Meet Kesh Green | Performing Artist, Visual Artist & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kesh Green and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kesh, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I have a secret to admit, I have always had an affinity for numbers – I was that one kid who enjoyed algebra a little too much. For me, numbers represented clarity, certainty and control. As long as one follows the steps and does the work, the correct answer is expected. So naturally in college, I fell in love with Economics and Statistics; their formulas gave clear thought and reason to decision making. In Economics, there is a principle called opportunity cost – it helps one analyze trade-offs between possible choices. Now hear me out, opportunity cost is used for products so one may know how to allocate their resources accordingly. Yet, I have probably applied opportunity cost to everything in my life, from relationships, to business deals, to what I’m going to eat in the morning. There are so many gray areas in life and moments where our emotions can sway us to err (especially in interpersonal relationships); so I try to make it as ‘black and white’ as possible for myself.

However, in my true juxtaposing fashion – there are times, as I would like to say, when “my switch flips” and I go ‘off script.’ As overly-analytical and calculated as I may be, I am equally as spiritual and free-flowing. Although this could be a dizzying combination, over the years I’ve learned there’s a sweet balance between facts and truth. Truth is what I know without a shadow of doubt, it’s an inner knowing in my spirit communicated to my soul. I hear that ‘still soft voice’ and I just – go! I get an impression on my ‘heart,’ then I feel the spirit of discernment moving like a gentle nudge from God. It’s unexplainable and cannot be replicated. Every life-changing or eye opening moment that has happened to me came from a move of God – God spoke to my spirit and I just knew. Or there were moments when I felt ‘led’ to be somewhere or do a specific thing that was out of my normal routine. Then suddenly, something magical happens and everything ‘falls into place’ and arrays so beautifully.

I believe Albert Einstein said it the best, “A coincidence is a small miracle where God chose to remain anonymous.“ So now I try to ‘read the room’, heed instructions and step out on faith every time it calls.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I produce art from a holistic approach – one hand always washes the other. To speak plainly, there is no area of discipline that I have learned that does not influence another as I create. My experience as a dancer has benefitted me as an actress, my experience as an actress has benefitted me as an director. Being in graphic design helped me create as a photographer and my love for humanities and theory has sharpened my skills as a writer. Each time I started a new discipline, the over-achiever in me always wanted to become the best in that medium or field. Therefore, I’ve lived many lives creatively and in each season I envisioned myself at the top of the ranks. Because I dreamed of acting on Broadway or dancing with Ailey or shooting for Vogue I trained relentlessly, thus becoming an accidental jack-of-all trades. Yet, I had to battle with accepting the reality of my artistic path, in comparison to what I thought it ought to be. I realized for myself, I needed all those skills as means to an end, to assist me in creating works that incorporate different forms of storytelling across a variety of platforms and mediums.

As I had to put each of these alternate dreams ‘to bed,’ it hurt. Despite that sense of ‘knowing’ in my heart that those avenues weren’t necessarily for me – it was painful to release them. I’ve learned placing faith in something that isn’t bad or wrong but just misaligned for you and having to unearth those hopes and expectations, simply hurts. Yet at this stage in life, I’m finally accepting my call, with only ‘minor kicking and screaming’, and I’m doing things I never thought I would do. I never thought I would be a writer, writing was just a tool I used for acting and dance. I never thought I would step out from the ensemble and begin creating music as a solo artist. I never thought I would be teaching, I hated when people told me that my cadence reminds them of a teacher. Honestly, I became content with directing, creative direction and photography and I enjoyed the simple life it gave me. Being in production, I didn’t have to stretch myself, I was able to hide under everyone’s nose. To be frank, my sixty percent appeared as a hundred percent to others and ‘I loved that for me.’ I finally felt, as if, I could ‘coast’ rather than strive and after all the loss I experienced I needed stillness. I just wanted a quiet and stable life, while still feeling near to something I truly loved. Also by this time, I had already settled in my mind that I couldn’t push past this speed (dealing with anxiety and depression as an artist is difficult) so I tried to bow out gracefully. I decided those former dreams weren’t for me, but I kept having those nagging impressions on my spirit that wouldn’t leave me. Slowly, I began to see a change ‘in the tide’ (professionally) and I realized God was pushing me out deeper. I could no longer swim against the current and try to hold onto a place that no longer served me.

As I mentioned earlier, this year has been so challenging; I’ve been stretched, sifted, threshed and everything in between but I haven’t felt so fulfilled in years. I credit it to trusting God, trusting myself and focusing on my wellness (emotional, mental, physical and spiritual). Additionally, what aided me in this shift was paying attention to the seasons (What’s working? What’s not working?) and not taking “No” for an answer from myself (Is that I can’t do it or I shouldn’t do it? Or is it that I won’t do it?)

My hopes are to provoke thought and healing through cathartic experiences derived from art (music, dance, film and literature) and to continue to galvanize creativity in my community. I try my best to use my voice and live boldly in my truth and I pray I may help others do the same.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
“Okay, so boom…”

My hours of operations don’t begin until 11:00 am-ish, so they will have to fend for themselves ‘til at least noon – “I hope you ate on the plane.” Despite the late start I am an accommodating host, so our first stop will be for food. We would have to drive down to Miami for the week, because it has the best food to fun ratio, per capita – “period!” We are getting an AirBnB rental somewhere residential, near A1A, so we can be near the action but still ‘out of the way’ (pro tip). I’m going to mix our events between ‘hood classics, cultural institutions, fun activities and small businesses while doing my best to avoid the tourist attractions, gimmicks and gentrification.

We are definitely going to Dub & Grub for some of the best vegan Caribbean food South Florida has to offer. We are also hitting up C4Eats because their vegan soul food is everything – especially their Granny Greens (you’re welcome!) Because it’s summertime in Miami and we’re outside! We would have to “get all fine” and go to Red Rooster at least once because I love their atmosphere. Red Rooster has quickly become a local favorite, it’s swanky and soulful plus their food is delicious. During this staycation, we will also eat an ungodly amount of fried foods from Fat Boy Wings, Royal Castle and Sunday’s Eatery and we love every minute of it.

After all that food, we may need to burn off a few calories. So to remedy that, I would schedule a few classes at Pole Felony Fitness with my favorite instructor SINnamon. Every class is ‘lit’, her musical taste is ‘everything’ and we will be leaving sore but our bodies will be ‘tight’. Now with all of those pole classes under our belt, our posteriors should be primed for an all-day yacht party, because what’s Miami without a yacht party? Not Miami.

Throughout the week, we would probably do some more ‘low-key vibes,’ maybe walks to the mall or the beach. I would give them a tour around Lil’ Haiti, Wynwood, Midtown and Design District – informing them how they tore down my city for festivals, trinket stores and ice cream shops. If they’re really nice, before they leave I’ll show them all my favorite spots for Jamaican and Haitian food. I might even let them know where they can get the best papa rellenas and pastelitos too. Before their big “Bon Voyage,” I will have to take them to Airplane Mode, Velvet Velour and Shoe Gallery to soak up some ‘good vibes’ and ‘cop’ a few things. Then for one last celebratory ‘hurrah’ we would have a mini-getty that turns into a slightly-large cookout in someone’s Mom’s backyard. Because honestly, could anything be more Miami than that?

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Fortunately, I have had amazing mentors and teachers that forged a path before Fortunately, I was blessed with amazing mentors and teachers that forged a path of excellence for me to follow. Therefore, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank my elementary music director for waking up at the ‘crack of dawn’ to teach me how to play the cello. Or the magnet program instructors at Norland Middle and Michael Krop Sr. High for developing my musical theatre skills. Furthermore, I am forever indebted to Mr. Hemp, the graphic design director, who saw my talent for design (before I was privy to it). Moment of transparency, I didn’t know I would learn the fundamentals for my future career while loitering in my friend’s class. Yet, he opened his program to me, gave me advanced-level access to the design lab and taught me a three-year program, in three ‘short’ months.

Moreover, I wouldn’t have been able to overcome the obstacles I faced while in college without the assistance of my theatre department professors. These instructors personally cared for my mental and physical wellness, as much as my success in their program. I would also like to thank the Broward College Dance Department for fostering an environment for me to grow as a choreographer and a creative director. Additionally, leaders such as Pablo Malco and Chistopher Payen, who operate in nonprofit and community arts spaces, helped pave the way for me as a professional artist.

Yet, I dedicate this chapter of my life to my experience in Norland Middle’s Magnet Arts Theatre Program, under the guidance of Tanisha Cidel – she changed my life!

After being behind-the-scenes (design, direction, photo, production etc.) for almost five years; I have returned to musical and theatrical performance. This transition has been exciting, scary and ‘trying’ all at the same time. In this season, I’ve had to have more faith and trust than I’ve ever needed professionally. While pursuing these new performance and teaching positions; I realize more and more how this program impacted my development on and off-stage. As an artist, I find myself standing on the “shoulders of giants,” such as Mrs. Cidel, as I attempt to reach the next generation. Because I remember being a little black girl in an environment where we weren’t given the chance to dream lofty dreams and theatre was our passport to the world. Theatre became a space for my peers and I, where our imagination could ‘run’ free. Although I loved the arts, I struggled while attending Norland Middle. Honestly, I abhorred being bused ‘across town’ to go to an area I wasn’t familiar with and that was culturally different from my neighborhood. Every day as I woke up for school, I felt like I didn’t belong there – I missed my friends and my community. Soon after my academic history was littered with behavioral issues leading me to be on a revolving cycle of academic probation. I finally had to learn a difficult, but necessary lesson after being ‘removed’ from my magnet program (even though I was reinstated before the end of the school year – won’t my God do it). I had to humble myself, ask forgiveness and learn to value and appreciate grace and favor when it has been given to me. In spite of, my ups and downs, Mrs. Cidel never gave up on me, she continued to instill values of discipline and accountability in my life.

If you asked my former classmates, I probably would be voted the least likely to be ‘walking in the footsteps’ of our predecessors. Still as I now stand in this full-circle moment, I thank God for instructors and mentors like Mrs. Cidel, who while chasing their own dreams gave us the tools to pursue ours. I remember my sixth grade year, she performed at the VMAs with my favorite hip-hop artist and that following school day she shared her experience with us. As I sat back in awe, I daydreamed of the possibilities of my future. Earlier this year, I was bestowed a similar performance opportunity with the same artist. As I shared my experience with my creative writing class, I was moved to tears after realizing the beautiful tapestry that God has woven. That moment was 15 years in the making and I wouldn’t have been there without her. Thank you Mrs. Cidel!

Website: ksleazy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksleazy/?hl=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSc4YZYB_AoPrV6u4NpXQIw

Other: https://keshgrn.myportfolio.com/work

Image Credits
Donata St. Hillaire Danekki Kaviesh Alisha Cox Kesh Green Krystal Paige