We were lucky to catch up with Dionna Carter recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dionna , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with education – we’d love to hear your thoughts about how we can better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career.
I have a major fear of failure. This, paired with my unrealistically high expectations of myself, has at times invoked strong feelings of self-doubt and anxiety, and made it difficult to pursue what I am most passionate about.
You may ask how this ties into the educational system. Traditional education has a very myopic view of what success looks like and inherently teaches students to avoid failure. In school, success looks like receiving an A, regardless of whether that came through sincere knowledge or rote memorization. It looks like choosing a “career path” and sticking to it throughout college.
In my experience, exploration of various opportunities – or even the idea of creating your own career path – is rarely seen. For those who are prefer to forge their own paths, this may limit the opportunities they believe they have. And for those, like me, who are rule-followers and planners, creativity is stifled before it can even be unlocked.
In our post-pandemic world, the archaic way we’ve done school is becoming obsolete. This world is looking for adaptable, flexible, creative thinkers and problem solvers. Industries are searching for those who are able to actively transfer experience and skill into roles that may not fit within the scope of their formal training. It’s imperative that we begin teaching our kids that failure is not the end of the world. It’s a necessary and effective tool for moving forward and achieving greater success. And a fear of failure doesn’t shield you from making mistakes – instead, it delays the inevitable and makes it harder to recover and move forward. These are the things I wish I would’ve learned at an early age. Perhaps they would’ve given me the confidence to broaden my thinking of what I could do “when I grow up.”
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
I have dual passions that I’ve woven together to create my brand.
On one hand, I’m a fashion stylist. I never imagined I could turn my love for fashion into a viable business. I never possessed the skills or desires to handcraft garments, but I’ve always had a knack for turning an array of pieces into outfits that others rave over. If I’m honest, I never considered this a gift because of how naturally it’s always come to me. However, as I got older, I noticed two crucial truths. The first is that many women struggle to adequately portray who they are through their clothing. The other, more important, truth is that notr only were women lacking the ability to style themselves in ways they desired but, as a result, their confidence and presence was severely impacted by this deficiency. Through Dionna Carter Fashion Consulting, I’m now in a position where I can use my gift to provide services that help my clients better present themselves on the exterior and, simultaneously, give them the internal boost to own all of who they are. I’ve seen clients begin our appointments with trepidation and, at the end, their smiles and openness tell a completely different story. This is what brings me joy. Fashion is more than just about clothing, it’s a way of connecting with your true self and sharing that with the world.
On the other hand, I am a writer, a poet, an author. My degree in Journalism has provided me with the technical skills needed to accompany my passion for the written word. I’ve engaged in many forms of writing, but poetry is my heart. It’s a way to express outside the confines of rules and expectations. And it’s a connector across so many spheres. I truly believe it’s one of God’s gifts to humans, to express in such a free, unrestricted way.
Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
My faith has always been my driver – it guides what I do and how I do it. This has been no different in my creative journey. I’ve always believed that I was blessed with gifts so I could share them with others, allowing them to experience the love of Christ through me. Each time I interact with clients, specifically through fashion consulting, I want them to leave being reminded of how special, unique and beautiful they are. For me, it’s not just about making them look better, but I want them to know that it’s not about the clothing, it’s about the person wearing the clothes. Regardless of what they may hear from the culture, others, or even themselves, they are beautiful works of art and should carry themselves as such.
The same spirit influences my writing. I want others to read my words and know that.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
When I began my career fresh out of college, I was bombarded with recommendations and invitations to multiple professional groups and organizations. However, it wasn’t until many years later that I learned many of those same resources were available on the creative side. There seems to be this assumption that you’re either a creative or a business professional, as though these two realities are mutually exclusive. I would have loved to connect with the local organizations and individuals catering to black female writers, entrepreneurs, creatives. Now I am adamant about sharing these resources with those I encounter, even if their passion is not yet their official occupation.
For my fellow poets, Poets World (pw.org) is a well-established resource for those either just breaking into poetry or those looking to gain refreshers or insight into current opportunities.
Those looking to learn more about what it takes to be a fashion stylist should begin their journey with fashionstylisthandbook.com. Fashion Styling is so multifaceted, but this resource is a great starting point to get your feet wet and start familiarizing yourself with this industry.
Finally, never underestimate a Google search. If you’re adamant enough about gathering information, the world is literally at your disposal. Take the time to do your research, compile your notes, then take the leap!
Contact Info:
- Website: dionnacarter.com
- Instagram: @flyandshyyy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dionnacarter/