Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kayla Gilchrist. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kayla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
There are three instances where I have had three different friends who are more like sisters, pour unexpected, unadulterated, absolute kindness into me. The first was when my best friend from childhood who, during a time when money was super tight for me, bought me brand new, knee-high black boots for Christmas one year. We live in two different states and I never told her I needed new winter boots or even asked her to get me anything for Christmas because I knew that year I wouldn’t be able to gift my friends anything (one of the downsides about the holidays can be the financial pressure to gift everyone around you, especially as someone in the creative field) yet she knew me well enough to get me not just something I wanted, but needed. It may seem like such a small gesture but it truly touched my heart. The boots are worn out now but I still have them to this day.
The second instance was during a time of massive layoffs around the pandemic era. All creative gigs were put on hold or too risky to take on and I needed more stable work. I was working full-time at my first salaried job when I got furloughed due to the pandemic. Luckily I was financially literate enough to save for times like that but knew I would need something else soon. I’m usually private about those kinds of things even with my friends, but since this was during a time everyone seemed to be experiencing the same or similar situations I opened up to one of my creative friends about it. I met her on the set of her short film where she was directing me. I told her about my social media background, and how I was looking for something stable, and she referred me to the job that kept me afloat for the next year and a half. When I was ready to leave that job, she told me about another opportunity where I could use my digital marketing skills which also gave me the needed flexibility to continue pursuing my creative dreams. It’s crazy how quickly we connected after meeting for the first time and how incredibly helpful and essential she was during a time of uncertainty for me. She didn’t have to help me at all or be kind enough to put me on to any opportunities. She was a God-send and I definitely believe in divine alignment when it comes to choosing your friends. I’m already a natural empath but the experience has made me even more empathetic toward others where I want to make sure I can sow back into someone else what has been sown into me. We’re still good friends to this day and much like my childhood best friend, she’s more like another sister than anything else to me. I’ve already told her anything she needs, I got her and I’ll always have her back no matter what.
The final instance I’ll share is when I had my 28th birthday party. It was the first time I planned and threw my own birthday party (not including the one I tried to throw in 5th grade without my parents knowing but that’s another story for another day LOL). Attending meant a lot to me because I had put so much time and effort into the planning. To make a long story short, the plan didn’t go…well…as planned in the beginning and I ended up having to search for another venue the night of my party. I was doing all I could to keep my composure and work something out with my family to see what we could do. Without telling me what she was going to do, one of my close friends who was helping me set up came up to me and told me she had called in a favor and secured a new venue for me. When I tell you I was overwhelmed with heartfelt gratitude and emotion, I couldn’t believe I had someone in my life who could come in so clutch for me!!! While I was handling and informing my caterer and photographer of the changes and hoping to somehow keep the original venue, she took it upon herself to find a new venue and secure it. This was all before guests started arriving. She saved my party and I’ll NEVER forget that. I’ve also learned to hire an event planner from now on LOL. I gifted her for that one and consider her to be one of my closest friends.
Each friend showed me immense kindness at times I needed it most and all have become more like family to me. I never forget a kind gesture, but these moments were above and beyond in my book and are core memories for me. If they are reading this, they know who they are and I want them to publicly know how much they impacted my life. Kindness is the most valuable currency. Surround yourself with true friends who show you real kindness! They are the greatest treasures in life.
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.
My name is Kayla Gilchrist and based on where I’ve lived growing up, I like to say that I’m New Jersey-born, Maryland-bred, and Texas-raised. I describe myself as a Christ-centered, free-spirited, and multi-faceted twenty-something with a passion for all things creative. As the daughter of former ministers and the middle child of four girls, my upbringing was rooted in faith and family. I’ve always had a deep love for the arts and how transformative the arts are on culture and the human spirit.
I’ve been a creative force from a young age, expressing myself first through drawing and painting then writing short stories and poetry. I got bit by the acting bug after watching Raven Symone on Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven. I wanted to be just like her and ever since I have been acting on and off. From theatre and musicals to commercials and film, I love telling stories through the lens of different characters and bringing the written word to life. I have also written and directed my own short films after my very first short, titled Art, won Best Film and Best Cinematography at my alma mater Prairie View A&M University’s film festival. I was the first woman at the university to make that achievement. I have been acting and modeling professionally since 2019. I’ve been signed to two Texas-based agencies that allowed me to work locally while holding down a full-time job and grad school. I recently earned my Masters in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University ensuring that I not only understand the world of the arts but the business aspect of the arts as well. My inspiration stems from trailblazing Black women like Issa Rae, Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Ava Duvernay, and Gina-Prince-Bythewood (just to name a few). As an artist, I am committed to breaking barriers and encouraging others to create the narrative they want to see and others need to hear.
I am proud to say that I have entered the pageant world and was recently crowned Ms. Black Texas USA 2024 where I will embark on a journey to compete at the national level in Washington D.C. this summer for the prestigious title of Ms. Black USA. The Miss Black USA organization is dedicated to redefining beauty and providing a powerful platform for women of color, celebrating diversity in shades, hair textures, and sizes. As the largest single source of scholarship funding for women of color, the organization has empowered countless individuals to pursue their dreams and aspirations. My platform is “Unity in the Community through Economic Empowerment” where my goal is to bring awareness to the racial and generational wealth gap that plagues America. I want all communities, especially the African-American community, to feel equitably empowered through financial literacy and I hope to be one of many voices for change in that area.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
This is an excellent and necessary question! Supporting artists, creatives, and a thriving creative ecosystem involves a multifaceted approach. Society can support us world changers by doing the following:
1. Invest in Arts Education. Providing robust arts education programs in schools fosters creativity from a young age and helps develop the skills needed for future artists and creatives. The main reason and motivation behind me entering my first film festival in undergrad where I ended up winning was to show through art itself, how important and integral art is to human expression. This was after my university had taken away Theatre as a major, while some students were in the middle of the program. The hope was to encourage the administration to return the Theatre major but even though that didn’t happen, I believe my voice was heard. When the education system starts its budget cuts, anything within arts and music is usually the first to go. This causes future creatives to believe their talents and contributions are less than and not as valuable to society as engineers, doctors, or lawyers and it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Let’s not forget who the world turned to, to uplift their spirits and provide a welcomed form of escapism when we hit a global pandemic.
2. Funding and Grants: Governments, organizations, and individuals can provide funding and grants to support artists and creatives in their projects and endeavors. This financial support can be crucial for them to sustain their work and pursue their artistic visions.
3. Accessible Spaces and Resources: Creating and maintaining affordable studio spaces, workshops, and resources such as equipment and materials can facilitate the creative process and enable artists to bring their ideas to life.
4. Promotion and Exposure: Society can support artists by promoting their work through exhibitions, performances, galleries, and online platforms. Providing exposure to a wider audience helps artists gain recognition and opportunities for collaboration and commissions.
5. Fair Compensation and Recognition: This is a BIG one and the reason for both of the recent Writers’ and Actors’ strikes. Recognizing the value of artists’ contributions to society and ensuring they receive fair compensation for their work is essential. This can involve paying fair wages, royalties, and ensuring that artists retain ownership rights to their creations.
6. Cultural Policies and Supportive Legislation: Governments can implement cultural policies and legislation that prioritize and support the arts. This can include tax incentives for cultural organizations, protecting intellectual property rights, and incorporating arts and culture into urban planning and development projects.
7. Community Engagement and Collaboration: Encouraging collaboration between artists, creatives, and the community fosters a sense of belonging and mutual support. Community engagement projects, public art installations, and cultural events can enrich local communities and strengthen the creative ecosystem.
8. Mental Health Support: Recognizing the unique challenges that artists and creatives face, society can provide mental health support services tailored to their needs. This can include access to counseling, stress management resources, and support networks.
9. Encourage Innovation and Risk-Taking! Society should encourage risk-taking and experimentation in the arts, celebrating innovation and unconventional approaches. Much like regular entrepreneurship, embracing creativity often involves stepping outside of comfort zones and challenging existing norms. We should have more Arts Entrepreneurship workshops and classes both within and outside of the education system.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I believe non-creatives, and I’m not sure I want to say that because I believe everyone has a level of creativity within them, but those who don’t lean as heavily toward their right-brained side, will struggle to understand just how much perseverance, resiliency, and shrewdness it takes to keep going as a creative, especially when you don’t see results right away. I think they may struggle to understand the amount of rejection creatives experience daily, the amount of courage and vulnerability it takes to put your art into the world for all to judge, and how you don’t have to create something every single day to be considered an artist. Creatives need breaks too. Creatives need rest too. It’s fun but it also takes a lot of work, especially if the goal is to make a living from it.
I think non-creatives may struggle to understand that their creative friends may need a lot more time to themselves, a lot of time to do absolutely nothing so they can focus on allowing their creative ideas to come to them and build. They may struggle to understand that when starting out, their creative friends may be so focused on making sure they can survive on their own two feet before they can focus on thriving creatively. Non-creatives may not understand that it’s possible to make a living as a creative but in this modern age with how accessible content is through technology, and how careers are being made from simply being a content creator, it is more possible than ever before.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kaylagilchrist.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msblacktexasusa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kayla.gilchrist.35/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-gilchrist/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEy22TCooRrqBwi5bnFOuzg
- Other: Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kgchrist313/
Image Credits
SDI Productions Daniel Jehad Swedan