Meet Kashara Johnson | Writer & Creative

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

Hi Kashara, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
It can be challenging to discern when to persevere and when to quit. I’ve walked away from projects for several reasons – sometimes realizing later on that I should’ve kept going. I’ve learned that it’s essential to get clarity about your intentions. So I ask myself a series of questions before deciding now. The main ones being — 1. Does this work align with my goals and my desires for the quality of life I want to have. 2. If I knew at the end that I wouldn’t fail, would I see this through? 3. Am I moving in the direction of love or fear? Generally, my answer to those questions gives me the answer I need. I know that we live in this hustle/productivity culture, but we should release the shame around quitting, especially if we’re letting go of something that doesn’t align or is causing mental stress.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My work is two-fold. First, I run a website called Undiscovered Worth, where I share writing and also interview women about their lives and the many varied ways of showing up in the world. Living in the Deep South and growing up with social media for over half of my life meant that it was (and still is) incredibly challenging at times to have honest conversations. I craved that for so long that I decided to create Undiscovered Worth for myself and others to hold space for them. Much of my writing meets at the intersection of race, gender, and emotional wellness. Secondly, I’m incredibly passionate about leveraging technology for social good – specifically when it comes to social equality and empowerment. My team and I recently soft-launched Unpack It, a digital platform of global stories and solutions for dealing with micro-aggressions. I’ve gotten to where I am today primarily by following my interests and taking calculated risks, which is what I think makes me the proudest. It’s tempting to follow the path everyone has chosen, but actively following my intuition has been more worthwhile. It’s hasn’t always been easy, but what’s helped me overcome the challenges has been knowing that I would rather deal with the discomfort of working towards my massive goals than deal with the lifelong discomfort of regret. Being 28 and having a few years to look back on, one of the best lessons I’ve learned so far is that no one actually knows what they’re doing. No one can see into the future. No one can know 100% for sure where their decisions will lead them. That’s a bit scary on the surface because we often look to others to tell us how best to live our lives, whether through social media or people we know personally. But it’s freeing because it means that we get to choose which path to go down, and the paths are endless. I want the world to know that my writing and other work are daily invitations to be unwaveringly honest with myself. My early twenties were a time of me constantly trying to mold myself into whatever I felt would grant me acceptance from others. My late twenties (and beyond) are about granting myself acceptance and providing a space for others to do the same for themselves.

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?
It honestly has been so long since I’ve gone anywhere given Covid-19 that it feels like a lifetime ago. Menu – Breakfast: Le Petit Marche Brunch: Negrille Lunch: Ton Ton in Ponce City Market Dinner: Poor Calvin’s or TWO urban licks Drinks: Golden Eagle Locations – Art: Atlanta Contemporary, High Museum, MODA Outdoors: Yellow River Park, Atlanta Botanical Garden, the Beltline

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?
It’s nearly impossible to pick one person. I would say that a wide range of people from family members to total strangers who’ve shown me random acts of kindness when I’ve wanted to quit, to the countless women mentors who’ve been able to provide me guidance and connections that help me move forward in my work. Books that have forever impacted my life include “The Gift of Anger” by Arun Gandhi, “Black Cool” by Rebecca Walker, “Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel’s Classroom” by Arial Burger, among others.

Website: www.UndiscoveredWorth.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kashara_johnson/

Image Credits
New Native Photography; Kashara Johnson