Meet Kyrah Page | Activist and Artist

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

Hi Kyrah, what do you attribute your success to?
At first, I was going to say my drive or my passion but ultimately the most important factor behind my success is the support of my family. Since I have started my brand Keepin’ It Kultured, my family has always been there. They ground me, motivate me, and most importantly they pray with me. Their support has pushed me even when I couldn’t push myself. When I told my family I wanted to start a business, the first thing they said was “ok, now what?”. They have sat for hours just listening to my ideas, they have provided me ideas, and they even helped me stay practical. I have a habit of getting ahead of myself. I will come to them with not one but like ten grand ideas and they will stop me in my tracks and tell me “Kyrah it’s not a race but a marathon… Idea one… let’s start there”. Having people around me that pour into me and that are a positive force in my life is what really helped me succeed. I’ve had people gas my head and say things like “Wow Kyrah, you’re so amazing…” and I’ve had people that were negative and told me I would fail. I even had people that have jumped on my bandwagon once they saw K.I.K might take off. One thing I KNOW is that my family is my constant through all that. They celebrated me, humbled me, and stayed realistic with me. They have never switched up or tried to pick and choose when to support the brand. They were always 10000% in and that is what pushed me to work so hard. They largely fueled my drive and my passion. My family has sacrificed SO much for me and I will get up everyday trying my best so that I won’t let their sacrifices go to waste.

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.
Keepin’ It Kultured was born out of pain. I created KIK as an outlet for the things I was going through as a young black girl in America. Amongst the many issues I have faced, the biggest one was colorism. Since I entered school in pre-K I was immediately bullied for how I looked. It escalated from verbal to cyber to physical bullying. I started doing poorly in school, low self esteem, and I even went through an identity crisis. I had absolutely no idea who I was because everyone around me tried to decide that for me. I was depressed, impressionable, and did everything I could to fit in. It wasn’t until my loved ones sat me down and made me take a hard look at myself. It was then when I realized that I needed to get myself together. My junior year in high school I pushed myself academically, emotionally, and mentally to overcome the demons and the pain from my past. I changed my environment and my mindset to be more positive. I fought to find myself and to love who I was becoming. June 6th 2020 was when Keepin’ It Kultured was born. Keepin’ It Kultured is a platform that is for Black people by Black people. We specialize in educating, inspiring and empowering the black community while providing a safe space to just be ourselves. By combining art with activism, we also advocate for change, promote black positivity, and address controversial issues the black community causes and faces. We are known for being intentional agitators… a tough love mentality. KIK believes that yes, Black people are oppressed and we must talk about those issues but there are times when we as Black people even get in our own way. We must talk about those issues so we can better ourselves as a community! KIK also believes in not just focusing on the bad parts of being Black. We are always hearing about slavery, segregation, or police brutality but we NEED to talk about how far we have come, our accomplishments, and uplift the community. As a brand I am most proud of the love and positivity that passes through KIK. The world may not always agree with the things KIK will say, do, and stand for but one thing is for sure…seeing Black people coming together to tackle these issues and to spread more positive messages is a beautiful thing! However, there have been challenges. A huge challenge I face is bringing the truth or a message to people. Most times when people start a business they are selling a product of some kind. However, products are a lot easier to sell than the truth because not everyone is open to receive the kinds of messages I am bringing. I have gotten rejected, negative reactions, lost supporters and even friends. That comes with the territory of course but that does not make it easier.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Pittsburgh and I think one of the most attractive places to see is downtown. There are many food places and activities. Most importantly you have The Point. The point is where all there rivers meet and it is a beautiful place to visit when the sun is setting on a summer day. You have the sun glistening off the water and the fountain behind you. It is a beautiful scene. Another place to visit would be Kennywood which is our amusement park. It is quite the experience especially if you ride all the rides and try as much food as you can. You can have so much fun there in the summer !

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a few people that I would like to shout out. First, of course, is my family. Without them I’m not sure where I’d be. I’d then like to shout out the people that helped me get started. I want to start with Mr. Darrin Ward. He created the ORIGINAL logo for my brand and he did it for free. When I started KIK, I had absolutely no money and he was a professional so I was worried that I might have to donate a limb or something to pay for his services. However, he threw me a bone and I will never forget that he brought the KIK logo to life and helped out a little girl with a dream. Next, I would like to shout out Mr. Ric Swiner for talking on the phone with me for HOURS to pour into me and provide wisdom on starting and maintaining a business. He is a friend of my parents but we have never spoke before but his willingness to take time out his day to speak with me meant the absolute world and I want to thank him publicly for that. Next is Ms. Jordan Welch. I have always been creative but she pushed me further and took me out my comfort zone. She was also always pouring wisdom into me. Every single time we spoke she gave me a new perspective or a valuable piece of wisdom. She is a very much needed positive light in my life ! Next, I’d like to thank Tish Gilbert for helping me get my merch off the ground. She jumped in so ready and willing to help and has been consistent with me for almost 2 years now. Lastly, I’d like to thank EVERY SINGLE PERSON that has ever passed through KIK. Every videographer, poet, writer, photographer, model, dancer and supporter! Without you guys there would be no Keepin’ It Kultured!

Website: https://www.thekikmovement.com/

Instagram: @keepinitkultured

Facebook: @keepinitkultured

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

Image Credits
Robert Waters Victor Musgrove