Today we’d like to introduce you to Kindness Calloway.
Hi Kindness, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story started in Miami, but Atlanta is where “Kindness was born”.
My dad was deep in the entertainment industry; he worked with Michael Mauldin and Jermaine Dupri to build So So Def, so I grew up around the music business and artists like Xscape, Da Brat, Kris Kross, and Arrested Development. One day I would be on the golf course with Dad, and the next they would be filming a music video, pool party style, at my dad’s house.
I spent the most time on my mom’s side of the city however: a very Christian life. Christian school Monday-Friday, Vacation bible school camp, church Wednesday and Friday night, church again on Sunday morning, Bible study before church, church morning service, church evening service I was living in two or three completely different worlds at once… and underneath all of that was something much harder for a kid. I was carrying this deep, painful secret: my older brother was sexually abusing me.
Nobody knew. I did not even have the words for it back then. I just knew I was constantly trying to be “okay” in worlds that did not see or protect me.
When I was 16, I came out as gay, and at age 17 my mom told me, “You can’t be gay and live here anymore.” So I created an action plan and joined the U.S. Army. I really needed a way to survive and pay for school.
In 2009, I ended up getting medically retired from the Army after some combat training injuries. My life was already spinning, but then things got worse, fast. My dad, who had always kind of been my safe place and advocate, died suddenly during one of his morning routine beach swims. Less than five weeks later, my grandmother, the only other person in my family who supported me emotionally, died too. Just like that, my whole family support system was gone. A few weeks after the funerals, I moved to Maryland since my then girlfriend’s family was in the DC area. We moved into my girlfriend’s dad’s basement outside of D.C., and about one week later, the whole house burned down.
The fire was so bad it almost took out the two houses next door. We lost everything: the animals, the home, everything. All I had left was my little car and my pajamas, literally.
Her dad almost died in that fire, and by the time the smoke settled, emotionally and physically, our relationship was done too. I had nothing left in D.C., so I moved back to Miami, which meant moving in with my brother. Yes, that brother, the one who later got arrested for what he did to me for as a kid for years.
It was chaos.
My life felt like a total wreck.
I was depressed. I had no sense of direction. But then something someone said shifted my mindset and eventually the course of my life.
I had joined the Golden Key Honor Society in college, and they required us to attend these speaker events. I was sitting in the audience one day, at one such event -feeling numb, not expecting anything to reach me, when this woman got on stage and told her story. She spoke after an NBA player, so I guess she was somebody important, but what she shared, resonated with me, she too had lost everything: her four kids died, her husband died, her whole family was gone, her house was gone, her health was all she had. It was everything I experienced and more. I felt seen and no longer alone.
Then she said something like, “I found myself smiling for the first time in years while serving at a soup kitchen.”
I do not know what it was, maybe Divine timing, maybe she was a good motivation speaker, but at that moment, I thought: “Well…if she can still smile, after all that maybe I should give it a try too.” That’s when I started volunteering, handing out food and supplies to people living near my street in Miami. I also signed up to help at a children’s and family shelter.
My first day at the shelter, I did not think it would “work”. I felt so disconnected from everything. But after ten minutes of tutoring kids, they were grabbing my hands, asking me to read to them. I smiled, like, I really smiled, for the first time in a long time. That was the spark.
Fast forward to 2022, I felt a Divine Pull to move to Atlanta, it felt “just like another move” of which I had done many, and I did not expect much, I certainly didn’t expect it to be “Home”. Almost immediately after I got to Atlanta, my life as I knew it started to fall apart.
I was living in an Airbnb in Reynoldstown, looking great on the outside but deeply battling the darkness of past that I’d long bottled up. What I didn’t realize then and something many people don’t talk about, is that having a child can often bring back those bottled up memories like a flood. Being home with my daughter at the same age I was when I was first abused brought those memories back so strongly and vividly that it nearly killed me. Perhaps it did, and Atlanta, like a phoenix, rebuilt me from the ashes. Atlanta is where everything shifted. Southeast Atlanta is where “Kindness” was born, right on Moreland Ave, doing what I learned so many years ago: helping others so I could help myself overcome despair, one small moment of hope at a time.
At that time, it was another fire destroying my life: a spiritual fire. I was coming to terms with everything I had suppressed: the abuse, the family rejection, the identity I had to hide for so long. After all that, my long-term marriage of ten years had crumbled. I’d broke down again.
But then I heard this quiet voice in Me say, “Remember the fire.” I remembered how giving to others had pulled me out of that deep depression after the fire. So I did it again. I shifted my mindset. I faced myself in the mirror, and I focused on being kind: to myself and to others. That is when my life started changing.
It wasn’t just one part of my life that was changing; it was everything. I gave life to “Kindness” by legally changing my name and opting to change my perspective on life, fostering self-love, and relationships that fed me spiritually and emotionally. I began building my brand and launched my website (KindnessCalloway.com) and podcast, Loving Kindness Everyday. That’s when “Kindness” was truly born. You can hear the full story, including a memorable moment at McDonald’s that started with a fight and led to my name change on episode LKE| 3.1 of Loving Kindness Everyday.
The Loving Kindness Everyday journey started because I finally had the courage to speak my truth without shame, not just the clean version, but the whole story. I used to call myself “three-fourths” because I felt like people only ever got 75% of me. That last quarter was locked in a vault: too painful, too dark, too shameful. But I learned that facing the whole truth in the right environment is where healing begins.
So my show is not about me; you might be disappointed if you are looking for that. What you WILL find is community: lots of raw conversations and interesting connections with people who, just like me, have a story to tell.
Season 3 of Loving Kindness Everyday is called The Voices of Atlanta and features voices and people big and small: from your everyday neighborhood conversations to interviews with city councilors like Eshe Collins and lawmakers like Imani Barnes and Sam Park. It is all set in the background of my story, of Divine timing, Divine Synchronicity and the interesting tales of how I end up meeting these people and interviewing them.
The podcast became a way for me to share not just my story, but to connect us as humans through the stories of others, especially people who have been through hell and still found a way to be inspiring to others. We also learn much from interviews I’ve done with organizations like Saprea and from community advocates like Cabbagetown-born-and-raised Jocelyn Vaughn that I share on my show.
Then the community store, LK Everyday, was born. It sort of came out of nowhere because I had all this stuff from my “old life”: designer clothes, business gear from when I worked in immigration law and business marketing. One day, I sold a Gucci belt I didn’t need anymore. Then someone asked if I could sell something for them. Then people just started donating things. The Spirit created this; I just followed. It’s been a huge success, and I’m grateful for it.
LK Everyday isn’t just another store—it’s a growing community of artists, and everyday people in Atlanta and beyond. We are a community of people who understand that kindness isn’t just a strategy or buzzword, but is something that comes from within to bless you. My tag line used to be “Kindness is for You!” I wanted people to understand that it’s not about me – Kindness Calloway, but it’s about you- Tom, Mary, Jane, whatever – it’s about being kind to yourself and letting self-love, self-compassion and self-kindness prevail. LK Everyday is a store you can support with joy and pride, a place where you can shop, connect and choose love over hate, each and every day.
I used to live in survival mode 24/7: trauma, military training, hustle, grind, always running, always hiding from my pain. But now I love myself. I can sit with myself. I can be alone and not be lonely.
To me, that’s my real success: telling my story without feeling shame, being proud of who I am, and not looking for someone or something else to blame. Through the Loving Kindness Everyday Podcast and LK Everyday store, I’m committed to creating spaces where others can find that same peace—where everyday luxury meets extraordinary connection, and where kindness becomes a way of life one day at a time.
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?
Definitely not a smooth road.
The biggest struggle for me has been overcoming shame. Overcoming the feeling that I am somehow betraying my family, especially my mother, by telling the truth about what happened.
There is a part of me that still wants to go back to the safety of silence. But I know now it was the silence that was killing me.
Sometimes I struggle because I do not want to make other people uncomfortable with my story. But then I get messages, often in the middle of the night, from people who tell me they have never told anyone, but they went through the same type of thing. Those moments remind me that sharing is not just about me.
There was this internal battle on one side, I was raised to believe that even if things were chaotic or abusive behind closed doors, it was still my job to protect “the family.” On the other side, I had a deep and authentic desire to protect the people who needed to hear they are not alone. Because I needed that. And hearing other people’s stories helped me survive.
One of the greatest blessings that came from this struggle is that my relationship with my mother now is better than it has ever been. That means a lot to me. While I choose to be honest about our past and the pain we have lived through, I also honor the healing that has taken place. Our relationship is stronger, more honest, and more open than I ever imagined it could be. That is something I am deeply grateful for.
On the day-to-day business side of running the LK Everyday store, finding the right help can be a task. I would not call it a struggle exactly, but it takes work. Time is also a constant challenge. There never seems to be enough of it. That is the reality of trying to build something meaningful while also doing deep emotional and spiritual work.
I have learned that the struggles are part of the purpose. Every time I feel the urge to retreat, something Divinely connected happens, or someone reaches out and reminds me why this matters.
The road has not been smooth, but it has been fulfilling. The struggles have taught me that healing is never comfortable. It does not happen all at once. It comes in layers of time, over and over again. And sometimes, it’s an active choice you have to stand up and make for Yourself.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When LK Everyday started, it wasn’t because I had some grand business plan. I had boxes of stuff from my old life – designer clothes, business gear from my immigration law and marketing days – and I needed to let it go. That Gucci belt I sold? It opened a door I didn’t even know existed. One person asked if I could sell something for them. Then donations started flowing in. The Spirit created this; I just followed where it led.
What emerged surprised everyone, including me. LK Everyday became a community store with a hyper locally focused business model that serves both our Atlanta neighborhoods and customers worldwide. While we do carry select consignment items with a fair 25-30% split arrangement, our primary focus is being a comprehensive community hub. Our team works daily to catalog and list items online, creating a vast inventory that serves as an everyday store with incredible variety.
Our commitment to value is unmatched – we conduct thorough market research to position our products 3-10% cheaper than any store, anywhere. We offer free (or nearly free) next-day shipping and same-day shipping in most Atlanta neighborhoods, with discounted rates for other locations in the city. Our inventory ranges from nearly free finds to high-end luxury items, ensuring there’s something for every budget and taste.
We maintain strict quality standards because we only sell items we would personally want to wear. Nothing dirty, smelly, or poor quality makes it to our inventory. When luxury items have minor defects, we price them exceptionally low – like the Burberry shirt with a small stain we sold last week for just $14 – giving customers access to designer pieces at incredible prices. Our most sought-after items include organic clothing and children’s products. We carry carefully curated selections of kids’ toys, furniture, and organic items that customers love.
LK Everyday is deeply committed to community engagement. We host community cleanup days, combining neighborhood improvement with celebration. We also offer painting workshops and clinics led by Tif Calloway, who brings her fine arts background and artistic talent to inspire connection through creativity in our community. LK Everyday embodies a unique blend of being funny, fit, luxurious, and down-to-earth. We want every customer to feel comfortable, calm, and at home when shopping with us. We serve a diverse, global community – our luxury items attract discerning shoppers, while our affordable options welcome everyone.
LK Everyday, where everyday luxury meets extraordinary connection.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I Like Best About Atlanta:
The people, hands down. When I first arrived here during a particularly challenging time in my life, what struck me most was the genuine kindness everywhere. I’ve witnessed strangers giving rides to unhoused individuals, people being authentically friendly and caring – it was immediately noticeable to me. I’ve lived in many places, I even lived in Ireland for several years where people are known to be friendly and welcome but nothing could touch my experiences on the streets of Atlanta. Atlanta has this unique quality where it feels like a big city with all the opportunities and energy that brings, but within our individual neighborhoods, there’s this beautiful small-town charm. People are real here, they’re genuine, and that warmth makes all the difference.
What I Like Least About Atlanta:
Ironically, it’s also the people – but for different reasons. It’s a love-hate relationship, really. Sometimes the city events get too crowded for my comfort level. I’m not a huge fan of big crowds, and there are times when I want to engage more with the community but feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of people. The crowds can make it challenging to connect and meet people – to have those meaningful connections I value so much. It’s not that I don’t love the people – I do – but not all at once, the volume of it all can be a bit much for someone who prefers more intimate interactions and conversations.
Pricing:
- Kids’ clothing & toys: $4-$35+
- Organic clothing: $8-$55+
- Designer/Luxury items: Varies
- Home Decor, Art & furniture: $3-$85+
- Everyday essentials: $1-$20
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.KindnessCalloway.com
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@kindnesscalloway
Image Credits
Mecca Clark Photographer
