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

Alright, Gemikal thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I knew that I wanted to do more with my art and creativity when I was in college. I believe that it was during my junior year when I was writing poetry and short stories. There were thoughts, feelings, and experiences that I recall leaning into that didn’t just belong to me. I began to see other people in my stories as well, from conversations that I had with friends or family. Even random occurrences that I had seen when people-watching, it ran across the gambit. The idea of creating art for others to consume made more and more sense as I began to recognize others within what I wrote. It felt like the opportunity to make others feel seen, heard, and understood was right in front of me and someone who values that in his own life, I would want to do the same for others.

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

I first got into writing through heartbreak. It was a healthy coping mechanism I went to because no one seemed to take my experience seriously. Over time, I began to connect with people just by doing life, and sharing who I am with them. I believe by doing that alone, you provide a safe space for others to try the same. Whether the experience I’m sharing is beautiful or one full of dread. It just allows folks to be. Without worry or concern of judgment. And hopefully that simply creates a ripple effect. Growing more profound as time moves forward.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to continue to learn and grow. I want my heart and perspective to continue increasing. I believe that the capacity to increase allows whatever I create, to make others feel seen, heard, and understood. I believe that’s something that we, as people, desire the most. The thing is, I don’t want to just give people this fleeting moment but I want to give them something to hold onto. Something to pay forward to others.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

One of the greatest things that most artists don’t talk about enough is the process of an idea being sparked… planning it out… creating, editing, making changes, etc., to the finished product. I don’t know what folks believe in but I think God did create us to do many things and one of those things is to create. So, having a finished product before us is a miracle in itself. I just think it’s easy to forget it, because most of the time, we’re creating for consumption in some capacity. But we should really bask in the fact that we made something from an idea. The idea itself was brought to life and now can live and navigate through the world. It’s beautiful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alightartscollective.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grs.hpr/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gymeyecall
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-777300300