A Riveting Q & A. Yeah... RIVETING
... Riveting?
Me: Thank you for meeting with me today.
Me: I kinda have no choice but to be wherever you are.
Me: RIght, right. Anyhoo... So what would you like the people to call you?
Me: Rohini Niketa is the full name, thanks. Be sure to let them know that I'm a Black, multicultural, ✨neurosparkly✨, femme/them, too.
Me: Whatevs. And you want people to do what, exactly, when they get here?
Me: Look around, buy some stuff if they align with it, grab some free resources if they're momentarily currency-lite, set up some time for a free chit chat -- ya know, the regular stuff.
Me: Why would they wanna talk to you or buy your stuff? Who TF even are you?
Me: I'm just a woman who's got a fancy resume that includes 15 years of high-level corporate experience including in Big Tech, Big Pharma, and Big Nonprofit. Oh! And 30 years of entrepreneurial experience because even with a day job, I was still innovating and creating -- can't turn that shit off when it's in your wiring, ya know?
Me: *silently sings "Parents Just Don't Understand"*
Me: Are you paying attention to me?
Me: About as much as you're paying attention to me. What else should the people know?
Me: That I'm not one of those "do as I say, not as I do" practitioners. If we're talking about community building, then I'm coming from the perspective of two decades of community advocacy, starting a nonprofit that went from feeding disenfranchised children to helping start or scale 200+ Black and brown small businesses, entrepreneurs, artrepreneurs, and spiripreneurs, and working with youth and recidivism programs.
TW⚠️ If we're talking about alchemizing trauma, grief, and loss, well, I've integrated burying a child, a parent after providing their hospice care in my home, a sister after aggressive cancer, and countless friends and other family members. I survived a violent home invasion, molest, every variety of sexual assault, bullying, and all the abuse.
Me: I was actually paying attention that time, and that's deep. Do you hear yourself? Are YOU really paying attention to how powerful you are?
Me: NOW, yes. That wasn't always the case. I felt so terrible about myself that no matter how many accolades I collected or rungs on the corporate ladder I climbed, I was still unfulfilled, unsatisfied, and empty. But I was intentional AF and healed until I could comfortably call myself a creative, talented, gifted, phenomenal, alchemist who no longer let others steal my light or joy. What comes with that is no longer dimming any part of my me-ness, and especially owning and celebrating all of the things I worked hard to accomplish and integrate. I REALLY wanna help other women, femmes, and thems to do the same and feel the same. We all deserve more and more and then some more of the very best that this dimension of Earth has to offer, ya know? That's the third time I said "ya know". I'm not even sure if I actually care that you know.
Me: I guess I'd buy your stuff even though you just announced that you couldn't give AF that I know what I know.
Me: We're one, so what you know, I know. Therefore, if I don't give AF about what you know, then I might not give AF about what I know. Anyway, you sound like a hater.
Me: If you think so, you're really not gonna like this: I don't think whatever TF this is qualifies as a bio...
Me: Your mom's a bio.
Me: Oh ok.
Me: In closing, since I play a ton of instruments, do loads of visual arts, am an author, am certified in a BUNCH of woo-woo stuff like Reiki, aromatherapy, herbalism, CBT coaching, and meditation instruction, all of the things I've needed on different parts of my own journey, then I will be able to meet each person exactly where they they are so that they can get to where they wanna go in a more integrated, authentic, and grounded way.
Me: *thinks, "I wonder if I can still do the heel-toe*
Me: FFS! Lock in, Twin-Me!
Me: You right. I'm, locked in. We're manifesting our people! Let's effing GO!
Me: Wooo!
