Today we’d like to introduce you to Micheline Amisi.
Micheline, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My family moved to the states when I was eight years old. I would define that as one of the many defining moments in my life. My dad and mom had bought the idea of the American dream and believed that a shot at the American education system would be an answered prayer.
After much effort, contemplation, prayer (emphasis on prayer) my family moved from our roots, our comfort, our home in the hopes of realizing the American fantasy. I had to learn every literal thing from scratch. I knew like three words in English and those would be the only words I would use. For three months, it didn’t matter WHAT you were asking me– you would be met with a confident “yes”, “no”, and I cant explicitly remember the third word but my best guess is “bathroom” or “food”. However, my parents’ commitment to the dream manifested into my pursuit of it and I grew very very very hungry.
Witnessing my family make the transition from The Democratic Republic of Congo to Connecticut was not easy and was certainly not always encouraging. I remember usually feeling COLD (like why was Connecticut our first stop….y’all know how COLD it gets in Connecticut?) and isolated. I wanted so badly to go back home but in these moments, I learned the first few (of many to later develop) life lessons. I learned that sometimes, more often than we would like, the only thing that keeps us moving forward is the faith in the dream.
This manifested in my “adult” life: I continued to dream and press forward with unwavering faith in God’s promises. Coming from a family of clowns however, has made the development of my passions a funnier and lighter journey. Because comedy is every African’s middle name, I learned to take the good with the bad (making a joke of both of them) and keep it pushing. I never truly realized that these innate character traits were shaping my brand.
Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth? No. But I define a smooth road as one without bumps or detours. And I have certainly had both. When I first decided to run for Miss UNC in 2017, I dealt with an immense amount of surface-level self-doubt. I say surface because deep down, I believed in my ability to execute. But even in the midst of this deeply rooted confidence, I still questioned whether or not I was cut out for it. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, at the time, was comprised of a 9% black population and there had not been a Black Mister & Miss UNC in 11 years. Here, in my decision to run anyways, is where I learned another one of my guiding principles: fear is natural and normal, but greatness is born not in the absence of fear but in the face of it. I ran for Miss UNC very afraid and through that process gave birth to SOAR, my baby, my passion project and a health and wellness community focused on accessibility to health and wellness for the Black community.
The execution of SOAR changed my life is so many ways. I started exploring other things that made me happy and this lead to me walking into what I believe is one of my callings: utilizing my gift of connection to make the lives of those around me easier and funnier. All along, I was developing and growing into myself without truly knowing…by walking in what I believe is my purpose I was manifesting the very abstract concepts that make me who I am. By living in spite of fear, I was creating a brand and here, michelineamisi.com was born.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Health and wellness is something that had traditionally been taboo in the Black community. No one really wants to talk about it and too many fads are floating around leaving people confused, overwhelmed and discouraged in the face of adopting better health and wellness practices. Soar is actively working to combat that. We are a community focused on the pursuit of holistic health and wellness delivered through monthly fitness and wellness challenges. The objective is simple, the member is our community are after a lifestyle change. One in which we strive on a consistent basis to be the best versions of ourselves.
SOAR is unique because there is no other community that does what we do, how we do it, to serve who we serve. Our commitment is to each and every member’s lifelong relationship with health and wellness.
Additionally, I have always had a *says softly* loud personality and an obsession with fashion. These two things have led me to share my passions as a host and a stylist with the world. I have been hosting events for the last nine years and have hosted/emceed events of guest ranging from 10 people to over thousands. I truly believe that ‘humor is the shortest distance between two humans’, so my spirit is lifted when I can do anything to close the gap.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Absolutely. I think health and wellness is making a change for the better ESPECIALLY in the Black community. The one thing I think is most beautiful is that health and wellness is becoming more accessible and no longer only a reality for a few people. This new open environment will lead to so so so many lives being saved in our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: soarhealth.org & michelineamisi.com
- Email: soarhealthorg@gmail.com
- Instagram: soarszn/ michelinewin_
Image Credit:
Photography by Jordan Viision
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