We were lucky to catch up with Kyrah Page recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Kyrah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
Keepin’ It Kultured was born out of pain I turned into passion. I created KIK as an outlet for the things I was going through as a young black girl in America. Amongst the many issues I have faced, the biggest one was colorism. Since I entered school in pre-K I was immediately bullied for how I looked. It escalated from verbal to cyber to physical bullying. At the time I didn’t understand why I was getting picked on and for a while I let the words of the people that bullied me affect my life in more ways than one. I started doing poorly in school, low self esteem, and I even went through an identity crisis. I had absolutely no idea who I was because everyone around me tried to decide that for me. I was depressed, impressionable, and did everything I could to fit in. I was lost and it wasn’t until my loved ones sat me down and made me take a hard look at myself. It was then when I realized that I needed to get myself together. My junior year in high school I pushed myself academically, emotionally, and mentally to overcome the demons and the pain from my past. I changed my environment and my mindset to be more positive. I fought to find myself and to love who I was becoming. June 6th 2020 was when Keepin’ It Kultured was born. I had finally had enough of being silent and a doormat for people to walk all over. I had found my voice and I had full intentions on using it. My first official project under the brand was speaking out against colorism. Everyone featured in the video was a different shade and with each shade came a different story. I realized I wasn’t alone and there are many others out there like me who are dealing with issues not just from our oppressors but from the black community as well. As of today, Keepin’ It Kultured is a place for positivity, education, and space in general for Black people to come together and grow within ourselves so we are able to adequately stand against our oppressors!
Kyrah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Kyrah Page. I am 18 years old and a freshman attending the FIRST degree granting HBCU, Lincoln University. I am a fiery red head with a lot of passion but I am also always looking to take a step back and learn something new. I started my business because I wanted to use my voice to help and empower the Black community. My brand Keepin’ It Kultured is a platform that is for Black people by Black people. We specialize in educating, inspiring and empowering the black community while providing a safe space to just be ourselves. We also advocate for change, promote black positivity, and address controversial issues the black community causes and faces through combining art with activism. We are known for being intentional agitators with a tough love mentality. KIK believes that yes, Black people are oppressed and we must talk about those issues but there are times when we as Black people even get in our own way. We must talk about those issues as well so we can better ourselves as a community! As a brand, I am most proud of the love and positivity that passes through KIK. The world may not always agree with the things KIK will say, do, and stand for but the people that have come through the brand have brought a certain light with them that will forever stay with KIK. We are proud to see Black people coming together to tackle these issues and to spread more positive messages. The heart of KIK is the community. KIK is FOR the Black community so we want to hear from the people in the community! At KIK, we believe change starts with us, with you! Together we will Keep It Kultured and change the world.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Starting and owning my own business has not been easy. I love what I do but everyday there is a new challenge. There are 2 challenges that I feel stand out the most. The first challenge I face is bringing the truth or a message to people. Most times when people start a business they are selling a product of some kind. However, products are a lot easier to sell than the truth because not only would people rather watch the latest Hollywood drama unfold but also not everyone is open to receive the kinds of messages I am bringing. The issues I discuss on my platform are not easy to digest but we have to talk about them or we will continue to run in circles. I have gotten rejected, negative reactions, lost supporters and even friends. That comes with the territory of course but that does not make it easier. I choose to keep producing content despite the low numbers, the negativity, the stress, and limited resources because ultimately what I do brings me joy. I will receive one positive comment and that one comment will inspire me all over again to keep going. If it isn’t for anyone else but that one person I will keep going. The second challenge is building my brand from scratch. When I started KIK I had no money and limited resources. All I had was a vision which ultimately wasn’t enough. I had to put action behind the things I said I wanted to do but it wasn’t easy. Everything I have now was not given to me but earned through hours of research, filming, and working. To add to that struggle, I am a full time college student. Trying to manage both can be extremely challenging at times. Even though doing what I do has its struggles I wouldn’t trade what I do for anything and I will keep fighting to change the world!
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
When I started Keepin’ It Kultured I was broke! All I had was a vision and some hope. It was recommended to me by a mentor to just say “Hey guys I have a business… would you like to support?” but I did not want to ask people for money. I was scared people would not support the cause BUT I was absolutely wrong. I received so much love and support and a ton of donations! I received enough donations to release my first project under the brand titled “Is Our Blackness Only Skin Deep?” which was about colorism. After that I began trying to find ways to fund the brand without just bluntly asking people for their money. I started branching out trying to make connections with people. Shortly after the release of the first project I started selling KIK merch. I even picked up some part time jobs to assist. I am still trying to figure out how to make consistent funds to support the brand but I am learning as I go! I am making more partnerships and hopefully soon KIK can support itself. I applied and was granted my LLC status which will allow me to apply for grants and brand deals. It was extremely hard starting from scratch and at times I find myself in the red zone but with hard work and prayer I believe the funds will come 10 fold so I can continue creating content !
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thekikmovement.com/
- Instagram: @keepinitkultured
- Facebook: @keepinitkultured
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsElKkVpnlzQAGcEAyW_Zww
Image Credits
Robert Waters Victor Musgrove