We recently connected with Gara Hunt and have shared our conversation below.

Gara , appreciate you joining us today. 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?

In life we all just want to be understood to a certain degree. I feel like growing up I have always been misjudged or misunderstood just for being me. We are all unique and I personally think my personality and character at times may be a bit much for people who don’t know who they are. Sometimes people hide behind the facade of who they think others want them to be instead of being exactly who God created them to be.

I’ve learned that when you are being your authentic self you attract a lot of genuine people but at the same time, you can also attract a lot of people who envy you’re boldness, your creativity, your weirdness and your overall existence. It’s imperative that you practice discernment when making connections because not everyone has your best interest in mind.

Gara , 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?

I come from a pretty great upbringing in spite of being born and raised in Compton California (I’d like to thank the city for making me who I am) where others might not think it’s so great. Family friends were always important to me and my well-being. In my opinion we all need a support group wether it’s your family or your friends (friends do become family) to keep you on your toes! Being that I’m the very versatile friend, I’ve accumulated friends from all walks of life and backgrounds and I couldn’t be happier, which is why I started my brand Hug The Homiess!

A lot of our friends and family struggle with things they don’t want to tell us about wether it be financial, mental or as I’m checking in with friends more often, even health issues are an issue. We get so tied up in our drama that we forget about our people, some of them may be having the roughest time right now due to reasons unknown however, simply checking in from time to time could work wonders.

I am most proud of my business ALONE and seeing how my friends interact with it. So many times I doubted myself and talking myself out of it when I really needed to take my own advice and just go for it. I am also proud of my friends, so many of them are opening up not just to me but to the world and I love them for finally taking the steps to come out of their shells and be who they are even with the issues they may be facing.

I feel like what sets me apart from any other clothing brand is the fact that it’s relatable to people of all ages, so many older people have asked me about my hoodies and where to purchase them from, and that alone is confirmation for me. EVERY ONE NEEDS A HUG SOMETIMES!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

In the near future my goal is to have my own storefront maybe even an establishment where I can have a team of helpers, helping people who struggle with the daily feeling of being alone and abandoned. In this establishment I would like to have social workers, counselors, resources to help those who struggle with substance abuse. I would also have nail techs, hair stylists, a masseuse and a host of other services for days when women want to be pampered but may not have the means to do so.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to learn was to always be accepting (when it feels right) of love. A lot of us feel like we aren’t able to trust people and I’m sure for good reasons however, having the wisdom and discernment is powerful. We’ve all been hurt by someone or something but healing and growing within is paramount to a healthy relationship with others and yourself. I say Hug The Homies Foreal because a lot of the homies are hurt and full of pride making it hard for them to accept pure love, genuine connections, and build strong foundations/relationships. We need each other more than we think and the more we have each others back the stronger our unions will be!

Contact Info:

• Website: Hugthehomiess.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/hugthehomiess?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Image Credits
Khai Joseph