We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alya Perez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alya , appreciate you joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

Moving in your authenticity pushes out the people who aren’t for you and attracts the people who are.

I remember when I first started my teaching, artist, dancing, and wellness journey; I masked a lot. Especially as a women of color I felt a pressure to conform, niche, and be a certain way.

However this came with a level of loneliness that I couldn’t place. I took a moment ( 1-2 months) and realized I wasn’t in the community with people who fully accepted, saw, and believed in me.

It was because however I wasn’t my authentic self, I had fear that if I showed each layer and aspect of myself I would be alone.

When I began to be my authentic self, no longer separating the “yogi/healer” and “stripper” I was pushed out of a community of people who didn’t accept me. Yet this allowed me to find the people who do now to this day.

Don’t allow society or others to makes you feel small, in a box, or feel that you have to evade truths about yourself to be “more accepted”. Be you and the ones who will love all parts of you will meet you once you’ve loved all parts of you.

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

I am Alya Perez, also known as EMPRESS. I am a multidimensional creative who also specializes in holistic healing, sexual embodiment, and astrology.

Painting has always been apart of my life and it wasn’t till a moved to Memphis, TN that I found the community I have craved my whole life. I focus in acrylic and oil abstract painting from energy channeling to nude abstracts and psychedelic work.

I have been pole dancing for almost 2 years, which has been such a catalyst in my spirituality, healing my relationship with the masculine and receiving messages from the divine to provide them and others outside of club setting.

Through dancing I found a love for my womb, body, sensual and sexuality that I love helping and providing others with the knowledge I have learned through dancing.

While blending the knowledge from yoga school and continue to learn through self studying, mentors, and community.

With this I use astrology in everyday work. I have been studying astrology for almost 5 years, a lot of my work in in person when I meet people, in the club, and with the community.

Astrology is everything and in everything and can be translated to everything.

I believe I am a channel for spirit in many ways, using my know gifts, knowledge, and creativity to help those around me.

I am growing everyday but what really impacted my journey was just putting myself out there meeting people going to events. Memphis Black Healers was one of the organizations that helped me in that.

Currently i provide birth chart reading, commissions, and 1:1 consulting. I also work with many artists and it’s a constant work of getting to know ones self and others.

My brand Empress creations is still in process however I am grateful for social media, my website, as well as the community I am apart of. I love doing art shows, preforming, and working intimately helping others. I am most proud of myself the growth I feel within myself and I am ready to see where spirit leads me next.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I stopped teaching zoom classes last year I felt defeated. I felt shame and embarrassment that I had worked so hard in school to only not teach. However I learned that I still had inner work to do, things to learn, and goals to define. It’s a process and it takes time. You cannot rush it.

I had to focus on my inner work which pushed me into painting, herbal teas, and jewelry which then pushed me to being apart of more events.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The surrender experiment by Micheal singer. It was gifted to me when I was going through one of my most challenging moments. He talks about the gift of surrendering to the flow of the universe and opportunities that arise. He dives into meditation, yoga, and business. He speaks of the importance of finding inner peace and being in flow at all times.

Truly helped shape me and brought new perspectives I hadn’t been exposed to before.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.alyaperez.com
• Instagram: Empressalya