We caught up with the brilliant and insightful D.A. Alston a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, D.A. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I was born a creative but I sadly didn’t always take it seriously. My mom would constantly tell me I should do something with my art or my words. But sadly fear of inadequacy and doubt hindered me from taking that leap. It wasn’t until I was a ‘young’ 26 that I finally took myself seriously. I wrote and published my first book , got a website, and put my foot on the gas. I do wish I would have realized what I was doing was worth putting that effort in a bit earlier. Doubt has the power to be debilitating. And it was like that for me. I do however know that everything happens for a reason. My book was inspired a lot by my students and if I didn’t have that reference I don’t think I could have written the books I did. I am proud of my growth and taking that leap when I did, even if it was into my twenties. I fully realize now that my journey is my own. I am not in a race or competition with anyone else. I will get ‘there’ when I’m supposed to.

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

Hello everyone! I go by D.A. Alston. I was born in San Diego and was raised in South Atlanta. From an early age I was into finding ways to express myself. That meant drawing on anything I deemed a blank canvas ( walls, desks, notebooks, clothes were not safe). I went on to get into journaling thanks to my mother. That opened up a new world of writing and I began really digging deeper into poetry. I worked on that heavy through middle and high school to the point i won many awards and accolades from it. After high school my creativity kicked into hyper drive. I put out my first t-shirt line , wrote two ya novels , created a creative writing workshop for kids, taught art classes, started my own business and so much more all before I turned 30. I did all that all while being a teacher. I do what I do to shine a light on those who don’t always see themselves in media. I want people to see themselves , their mothers, their friends, their loved ones in everything I create. My hope with every new client is that i help add a little color to their world, give them a platform to be seen, or feel represented in one way or another.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to uplift the next generation of creatives. That may mean helping the future writers/public speakers find their voice. It could mean writing characters that different kinds of individuals can play that they can relate to. But mostly it means helping create a safe space for people to find their creativity. I want to use my resources to pour into everyone around me. I know we as a community will be better if we learn to help and encourage each other.

The biggest goal is to open a brick and mortar that caters to the creatives of the world. I am talking about musicians, sculptors, dancers, painters, rug makers, animators… a place where they all can come together to share, learn and grow.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Honestly any moment is a reward for me. I am living the younger version of me dreams. But I think the best moment I experienced thus far is having kids read my book and hearing how much they loved it and how they identified with various characters that came from different backgrounds than them. Those moments always bring me to tears. I still can’t believe I wrote something that has helped so many kids feel seen.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thedayway.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thedawayy
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheOnly.DA.Alston
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/thedawayy
• Other: Tiktok. www.tiktok.com/@thedaway

Image Credits
Alston Smith Productions