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Conversations with Alexandria Gray

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandria Gray.

Hi Alexandria, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
“ My story” I always get jittery when writing about this particular headline. I try not to equate my story with my traumas because I am not my trauma & my story is not the trauma I’ve endured.

I will say; for me, everything started in my adolescence. Watching my mom struggle to juggle 5 children (me being the oldest) & a husband. My siblings have always been the most important to me. My paternal family I didn’t know until I was 12 years old. I thought my stepfather was my paternal father up until that point.

Growing up, I remember living in & out of shelters, hotels, friends & families houses, etc. I remember my mother & my stepfather trying to set aside their differences & prepare to provide better for us. Through the midst of all that I was always grateful to have my brothers & sisters.

When I met my father everything changed dramatically for me. I was born in Decatur, GA at North Dekalb. I moved to Michigan when I was maybe 1 year old. Fast forward to when I met my father at 12 years old I went to visit him for 3 weeks in Jonesboro; we went shopping, went on trips.. honestly anything I could’ve asked for I got it within that 3 week span.

My immature childlike mind assumed he’s the rich, cool dad. So I chose to live with him during my freshman year of high school. Although that year I didn’t learn him as I would’ve liked to – I’m grateful my mom allowed me to make that move; I learned a lot about myself that year.

Around 13 years old, I changed dramatically again. I didn’t know anything about sexual intercourse. I had a friend who was a boy, part of me wanted to explore but most of me didn’t, but at that time I guess it was too late. I’ll always remember the smell. I wrote more in-depth about this in my soon to be published poetry book.

I went through a major identity crisis during this time. I couldn’t trust anybody, not even myself. I didn’t believe that happened to me as It did to every other woman in my family; so I lied. From there I was just viewed as the boy who cried wolf; nobody believed me. It took a lot for me to love myself again.

I moved around a lot from state to state. After I finished freshman year with my dad, I went to Jacksonville Fl with my mom & grandma. During my sophomore year in February, my mom decided we move to Kansas with her husband, his family & my brothers. I was so angry with her because I knew our whole life living with them has been nothing but a living hell & I knew not to expect anything other than that.

A lot happened within that year & a half we were there. I won’t go into detail here but we came back to Florida at the end of my senior year. I was angry again because I just wanted to graduate & the way it felt… I wasn’t gonna be able to graduate. But I did! I did my work on my computer for the last 2 months Of school & then when graduation & prom came, I went back to Kansas just to literally walk- it meant the world to me at that time. I’m still grateful I was able to do that.

After I finished school, I moved back to Georgia with a close friend then eventually back to my dad’s. I moved out when I was 19 with my boyfriend at the time. I learned a lot about myself within those four years of being with him. Mostly how my childhood traumas inflict so much into my adulthood. I learned I genuinely didn’t know how to be an adult.. just thought I was “grown”.

Fast forward to now: I mentioned all that because through everything, I became the epitome of tenacity. I’ve endured different levels of betrayal, mostly from people closest to me. Not to give the impression that I believe I’m perfect, because I’m definitely not.. but I never deserved any of that, gratefully I grew through every phase instead of letting life bury me. My hustle came from my starvation. From the physical to metaphysical. Nobody in my family has a business, nor do they have generational wealth, so that’s one of my biggest goals, & I will achieve it. I am achieving it with every small step I take.

I am who I am today because of all the good & all the bad. Just like my libra scale; I try to keep them balanced. Speaking of which, I just turned 23 on the 26th of September. It wasn’t much of a celebration this year, my aunt ascended on august 30th, & I planned on visiting her for my brother’s (09/25) & I (09/26) birthday. Despite life circumstances; It feels like I’ve officially kicked the door in on adulthood, I’m learning to love it.

Truly just grateful to be here.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road getting to where I am, even just creatively.. there’s been lonely times, times where I didn’t believe in myself, times where I’ve compared my journey to others; not knowing what they’ve had to endure or not endure along their own personal journey. There’s been times where I truly believed it’d be better to throw the towel in, a lot of mental challenges, truly but now I’ve learned to turn those negative thoughts into positive ones. Turn those pessimistic thoughts into optimistic thoughts.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a multitalented creative. I’m a writer, I’m a bartender, model, resin artist, sound healer, & a poet. I plan to continue to expand that list.

I think what I specialize most highly in is sound healing at the poetry shows I attend & writing has always been a part of me.

I’m known for everything I do (getting more known for modeling ) & to add onto that list people know me for yoga, thanks to one of my closest friends for teaching me how to open that door.

What I’m most proud of is just being able to be a creative in general. I love learning new things, & expanding niches that work for me. Although it is a rollercoaster ride on this creative journey, I’m thrilled to be on it even with the unprecedented turns that are inevitably bound to happen. I’m proud of how much I’ve grown as a person & as a performer also as a business owner.

I think the main thing that sets me apart from other people is, I’m genuinely me, vulnerable, loving, distant, and honest. I’m not in it for money or fame, I’m in it because it’s my calling, my purpose, & I feel like as long as I walk in my purpose, it’s God’s decision as to how I’m rewarded. I do everything out of love even if sometimes it’s tough love.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
For me, the biggest lesson I’ve learned through this journey is that I can’t take care of anyone until I take care of myself.

That may be simple common sense to most people. For me, that’s a hard pill to swallow.

I was the people pleaser & not even intentionally, it was just a trauma response. A survivor’s mindset. So for me to step away & tend to just me & my needs hurt my ego really bad but it would’ve hurt more to stay in situations that stunted my growth in the direction I wanted my roots to flourish.

Pricing:

  • Custom Resin art – ranging between $20-$500
  • Premade resin art – ranging between $15-$400
  • Hand-held sound bowl – $55
  • Sound bowl set of 3 – $111

Contact Info:

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