Today we’d like to introduce you to Laquan Pegues.
Hi Laquan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m never sure what to say when I’m asked to tell my story. I’m just a guy from this little city in South Carolina that you can’t even find on a map, Cheraw, living in Los Angeles. In all that I do, I try to inspire others. When I look at individuals that inspire me such as Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts, Gabrielle Union, and Taraji P Henson, these all are women who’ve been through things but didn’t allow anything to stop them. They all used the very things that were against them to not only succeed but to lead others to follow their dreams and purpose. I want to lead, inspire, and give others a reason to not stop, no matter how big, scary, or traumatic the obstacles in front of them are.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
On this road we call life, my road seems to be full of potholes in comparison to others. But I’ve never seen it that way. I was raised by a single mother in a household with an older sister and younger sister, I’m the only one that’s gay and fat. I say that to say I’m a lot different than the people I’ve grown up with so it’s very easy for me to feel left out and most of the time not good enough. It’s a constant battle. Going after my dreams, goals, and purpose I always second guess myself because this voice in the back of my head is always asking “Are you good enough for this” “What makes you think you can do this”. It’s a battle. When you’re working on things that you don’t feel like you’re qualified to do, it’s easy to not only give up but at some point, you will find yourself depressed. Depression has its way of highlighting everything in your past that may have not gone the way you would have liked it too. I lost my father at the age of eight years old and my mother at 20. For years I faced homeliness. I’ve had friends walk away and friends that I’ve had to walk away from, same for relationships. All these obstacles lead me into depression, and in those moments my past was always a confirmation of my thoughts of not being good enough. I was 25 years old when I found myself attempting to commit suicide. I feel like God put me on this earth and placed these obstacles in my life to help others keeping going on their road in life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My teenage self still cannot believe that when I’m asked, “What do you do?” I can say that I’m an Author, Model, and Inspirational Speaker. I could have never planned all of this for my life, and what’s even more amazing is that I’m just getting started. I haven’t even scratched the surface of what God is going to do in my life. About four years ago, I started a podcast called RGS Real Godly S**t. I talk about problems we as millennials face today but keeping God in the mix. See, I like to say I’m somewhere in between the City Girls and Kirk Franklin. Like I’m ratchet but God lead’s me, and while so many people look at that as wrong, it authentically me. Working on the podcast helped me relive so many moments in my life and that how my book, I’m Good, came about. I’m Good is a memoir that tells truth behind my famous response to every question “I’m Good.”. Throughout the entire process, I was honored to work on a project that helped me not only feel comfortable in my skin but to love myself as I am. The EveryMan Project lead by Tarik Carroll is a project that focuses on Body Positivity. The photoshoots I’ve worked on have been published worldwide through the Huffington Post and 2021’s March issue of GQ France. With 2021 turning out to be the year that it was it inspired me to use my voice and speak out, so for New Year’s Day I released my first inspirational video highlighting how we should appreciate 2020 because it prepared us for the wins we’re going to achieve in 2021.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
My biggest risk would have to be me telling my story. In telling your story, you have to be vulnerable. You’re literally putting all of your imperfections, insecurities, mistakes, and feelings on display for others to do whatever they want with it. In all my work that I do, I tell my story and I don’t hold back. It can be very scary but I know it’s worth it. Not only to help others but to also save me. When telling my story there’s this quote I like to read by Sarah Jakes Roberts “Each scar serves as a reminder of who I am, who I can become, & who I must never be again. I wear them proudly because there are some lessons I can’t afford to learn again.”
Pricing:
- – I’m Good. – LaQuan Pegues $17.00
Contact Info:
- Email: laquan@withlovelaquan.com
- Website: www.withlovelaquan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/withlovelaquan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/withlovelaquan
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/withlovelaquan
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xPbGalWmd4WfDFUTwmN7g
Image Credits:
Bob Fang Alice Ray Ha Yi Tarik Caroll Digital Dash
