Amanda Seales On Success: “The Game Is About Stamina”
We live in a time where seemingly overnight celebrities pop up on social media, leaving us to question where we all stand in our personal journeys.
Social media has skewed the millennial perspective of success. We falsely believe that by taking an inch, we deserve a mile and our version of success fits that formula. The allure of the overnight success story is one that taunts us mere mortals who wonder why with all the rise and grinds we do on a daily, we haven't been met with the same results.
The truth about success is that it is not instant and it is never overnight.
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Amanda Seales is a true testament of this. Although she's been in the game for over 10 years, as a actress, stand up comedian, VJ and a stint as ½ of the duo Floetry. she's just now reaping the rewards of her labor with a breakout role in HBO's Insecure, as well as performing in comedy houses as an opener for Chris Rock and more.
On Thursday, we met up with Amanda and a few of our favs on the red carpet at the 11th annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards and they dropped major gems on success and what it takes to have a long-lasting career. When asked about the false perception of overnight success, Amanda told us:
"This game is so much about stamina. It's not just about talent. A lot of us got talent, it's definitely not about being cute. We are all cute. The game-changer is who can last, through the trials, tribulations, the self-doubt, the fails. The misdirects, you think you are going in this direction and it's like 'uh ha! Got you b-tch' That's really where you find out who has it."
"I think a lot of folks don't understand that it's not a diss to your talent to have to continue to work to get people to know," she added. "When we talk about knowing your worth, it's not just about knowing how to not get undersold, it's also about knowing how to not oversell. Know where you are in the marketplace."
Amanda even touched on how she views her success, which she likened to an on-point analogy of a plane ready for lift off. "I'm at the airport. Like, I'm in the terminal. You know what? I'm at the gate. I was in TSA just like, 'Not there yet, huh?' Now we are at the gate, and we are ready to board because I have not taken off yet. Y'all haven't seen nothing."
New York Times best-selling author Luvvie Ajuyi, who was a blogger for over 10 years before snagging a major book deal followed by a TV deal with Shonda Rhimes also had some strong words of advice for anyone seeking instant gratification in their career:
"There is no instant. I am a 12-year overnight success. There is no instant, you have to work at it. There is literally no shortcut that is going to guarantee that you will stay there. You have to practice your craft, you have to learn some lessons along the way (hard ones), and then hope for the best."
Representation, or lack thereof, has led to a Renaissance of Black Women in media and we are here for it. Access to social media offers more leverage to millennial Black female creative professionals than ever before. Tessa Thompson reminded us on the red carpet that the road to success is not easy, and if we don't see a lane for ourselves, create our own.
"When you look at all of the women that are being honored today for example, all of us had a long road to get here and the road continues after this day. I would say the thing that's so exciting about millennials now that we work in a time where if you want to make something, make it and put it online. That's what Issa Rae did. And did it for many years before Insecure happened. I think if you see a void. If you are not seeing yourself in media, then put yourself there."
Real success takes time.
And the women at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood luncheon are symbols of perseverance, standing as pillars that exemplify the hard work, drive, and dedication that propelled their careers forward and to the top. Each woman is a titan in her own right, moving mountains and breaking through glass ceilings, showing the world what bosses do.
Watch our red carpet coverage of the Essence Black Women In Hollywood Luncheon below:
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
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