Meet Donvinnie Boykin | Author, Celebrity Stylist, Model, Actor, Designer, Public Speaker, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Producer, & Creative Director

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

Hi Donvinnie, how do you think about risk?
Risk taking is the key to my success. Life is all about taking risk, and betting on yourself. I had to take on the fact of what’s the worst that could happen. I am a true believer that what you put out is what you will get back in return. With taking risk it builds confidence and opens up possibilities. By taking risks, you give yourself permission to try things out, I’ve learned, to fail, to grow and to explore. I got a chance to test my limits and go beyond what I believed was possible for me. From the start of my career I took a risk and entered into the fashion industry as a model knowing nothing about the industry. Taking that leap of faith and just trusting in myself, lead me on a journey of self discovery, and down a path to shape my future to what it is today. Taking that risk allowed me to be open and it wasn’t until recently 3 years to be exact, when I lost my father that I realized the value of taking risks. After losing my father I felt a lone, fear, I felt lost, and I felt change, but the feelings felt familiar like when I took the risk and decided to go into the modeling industry. Then I began to write those feelings of being vulnerable and express my pain and feelings of loosing my father and turn them into a book. My first Book REVEAL ” The year without my dad” It was very risky for me to publish a book considering the fact that I was in the fashion industry and not am entering into the world of literature. Through this journey it has enabled me to share my truth on suffering from depression and anxiety to empowering and motivating others to take a risk and share their story.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Branding, is the key to my success. I realized early on that I was a brand. Having that realization early on allowed me to be able to control my own destiny and create my own way into the industry. I’m most proud that I am my own boss, I got to where I am today by rewriting the rules, and doing things my way, and building my own table and inviting people to have a seat at my table. And no it wasn’t easy, I’ve been dropped my modeling agency’s, and I have been told no several times at least a 1000 times. I have had to invest in my self, and have had little to no support from others in believing in me and my vision. How I got to where I am now was just trusting in myself, and never giving up. It has definitely not been easy, but I had to dig deep within, and through meditation, and the power of daily affirmations I was able to push through. The lessons I have learned along the way is to just keep pushing, and count on no one but myself, there will be some wins and there will be some loses, you just have to be able to take it as it comes. I want to world to see me as an artist, and that art is beyond a painting or music. Art is everywhere around us it can be in the form of a picture, or through the power of words.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would have to say I am a big foodie. I love going to restaurants and in Altanta there are a lot of restaurants to choose from. I would first take the to my favorite restaurant in Buckhead called Divan. We would order my favorite dish the lamb chops with spinach. Then the next day we would do breakfast/brunch at thumbs up, where there fried catch fish is amazing. After breakfast/Brunch I would take them to the belt line and we would experience Atlanta on foot. Then after that being that Atlanta is know for the tv and film industry I would take them to iconic places scene on the big screen along with a tour of Dr. Kings birth home. Then the next day we would do a tour of the world of Coke A Cola , one of my favorite places along side the Georgia Aquarium. After that we might need a nice wind down, and would take them to a couple of bars in the city. Next I’d take them shopping, I’m not really a mall person, but I love a good deal we would go to the outlet malls. Then lastly I’m a big entertainer so I would end there visit by inviting some of my over friends over and we chill and hang out, at the house.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to thank my father, Coach Thomas Boykin. It’s not always common now days in my culture being an African American Male, to have a father present in their life. Not only did I have my father present but I have a loving mother that stood by his side in marriage up until the day he past away. The passion and the drive in my dad motivated me to be the person that I am today. With my father being an educator, an assistant principal, and a basketball coach, he prepared me for my life today. My Father taught me the value of education and furthering my degree, as well as the fundamentals of sports and the work ethic and drive it takes to be number one. He also taught me about the wins and losses how to hold your head up when you felt like you might be defeated, as well as how to come back after you been down. He taught me how to carry myself as a Black man in a society that might treat us differently. Through my journey in life I must truly say I have been blessed to not only have my father but my Uncles and My moms Dad, my grandfather in my life. Just hearing their stories of growing up, and how my grand father was a share cropper and farmer. I’ll just say to be able to be around Strong African American men influenced me to push myself further.

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Image Credits
Photography by DeAndre Lemans Visuals By Dre Photography