ve always been misunderstood or judged and to this day things have changed but, hasn’t I usually always hear how I do the most when it comes to things I do, or that I’m seen as a person I’m really not due to being misheard, judged or talked about negatively when I’m not around. It’s honestly exhausting at times to pretend it doesn’t get to me but i’ve learned to let somethings go and let people judge and say what they want. I do struggle because I’d want to speak up and let them know that’s not me an I have but it goes through their ears and heads because people will believe what they want to believe.

I’m coming to learn that I don’t have to or need to convince anyone of who I am long as I know me. As long as I know my heart and my intentions. Through my recent journey of self health and growth I’ve learned to burn bridges and let go of the negativity and not feel bad for it. There’s this notion that you should never burn bridges but sometimes bridges are meant to be burned in order to build new ones! There’s over a million bridges in this word that can be built. Burning one will not affect you compared to you building a better and stronger one! Burn those bridges and continue to build more with the positivity and right people.

Zay, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Okay, so the general speech I give now in order to prevent ranting because I’m a ranter is I can do anything and everything creative, besides sing and rap. To be honest, I feel I lived and still living up to that small speech, and I say that because learning is what I do and experimenting is what I love so thanks to those ways of living, I was able to learn and gain knowledge in multiple fields of creativity. That being said, I also know my limits, I say I can do it which isn’t a lie but I won’t say I’m the best or greatest and that’s the truth but I promise you it doesn’t mean I don’t know how to do it.

I can say I specialize in Acting, Modeling, Photography and Creative Directing/Director. I will say right now I’m more known for my photography and videography just because one of the cons of being multi-talented is that people always forget what else you can do, and I’m saying that in a more playful tone because It’s definitely a lot to remember. What I’m most proud of currently is my new luxury street brand MoonLite Apparel, I’m so happy that I was able to bring MoonLite back to it’s real roots of creation when I first founded it in 2018 in Asia. I recently did my first major show with an amazing company called Indie Fashion and they made it such an experience to be a designer for the show. For me to be on the other side of modeling was definitely an experience an I will continue growing in all my fields no matter what. Be on look out for MoonLite Apparel because it will be a brand known in the universe and in other dimensions!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I said this in my past interview so its only right to be consistent!

1. Stop lowballing artist and stop getting upset when the artist doesn’t want to work with you because you lowballed or disrespected them. That is a simple as I can put it.

2. Share their work consistently.

3. Understand that just because you may know the artist doesn’t mean they owe you a discount or anything if you’re coming to them for a service. Just like you pay full price for luxury brands and other services full price, and they don’t even know you, then you should be able to pay full price for a family member/friend because you believe in the work and know they will put the same amount of effort if not more.

4. Art and creating is contagious, so be open to what is put out there in the art form and try to see yourself in it because now you’re taking it upon yourself to put yourself in their mind and that is a great way to really support an artist.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Youtube university! open 24/7 fall in the rabbit hole and have fun! also travel I’ve traveled to maybe 14 places outside of the US before I was 25. Theres more out there than people know and or want to know. Get out your BOX! these things affected my mind beautifully and significantly along with just me being with myself. Then as far as books it’s hard because I’m so inconsistent when it comes to reading books, I’m a visual learner so it’s always me seeing it on screen or physically in order for me to get it. Still I do read small articles on entrepreneurship and creating as well as books on the same along with life knowledge. Some books I recommend would be 10 laws of power, the CEO next door, what happened to you and Let that sh*t go.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://officialmoonliteapparel.com/ and https://officialmoonlitestudios.com/
• Instagram: @_UrbanZay, @Offcialmoonlitestudios and @officialmoonliteapparel
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000335791745

Image Credits
Officialmoonlitestudios, Khickin, Spiffyshotthis