Meet Neïsha Kaïna Etienne | Multi-Disciplinary Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Neïsha Kaïna Etienne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Neïsha Kaïna, how do you think about risk?
I can’t say I’ve always been a risk taker – not consciously anyway. I was more of a planner for most of my life. In high school, I planned the four years of college down to the apartment I would live in down the street from the school of my choice. Strict planning didn’t pay off. My first big conscious risk came in 2019 when I moved out of my parent’s house making a little over $600 a month; rent was $390. The risk was for freedom. The path I’m on, the risk of quitting my jobs, to focus on my creative and entrepreneurial endeavors, regardless of opposition, is for freedom too. As long as freedom is on the other side of risk, whether that be financial, emotional, or locational freedom, I’ve found I’m likely to dive off the cliff more often than not.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I’ve started calling myself a multi-disciplinary creative – it’s less of a mouthful, believe it or not. I’m a photographer (@kaina.photography on IG), a writer of essays and travel blogs (The Besides Blog coming soon), and fanfiction (At Twilight a Vampire Diaries/Teen Wolf crossover on Wattpad) and local news. I’m a fashion designer. I’m an entrepreneur. A business owner. It all keeps me pretty busy, especially while trying to balance ADHD and my personal life. But I love it all and refuse to choose. My favorite part of everything I do is the materialization of my creativity taking corporeal form; seeing a chapter I wrote, an especially moving photo, or a particularly inspiring sketch of a design idea I have. I’m also always busy learning. I’m a learner through and through. I love research and deep dives and making sure I understand what I’m learning every which way, especially as it relates to my projects. I can always be found with 100+ tabs open and 500 documentaries in my WatchLater on Youtube. Shrugging off the fear and doubt that try to me I don’t have a creative bone in my body, that I’m meant to follow, not lead, fights for a chunk of my time too. And that’s exactly what I want people to know about my brand and story. Three years ago, I would’ve laughed at anyone who told me I’d be doing and pursuing the path I’m on. I promise you, there’s so much more to you and in you than your trauma wants you to believe. Your trauma wants to keep you small, not out of malice but out of fear. The anxiety, the doubts, it’s all fear but you can’t keep living in fear. Take it from me. Fear is natural but do it scared. I am terrified, yes, but staying in place is scarier for me. Your big doesn’t have to be 5000 projects or becoming a CEO. Find your big and don’t let fear keep you small.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a creature of habit so this is a very easy question haha. When I’m looking to have a guaranteed good time, I head to one of three places – The Square in downtown WPB, Clematis Street in downtown WPB or downtown Lake Worth. They are a conglomeration of good eats, good drinks, great shopping, and an overall great atmosphere. This is where you go to have random but amazing conversations with people you’ll never see again. Clematis and downtown Lake Worth have a lot of amazing locally-owned businesses. Honorable mention – the drive-in theater in Lake Worth is a treat worth having, for the novelty of the experience alone.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to Ms. Rebecca Mitchell. She was my Sociology teacher in 11th grade and taught me Psychology in 12th grade. Ms. Mitchell changed my life. Besides opening my eyes to an understanding of society and human nature I’d never had before (within the very restrictive AICE curriculum) I sometimes joke that she’s the only reason I was able to graduate high school. When a bout of depression derailed my attendance and participation in school, she was the only one to reach out and ask me what was wrong. After I explained, she said, “That sounds like depression,” and even though we’d been learning about these things, somehow I wasn’t able to connect it to my circumstances until then. Knowing what was wrong, and having someone in my corner, helped me turn things around before I reached the limit of absences allowed, which would’ve prevented me from graduating. I spent every lunch with her those two years. She was my first safe space before I even knew what that meant. I am forever grateful to her, and I’m sure all those other kids who ate lunch with me in her classroom feel the same way.

Website: www.kaina.carrd.co

Instagram: @kaina.photography | Personal: @__thegirl___

Other: My writing portfolio: Clippings.me/NeishaWrites