Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ishanee Chanda. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ishanee, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I have ever worked on has been my work in inspiring younger students in both high school and college to utilize spoken word poetry as a medium of therapy and release.

I was contacted by a friend and fellow writer, Regie Cabico, to participate in a series of events for teachers and high school students to learn about spoken word poetry and how it can be impactful for all ages. Watching teachers take a vested interest in inspiring children this way was so incredible. You could see how passionate they were about their kids and how much they wanted them to have this outlet. Later on, we held a competition for those very same children at a local Busboys and Poets where students were encouraged to compete with their best work. The material and topics they touched on with vulnerability, passion, and creativity were an incredible reminder as to why we do this work and share it; so that others may find healing in the same art across communities.

Ishanee, 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?

Growing up, my father always told me writing could not be the only thing I do with my life. It was a hard statement, and one that has defined me in adulthood. For a long time, I strayed away from writing and publishing out of self-doubt and fear of failure. It was not until the last six years of my life that I started realizing that my words had value.

Per my father’s advice, I am not only a writer. I am a public servant. I work for what I deem to be to the greater good. Writing, poetry, is a “side gig.” But how can something that is just a side gig bring so much joy? I do not think of myself as a brand or a service provider; what I am is a writer that loves to tell stories, whichever way you slice it. I tell my own stories, I tell other people’s stories, I tell stories that are never heard or read by hundreds of people. The most important part of this creative environment is having an audience, but no one tells you that that audience is allowed to just be yourself. While writing is not the only thing I do with my life, it is the thing that makes me life vibrate with every step forward.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Create incentives. Even now with the rise of emerging technology and a push for efficient workplaces, spaces for creativity are dwindling and becoming less heard about. Invest in artist residencies. Push for creative fellowships. Recognize the value that art has in this world as a touchpoint of historical narrative, a commentary on current events, and an indicator of what is to come.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Being a creative does not necessarily mean being the best. I do not define art by that word – what is the best? Success is a personal definition. I am not Poet Laureate. I don’t have a book on the New York Times Bestseller List. I’m not a Pulitzer Prize winner. That is not to say I do not have ambition; it is also not to say that those things would not be valuable to me. However, my personal definition of success is touching one person with something I have to say. That can happen a hundred times over and feel special every time. I am the best for myself because I am always working to give myself what I need – everything else is just extra.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ishaneechanda
• Twitter: @ishaneechanda