A Pink Love Purveyor is someone who is committed to bringing a culture of love to the world during challenging times. Today, we celebrate Khairah Walker for her Work:
As the Founder and Executive Director of tiLTFEST, a festival celebrating the accomplishments of women in film, television and publishing and founding President of her eponymous branding & think tank business LaiLa Management LLC, Khairah gets to not only create but curate female-centric change and disrupt the status quo - integral parts of what she considers to be part of her life mission.
As an accomplished author and determined social advocate, Khairah’s racial equity and justice work in the world lends itself to powerful initiatives by way of organizing, speaking, blogging and coordinating influential events as platforms for evolution. As the former Director of Communications & co-chair of Submissions and Filmmaker Relations for the Newark International Film Festival, she has often been afforded the privilege of elevating the female quotient of excellence by generating sustainable, relevant content.
Khairah’s current role calls for strategizing content and operations for both the Chief Equity Officer and the Chief Executive Officer at the KIPP Foundation. She devotes time to volunteering as a board member at She’s Fit To Lead, a digital empowerment community organization for college women and a pursues her passion as yoga teacher offering yoga-for-life workshops, healing modality sessions and meditation practices.
Khairah seeks to empower by example and expects to release a self-help workbook in the Fall of 2020.
We are thankful that Khairah took time out of her busy schedule to share with us how being a Pink Love Purveyor shows up in her life:
💕How have you been holding up during the present climate?
I oscillate!lol Some days I’m great posting through work, teaching my six-year-old and offering yoga and meditation online and other days, I’m losing it and posting terrible selfies!
💕LOL. What have you been doing for your own self-care?
Not much and I am a fierce advocate for it so I’ve got to do better. A little yoga, a smoothie here and there but I’ve not been consistent.
💕Wow, thank you for your honesty. Sometimes people act like they are doing everything perfectly, so it is refreshing to hear that. What have you been doing within your community to help with their personal care?
I offer yoga and meditation live. The feedback has been mind blowing and beautiful. I am grateful to have a skill to offer. It’s a blessing.
💕Beautiful. It is truly a blessing, which leads me to my next question. What inspired you to do the Work that you are doing within your community during this time or were you already doing this Work? Yoga changed my life. It gave me the very thing that ever belonged to Just me. It helped me realize, actualize and later Monetize my worth. The last part was critical in my journey to self-love. I was already doing the work and knew how deeply necessary it was in my community. As a whole, we are the last ones offered body-positive methods to de-stress and recalibrate. It is a gift that I will always offer because it is a gift that continues to benefit me.
💕 You are so right: We are usually the last ones. It is good to see the conversations happening in Communities of Color, especially during these times. Can people join or support your efforts? If so, how? I go live every Tuesday on Facebook. They can also reach out to me at yogatogoklw@gmail.com for individual online yoga sessions!
💕What tips would you offer for those that may find themselves struggling through these tough times? Breathe. It is imperative to allow your breath to carry you from experience to the next, regardless of the extremity or severity. Slow down. A frenzied pace gets nothing done better, just faster. Take frequent social media and world news break. The news is the same whether we tune in or not. The brain can become over-saturated and invade your peace, especially during sleeping hours. If you must watch or tune in, make it a habit to shut down and be still an hour before bed if at all possible.
💕What is something you learned about yourself during this time? That I am not all roses and sunlight. That I have a breaking point like every one else and the things I deeply advocate for, for others, I need the same if not more of.
💕Share one thing that many people do not know about you.
I play the flute!
To stay connected to Khairah:
IG: @Lailawriteher
Twitter: @LailaChic