In Flow State: A Night of Creativity, Connection & Celebration at Kickin It

First things first, heartfelt congratulations to Kickin It on its 10th anniversary!

Before the hustle and bustle of Focus Day, I wanted to share a quick post about last night's welcome dinner.

Being in Tortola is always refreshing. It has that intimate, small-island feel with a larger-than-life spirit. It's actually one of my favorite Caribbean islands. No, truly. I'm also grateful to finally make it to a Kickin It event, and what better time than a milestone anniversary?

A Seat at the Table

Last night's dinner felt like Thanksgiving for like-minded, creative, and expressive souls. Donned in our shades of blue to represent the weekend's theme, In Flow State, we gathered for an intimate dinner of fewer than 30 guests.

Kickin It's founder, Kyra, welcomed us all to the Territory and officially kicked off the weekend's activities.

We were joined by this year's honorees: RushCam, Imani Ellis, DonYe Taylor, DJ Puffy, Marvelus (Swanks), and Nyaila and Khalarni of VI Crawl, along with their guests.

Also in attendance were the Premier, the Honorable Dr. Natalio D. Wheatley; Kareem-Nelson Hull; Travie Rozae; last year's honorees, Igdalia Pickering and Michael Winter; Chenae; Shemar; Kailah, Shamahnea; Terrance; and many more. I didn't get everyone in the room, so charge it to my head, not my heart.

Read more about this year's honorees and Kickin It's 10th anniversary Creative Retreat here.

I sat between the VI Icon himself, Kareem-Nelson Hull, and the ever-talented Travie Rozae, and I couldn't have had a better time. We got well acquainted!

Looking around the room as the night went on, I have to give it to the event coordinators. The seating arrangement was so appropriate. I almost felt like I was what you'd get if you combined Kareem and Travie: a professional in the communications realm with wildly creative ambition.

The meal was delicious, as expected. I didn't have to stray far from my usual: sweet potatoes, fish, and veggies. Although I did have beef with the coconut tart dessert on the menu.

Good Food, Better Conversations

The highlight of the evening was the exchange of questions. At the start of dinner, we were instructed to write a question on the back of our name cards. It could be simple, silly, or creativity-focused. And did we get deep? Absolutely.

We shared our vulnerabilities in the creative process and reflected on how our childhood experiences shaped our ambitions. We talked about overcoming creative blocks, entering flow state, and incorporating rest into the journey.

My question was: "If you won the lottery for $100 million, what would you create and why?"

It's a great question for me because I aspire to become a philanthropist, particularly one who gives back to the arts.

I've witnessed the slow death of the arts in schools, and I believe it hurts both social and academic development. It reduces the spaces students have for emotional expression and, ultimately, shrinks the pipeline for the creative economy. Whatever I can do to support creatives, I want to do it. And let's face it, money is one of the greatest ways to support an underfunded industry.

The conversation was light, yet inspirational and fulfilling. Speaking of fulfilling, in response to his question, Travie said he wants to "live full and die empty." And honestly, yes. Think about it.

The Power of Community

Even though the dinner centered on welcoming the honorees, it was beautiful to see and feel the love of the locals permeating the room.

The team surrounding Kyra, the professionals supporting her vision, and a network of young people sharing their talents with one another and their community. It was all so beautiful to witness.

Chenae of RedSun Aroma said she'd trust Travie to run her socials. Kailah shared that Kareem is one of her greatest inspirations. Those little exchanges remind you how much talent, trust, and admiration exist within our creative communities.

Creative Catalyst honoree Rushane Campbell, best known as RushCam of the Caribbean's #1 podcast, No NDA, didn't stray far from his calling. He reasonably asked the Premier about his plans to support the creative industry in the BVI.

The Premier, a creative in his own right and a poet, shared his commitment to creating opportunities for creatives and, more importantly, supporting and funding organizations like Kickin It that are already doing the work.

And that's the key. People are doing incredible work to advance our creative industries, often without the resources or institutional support they deserve. (See why I want to be a philanthropist.)

The Honorees: A Few Words That Stayed With Me

Six honorees attended, and I love a good acceptance speech, so naturally I started taking notes. 😊

A quick rundown because this blog is getting too long.

Marvelus (Swanks)

Iaryn (I know him from high school, so it's hard to call him anything else) shared that next year will mark 20 years of musicianship, producing, songwriting, and pouring into his craft.

He might have announced his forthcoming retirement. Or rather, a gentle pivot into his other interests: film and photography. Are we ready to see Swanks behind the camera? I'm always here for a career pivot. Never limit yourself. Explore all your interests while you can.

RushCam

Rushane was in flow state the entire night. He's so well-spoken and somehow always has a good word for everything. A walking book of proverbs, perhaps? Addressing the room of creatives, he reminded us that, at the core of our being, "ideas create possibility."

He drew a reference to the person who had the idea that, even though boats and trains existed, we could put metal in the sky, make it fly, and call it a plane. Simple but profound.

I like.

VI Crawl — Nyaila & Khalarni

Nyaila and Khalarni both spoke about the power of storytelling in our Virgin Islands culture and communities. Through film, storytelling can educate, preserve our culture, and inspire generations. For them, this award was confirmation that they're doing good work, and I couldn't agree more.

DonYe Taylor

DonYe shared that she once felt her talent wasn't as visible as that of a performer or musician, but eventually realized that her creativity was also a way of accommodating her neurodivergence.

That point about the visibility of talent stayed with me because I can relate.

For some creatives, our talent lives largely in our minds. It manifests in the way we think, solve problems, develop ideas, and bring projects to life across different disciplines.

Not all creativity is something you can put on a stage.

Imani Ellis

Imani reasoned that being creative is an act of bravery. It's about taking what's within you and offering it to the world. And in doing so, we recognize that the price of creating is consumption. That one will sit with me for a while because I sometimes fear being perceived.

DJ Puffy

DJ Puffy spoke briefly about the challenges Caribbean creators often face: limited resources and support, and the ills of small-minded thinking. But in the face of adversity, we remain resilient. We are determined, we have vision, and we persevere. He said, "What I represent is in all of us." And with that, he hopes his legacy inspires anyone looking up to him to believe, "I can do it too."

And Now, Focus Day!

Ok. I think that's enough for now.

I'm so excited for Focus Day! We'll hear more from the honorees and featured guests during the panel discussions, and I'll be all the way tuned in. I just love a good yap session.

Before I go, I have to give Kyra her flowers. Ten years of creating space, fostering connections, and celebrating Caribbean creativity is no small feat. What she's built with Kickin It is a testament to the power of vision, community, and consistency. I wish her continued success, greater opportunities, and all the support she needs to take Kickin It to even greater heights. Here's to another decade of impact! 🥂

Probably not going to write another blog about the rest of the weekend, so follow along on my IG stories @dearKeva.

Love you, bye.