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

Aliya, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s one of the most important lessons you learned in school?

One of the most important lessons I learned in my time as a undergraduate student at Northern Kentucky University pertained to the importance of beginning your mental health journey! Often times specifically in minoritized communities we are taught to cope through mechanisms non related to the mental health profession. It wasn’t until my Junior year in college that I attended therapy for the first time, due to services being free. I went against the grain by doing something that wasn’t considered normal. Through these past two years in my journey I have navigated trials & tribulations, became more self aware, & have gained the resources and tools to work through and communicate my emotions. These may seem like small skills, but they are powerful skills that many people dont have the opportunity to encounter and cultivate until they step into post secondary education due to systematic oppression and socialization. Coming from a little girl who had been navigating major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, but wasn’t able to identify these experiences or how to harness them until the age of 21, I recognize the spaces I could have been in if my mental health was explored earlier. With that being said I urge and motivate others to start their journey no matter the age or their place in life. Success is nothing if you are not mentally at peace, it’s something we all deserve no matter our role, background, or lifestyle.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

A Self-directed and successful Influencer with a proven track record. I Develop, write and curate content to inform and shape opinions regarding mental health, holistic health, lifestyle, & fashion. Currently having a strong social network of 40,000 followers, I strive to be the butterfly effect for those that need it most. In the month of January I will be dropping two large projects, one being the “Cup-Filler Podcast”. This podcast will be a space for listeners to grow in the comfortability of their sanctuary, find self awareness and understanding through the words spoken through the mic, and find inspiration and determination through the experiences of our guest. Secondly, In the month of January a 12 month workshop series will be launched through a curricular approach. These workshops will thrive from our key pillars of breaking generational curses, Well-Being, Financial Literacy, and knowledge being power. Our goal is to provide these opportunities to people who may relate to the journey in which we have navigated but not have had the opportunity to resources or support to gain the knowledge they need. We are creating a space to close the gap and lack of knowledge in fundamental skills that we as people need to thrive and not just survive. Through these platforms I plan to continue to articulate the importance of holistic wellbeing through inspiring and impactful experiences. Everything I speak on I have lived and worked through and am now ready to fill the cups of others through my lived experiences. I am open to collaborations and other area’s of work and I am grateful to those that support and have been supported through the journey.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I often think of the word resiliency I often see it read as “Aliya”. Resiliency is coming from a poverty stricken minoritized community in a single parent household and stepping into becoming a first generation college graduate and soon to be Masters graduate. I see resiliency as coming from verbally, mentally, and physically abusive circumstances and doing the work to create healthy boundaries and a peaceful state of mind while understanding myself and my emotions. I see resiliency as the girl who survived her last suicide attempt on March 29th, 2022 and consistently worked on her mental health daily with hope and determination. Resiliency is every death I have encountered including the death of my Bestfriend Craig Owens during the most trying times in my life and still seeing the light to create change. Resiliency is seeing the people you love die literally and figuratively in a system that was never created for you and them in the first place and still progressing. Resiliency is failure that you turned inside out to become your success. I feel as people often think resiliency is similar across the board but it is a diverse experience for everyone that encounters it. I was unable to think of one particular story that identifies resiliency through my life because the level of resiliency I have had through twenty three years of living has created the strength and passion for me to keep going despite the circumstances each and everyday. One story will never define your resiliency but actually be a time in your life that your strength for moving forward grew stronger. We are all resilient in our own unique way even if we don’t think so.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The lessons I have had to unlearn that I believe have been the most difficult lessons so far are the negative habits I have gained through the cycle of socialization. From growing up in a black household I have gained many skills and habits that where essential to my survival at the time, but are now detrimental to my ability to thrive. The lack of emotional self-awareness, not being able to communicate in a calm and efficient manner when frustrated because communication growing up was loud aggressive tones or no communication at all, and lastly having the weight of not only yourself but your family and your future on your back even once you leave home. These are only a few habits I was socialized to have but over the past five years have been some of the most intentional area’s I have been working aggressively through and growing in for the betterment of my future. Through these experiences I have became an advocate of not losing who you are and where you came from, but also recognizing there is a reason you needed to leave so you must figure out what you should take with you and what should you leave behind. This is a journey, not a race because it looks different for everyone navigating it!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/liiiyyyaaa_?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng%3D%3D&utm_source=qr https://instagram.com/liiiyyyaaa_?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aliya.cannon.1/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/aliya-cannon-48472b197