LaKisha Mosley
FEATURE STORY
Interviewed by Samantha Joo
People come into and go out of our lives, while some linger, some stay, and some just stalk. But occasionally, a person crashes into our lives out of nowhere. You don’t know how, where, or what of it all and boom! That’s LaKisha Mosley. One day, I get an email expressing her desire to volunteer at Platform. I had not recently advertised for or thought I wanted or needed a volunteer since I had so much on my plate. I wanted stasis until I could find my bearing, a rhythm so I could figure out how to go forward with Platform. It is not that a volunteer cannot be helpful. They are but it takes time and energy to determine how and what role a volunteer can play within the organization. I have to oversee the process. Part of me wanted to write back and say that we did not need any volunteers at this point but then I was curious. Oh the bane of having to deal with my curiosity. So I set a time to meet and I am glad I did because she was exactly what I needed, perhaps not I wanted at that time, to re-visualize Platform or enact what I have been visualizing but lacked the energy to do.
How would I describe LaKisha? Now I’ve known her for only a few weeks via Zoom since she hails from Houston, TX. But then with the pandemic, all my meetings, even with people down the street, have been in virtual space. In the short time I’ve known her, I find her to be vivacious, outspoken, and ready to roll. She is extremely direct, which I love, and definitely won’t put up with anyone’s nonsense. Who has time for crap when so much is at stake within our communities? Like seriously. And that’s the beauty of LaKisha. She understands the urgency to which we must address the very problems that plague us. Black people are being murdered every day and we as a society are not proactively ‘disrupting’ the norm that allows such atrocity to be committed. We are failing, not just flailing.
Yes, she will just jump in and confront the issue head-on which, lets face it, can make people, especially white people, uncomfortable. But isn’t that what our society needs - discomfort, unrest, or outright rage - to prompt us to change that which negates the lives of people who have been overlooked historically. The word that LaKisha uses to describe herself is ‘disruptive’ and that is revealing about who she is and what she stands for. Granted, someone used that word to negate her power but she decided to reclaim it. And it’s not being disruptive for the sake of being controversial. Mind you, it is the end-game that matters here. I know people who disrupt just to bring attention to themselves because they are absolutely boring otherwise, but not LaKisha, who has an objective for her disruption. What does she want to disrupt? The norm that says it is acceptable to debase, dehumanize, and destroy black lives. Here, her passion fueled by her fierce devotion to our community is what makes her disruption meaningful and powerful.
Yes, she is a ‘disruptor’ and thank God for that. I would hope that all of us would have the courage to shake it up, to feel called and actually be moved to action so that lives, black lives, are valued in our society. It’s about time that we change, transform that which is wrong, unjust, and in Christian terms, downright sinful.
INTERVIEW
Sam: What experiences have led you to create your own business and start a series of discussions as Racial Disruptor?
LaKisha: Growing up as a black girl in the South has not always been easy. I've always had to encounter some form of racism whether directly or indirectly. I've been slighted for jobs because I'm female and black. I got tired of that so I decided I wanted to work for myself. Racial Disruptor came out of the utter disgust and disappointment or the treatment of black people. The death of George Floyd hurt me to my core. I was tired of seeing our black men and women slaughtered by bad cops and racists whites with video evidence to show it. As an influencer, I wanted to share my platform for an issue that has been going on for years and years. I felt like it was my responsibility to speak out on issues that plagued black Americans in so many areas of life.
Sam: What do you want to accomplish as a Racial Disruptor?
LaKisha: As a Racial Disruptor, I want to bring awareness to the racial issues that occur in everyday life. From being in media to being an entrepreneur, most black Americans have endured racism in some form or fashion. Most white people ignore it or excuse it away. I also want black Americans to know their power and to act responsibly with it. We have so much spending power that if we cut it off the economy would suffer. We have to exercise our right to vote not just for the President but at the local levels as well.
Sam: Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
LaKisha: In ten years, I hope to have made such a significant impact on the world. I want to empower not just black Americans but people of all races. I hope that my platform is worldwide and educating people about racism and how it affects every area of our lives. I want to give people the tools to see racism, stop it where it happens and to share their experiences.
Sam: If there was one word to describe you, what would it be? Why?
LaKisha: Disruptive. Every move I make must cause people to think outside of their small scope of being. I want my presence to stir up emotions that cause people to not only want to do better in this world but to impact others with their goodness.
Sam: What do you do to get away from the bombardment of bad news, especially as a Racial Disruptor?
LaKisha: I pray and I meditate daily. When it seems to be too much, I reach out to God and ask for his guidance. I practice self-care daily but reading or listening to books that empower or uplift me. I listen to music and reach out to my family and friends. I try not to read or listen to a lot of news. But I do pay attention to the things that will help me understand that what I am doing is so important.
ABOUT
Houston resident, Louisiana native and all-around powerhouse LaKisha Mosley is the Founder and Digital Event Strategist of The LM Experience, host of The Convo with Kisha podcast, and the chief blogger at LaKishaMosley.com where she writes about business, family, health and more. She also is Head Disruptor at Racial Disruptor, a social justice forum that brings awareness to racism. LaKisha is the mother of two adult children, Kaniecia and Kaylon, a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Mu Alpha Mu Christian Sorority. Besides spending time with her children, LaKisha is an avid reader, loves true crime shows and enjoys a good podcast.