Meet LeShai Renee’ Hunt

Today we’d like to introduce you to LeShai Renee’ Hunt.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Everything Qualifies YOU: A Story of Extreme Loss and Gain.

I pulled my mom aside: (me) “Hey mom, so guess what?” (Mom) “what LeShai?” (Me) “I’m moving.” (Mom) “moving to where?” (Me) “California” (Mom) “when?” (Me) “next week!” (Mom) “NEXT WEEK?” (Me) “Yeah, I already got my ticket and everything, I did not want anyone to talk me out of it!” (Mom) “ugh yeah okay LeShai.” (Me) (Breathes) (Mom) “who are you going to stay with?” (Me) “a friend from college, we were in the film program together.”

Two days later, I talked to this friend and to my surprise informed that the living arrangements were a no go! I had NO IDEA what to do because at this point everybody in my family knows that “Shai is moving”. I kept this to myself and I had decided that I would just figure it out. I was shipping my car and I had a refund check coming from school. I was in school for an online master’s degree in media psychology. The day before I flew out, my stepfather introduced me to his friend who already lived in LA. Fast forward, I landed in LA, took a shuttle to the Hilton hotel because I figured if I was going to sleep anywhere it would be a nice place. I was sitting in the lobby and my stepfather’s friend called. After being with her for half a day, we finally arrived at her house. [Talking] (Her) “so you mean to tell me that you landed in LA with nowhere to go? $100? A suitcase? And a baby doll?”(Me) “well I have money coming in, my car will be here in three days, and my mom gave me this doll to bring because she said that it was filled with her love.” (Her) [Now on phone with her girlfriend] “yes and a baby doll! Would you like to say something to her? Cause I am just like, oh you a bold one! Chile and she ain’t big as a minute! I applaud her though! Yeah her dad was right to call me.”

Introduction to a New Start
Needless to say, three days later my car and money came. She and her friend had come up with a filming idea called homeless to Hollywood. They told me to start posting on Facebook and YouTube. This was in 2012…. [yep, missed that ban wagon. It would have been a hit! I still have the videos] I was homeless for about a week and a half because I did not realize that you had to have proof of income. I was 21 years old and ignorant when it came to how the housing system worked. I ended up on craigslist. I found a 2bed, 2bath, 3 balconies, with stainless steel appliances, a kitchen island, and a fireplace. The kicker was, in the gorgeous apartment, I was renting a bunk and there were six people in each room. [Yes, twelve people in the house total and coed.] It was an “artist house” organized by two Russian guys. I would home come to people in the living room snorting cocaine, taking all sorts of psychedelics, drinking alcohol, writing music, and making jokes. I was an artist with no addiction, so I thought. I was booking gigs through LA Casting. I booked a court show role as the plaintiff, some extra work filling in as the background audience on a game show, and also an episode on Operation Repo (TruTV). My headshot was making waves. I shot with Alvin Smith in Cleveland, Ohio before I left. I remembered him saying, “I am going to put Model, Actress, and then add Comedian at the bottom cause you’ve had me laughing this entire shoot!!” I did my best to convince him NOT to put Comedian and that I was NOT one (Presently, eight years later, I am now doing open mics for comedy). I would get calls from family and friends stating that they saw me on TV! This was all within two months of being out in LA. At this time, I did not drink and I felt I was the only one without an addiction in the “artist house”. Later, I learned I was addicted to being religious [don’t judge, keep reading]… which led me back to Ohio. I managed to stay in LA for three months total. I told myself that I was committing idolatry by following my dreams as an artist and that God would much rather me follow a “man of God, as he follows Christ, be a helpmate”.

Back to the Basics
WELP! THAT SOON CHANGED! I returned home and every day after multiple glasses of wine [yeah, I started drinking wine], my mom sure enough would enter the kitchen from work and that was my always my MOMENT TO BE HEARD. (Me)[Collapsing on my mother’s shoulder] “mom, I am such a failure. I am a low life.” (Mom) “move LeShai [she’d push me off every time] you are not a failure, you are in school, don’t you have schoolwork to do?” (Me) “I did it already and yes I am a failure because I didn’t follow my dreams.” This went on for weeks. I was really genuinely depressed and she was genuinely like “get over yourself” [hahaha]. I learned that when you go after what you want and end it abruptly then it can turn to severe depression if you let it.

Let’s Do This Again
Two years later (2014), I found the courage to book ANOTHER ticket to LA. I realized that God DID want me to follow my dreams because the First Lady (Victory Vernon) at my home church said to teach the young girls this philosophy. I felt that I was being a coward at the time because I gave up on my dreams of being in entertainment. I had finished my Master’s degree, waited a week, and entered the Doctoral program. I was 22 years old and also now a mentor for girls-women ages 14 to 25. This time I told my family a month in advance because they were pissed off about the week notice last time. Right before I got ready to leave, my grandfather was given 4-5 days to live due to the cancer in his body.

Healing The Heart
When we received the news my stepfather pulled me aside. [Talking] (Stan) “You really need to cancel your ticket and stay here to be strong for your mom.” (Me) “How am I going to be strong for her? She is grown and her own person!” I was pissed and canceled the ticket. Four MONTHS later, my grandfather was still alive. Strong Man. Then the day came. I was running around “doing Shai” for weeks and I had not been to see him because at that age I felt weird just sitting there. At the same time, I kept getting the urge to go. Finally, I go to see him because the urge was intense this particular day. At the facility, I am walking up and down the hallway rapidly searching for him because the room I went to with his name on the door was not him. I go to the nurse [talking] (nurse) “no ma’am, that is him in that room.” (Me) [Confused] “no it is not, that is NOT my grandfather.” Standing alone in the doorway of the room, my mouth is paused on open. (Me)[Thinking] “He is so skinny, he looks nothing like himself.” I sat down slowly and stared at him. His mouth was wide open and eyes looked empty. He was not really blinking or moving, yet, I could hear him breathing. I figured now was the time to share my heart. (Me) [Talking] “I know you think I hated you as a kid. The fact that you would call me a little witch made me feel that you felt the same way. I want you to know that I love you and appreciate you for all that you have done. Also, just know that as an adult, I don’t have any expectations of who you “should have been” because you were the only man that you knew to be, which is you. That is enough for me now. I loved when I would come home from college and you would stash Milky Way’s in the freezer for me and I would bring you chocolates from school CAUSE I HAD AN ENDLESS MEAL PLAN [hahaha] I could afford it. I want you to know that I do not hate you at all and I am glad that over the past few years our relationship blossomed.”

He had lost his memory and I had no idea if he even knew what I was saying because he stared lifelessly straight ahead, still his mouth wide open. I left the hospital and then a few hours later I was told to return because he had transitioned. That day confirmed my “GO WITH YOUR GUT” philosophy. The urge was REALLY HEAVY to go that day and that is why I went. If I would have ignored it then I would not have been able to verbalize my love to him before he passed away.

Fresh Start to Focus
I ended up back in LA June 2, 2014. I landed and this time my car was already at the airport [Whoop! Whoop!]. I hopped in and drove to the address of the place I would be staying, this time with only four roommates (all female). I was now turning 24 years old that September. A friend referred me to the Tasha Smith Acting Workshop and I joined the Master Class that August. In class, Tasha stated that it would take at least three years to be comfortable with the technique that she was teaching. A few years later, I felt comfortable with the technique and was working with a solid emotionally filled instrument. Meaning, as an actor I registered as true and believable with an audience.

By 2016, I was on autopilot in LA and I felt that I needed to take a mental break to focus on solely on school. Within those two years of returning, I had lived in almost twenty different living situations, in and out of my car, sleeping on church floors when I was supposed to be doing overnight watches, and friend’s couches. Do not get me wrong, I even experienced living in houses with pools and guests houses in the back for months at a time. I lived in and out of “luxury”. I lived where I allowed my mind to manifest.

A Time for Change
With all of this moving around, I literally decided to move to my younger sister Shakilah’s (U.S. Airman) house in Georgia to help her with my nephew. I was ready! [she readyyy, Tiffany Haddish phrase] I had a set schedule and I was working on school every single day. In October 2016, I ended up landing a role as an exotic entertainer in the film When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story. It became TvOne’s top rated film and nominated for a NAACP Award. That was a hell of an experience, needless to say, what’s yours, is yours. I attended Speak and Write Conference with Lisa Nichols. I soon met an entrepreneur named David Shands and he provided me with an opportunity to share my story with high school students throughout Atlanta, GA and Los Angeles, CA. I then decided that I was READY to go back out to LA and get on the grind again [Stay with me, I’m going somewhere]. I returned for the third time in June 2017 and by the end of six months I was back in acting class. I joined Richard Lawson Studio. I was back, still in school for my PhD, training for acting, working as a substitute teacher, Uber driver, and server. I was what you would call “focused and hustling”.

New Year, New Art, New Heart, New Start
It was now 2018, my youngest sister turned 21 that year and my mother 50 years old. Two events that I had to attend in Ohio, one that I was threatened to attend. I flew in from California in February as a surprise for Jenasia’s 21st birthday bash. I initially told her that I was not coming. [Phone call] (Jenasia) “you have to, I only turn 21 once, it is a big day for me.” (Me) “Jenasia no, it is really not a big deal. You are only turning 21, I will come for your 25th! That is more significant.” (Jenasia) “If you love, you will be here! I have a whole weekend planned, it will be really fun and I just want you to be there.”

Who knew she would be Forever 21. I got to Ohio and mom hid me for an entire day. Jenasia planned an exotic dance class for the first night, women only, and an instructor flew in from Florida to teach us. I allowed the class to start and everyone was up learning the dance. Jenasia was in front. I came in through the back and yelled out, “You better work it girl!” She turned and looked toward the back of the room. Her eyes grew wide as she focused in on me and she let out a scream that directly turned into a very intense cry. (Jenasia) “OH MY GODDD!!” She literally almost fell in the process of running to get to me. Jenasia gave me the biggest hug and she was crying uncontrollably, barely catching her breath, “you came!!!!!” I was taken back by her response because she never cried so hard in response to seeing me or anyone for that matter. As I hugged her back, I told her, “yes, I came! (whispering in her ear).. It is okay, calm down. ” Everyone surrounded us and someone said, “well you know she love her sister!” After attending her planned events, I returned to California.

In June 2018, I returned to Ohio for my mother’s 50th birthday. My mom requested that I do a praise dance. I did not want to because I had not danced in that fashion in almost ten years plus. To appease my mother [eye rolls, hahaha], I was going to do it alone until I saw a praise dance video for a song by Tasha Cobbs. I needed an additional person to play the spirit, Jenasia. We snuck out one night to my stepfather’s boxing gym to practice all night. Due to Jenasia’s schedule, she only practiced one night.

It was the day of my mom‘s 50th birthday, white linen, white chairs, the entire room is white. All the people were dressed in white except my mom who was wearing a peach dress and her husband to match. I am driving as fast as I can to get there because it was time for the grand entrance with my mother and all of her children. The entrance songs were She is My Rock by Plies for sons. Her daughters came out to Pretty Girl Rock by Keri Hilson.

Afterwards Jenasia and I rushed upstairs one after the other. My heart was pounding from the run and also from the idea of her not remembering the dance sequence. We entered the room [Talking] (Jenasia) “Oh and don’t worry, I practiced while I was at work, and I remember the step”. Sighs of relief, it was showtime, and over 300 hundred people were waiting. I began the dance, and in the middle of the song, Jenasia ran out to join me. As we praise danced together, the excitement in the room filled. I caught glimpses of people smiling, sobbing, and hands pacifying hearts. The danced ended with Jenasia on the floor and I got down in front of her. As the “spirit”, she enclosed me in her arms. When we finished, I looked at my mother and her face was flooded with tears. A job well done, one that would NOT have worked without “my Minnie me”. We touched many lives that day with the dance. People kept coming up to us to say thank you because their hearts were truly affected by the performance. I returned to California.

Right before Jenasia was killed, I was home again for my ten year high school reunion on August 11, 2018. I initially decided not to attend. At the last minute my GUT told me to go. I am grateful that I did because that was the last time I saw her. On the first night that I arrived, my little brother was sleep, and Jenasia opened the door. Our parents were out of town. We had a heartfelt conversation that night. I went to one of my older sister’s house (FYI I have seven sisters/7brothers) and attended all of my class reunion activities from there. My flight was supposed to leave Wednesday and I wanted to switch it to Monday. It did not get switched. Thank God!

Time Stops for No ONE

On Tuesday, August 14, 2018, the last day I saw her, I was still in Ohio. Jenasia invited my family, her friends, and me to get our nails done at the shop where she was working. (Jenasia) “I am branching off and building my clientele so you have to support my business. Come up to my job so I can do your nails.” (Me) “Girl, my nails are done already because of the reunion. How about I come up there to sit and watch you work?” (Jenasia) “Yeah, do that!”

Watching Jenasia work, I was so proud of her. She took her time with each person. My mom said for her to move quicker because a lot of people were waiting. I was thinking, “let them wait, they will be happy with the results”. Jenasia was super creative, and because of her high level of care for others, she wanted people to feel great all the time. That is why she took her time doing everyone’s nails, I mean really took her time. It was not only about money, instead guest satisfaction and relationship building. The last day that I was with her time literally stopped as I was watching her apply polish to my cousin’s toes. Dallas her goddaughter was using her as support to stand up. Jenasia did not even flinch and I felt that that was a beautiful moment because even when she was distracted, she was not distracted. I was going to an outing that evening with my dad and after a few hours I hugged everyone before leaving with him. When I hugged Jenasia, it was a good hug and I had no idea that it would be my last. “When will you be back to visit us?” my grandmother asked, who was waiting to get her nails done. “Christmas!” I replied.

The Ride to the Airport

The ride to the airport was different. I expressed to my mother that I was experiencing a very strong feeling. (Me) “I don’t know what it is, but whatever it is, it is REALLY BIG! Maybe I am about to get a movie deal or something! It just feels really strong and I have NEVER EVER felt this way going back to LA! I know it’s going to be good though…” My mother glanced over at me in agreeance, ambiguity, and hope. I returned to California.

Four days later, On Saturday, August 18, 2018, my phone rings:

Stan: Where are you?
Me: In the car, just got food
Stan: Pull over
Me: I am already parked
Stan: Can you stop what you are doing and PRAY. Jenasia just got hit by a car, Shonna said she not responding. We don’t know what is going on. We are on our way to the hospital. I will call you back. PRAY PLEASE. JUST PLEASE PRAY.
Me: OKAY OKAY. Where is grandma? Did you tell her to pray.
Mom: We do not want to worry her until we know what is going on. She is at a wedding.

We end the call. Screaming to the top of my lungs…I prayed…the hardest I have ever prayed in my life!

I began to pacify myself, “She is fine. She is strong. She is going to recover. She is fine. Everything is okay. He is going to call back and say she good, cause we are good. It is all good.”

I called my other sister Tiffany. Within 10 minutes, I receive a callback from Stan, I answer..

Me: (panicked) HELLO
Dad: …(silence)…(a breath, abrupt outburst)…SHE GONE MAN, NASIA GONE, SHE GONE!!
Me: (bursting of tears) WHAT? NO! TELL THEM TO REVIVE HER!
Dad: SHE HAD TOO MANY INJURIES
Me: SO WHAT! TELL THEM TO TRY AGAIN! PLEASE! TELL THEM TO TRY AGAIN! THEY HAVE TO TRY AGAIN! JUST TRY AGAIN…TRY …AGAIN…
Dad: SHAI, SHE HAD TOO MANY INJURIES. THEY DID WHAT THEY COULD. I … WILL CALL ..YOU ….BACK

Phone rings. Facetime from Shakilah…I answer

We meet eye to eye through the screen. Sitting on the couch, her face red, drenched in tears, as my hand loses its sense of touch, the phone falls to the car floor. The driver door opens and my body meets the ground. Piercing the air with yells to reach Pluto. [Screaming, choking on my spit and tears] I feel the embrace of a stranger, a Caucasian woman, her husband standing across the street [Talking] (Charlie) “sweetheart what is wrong???”… (Me) “My…Myy…myyy sister… mmy sis….ter”. (Charlie) “Your sister? Where is she?” … (Me) “Ohio…she…shee…she just died…sheeesss ONLYYYYY 21!!!!!!!!!!!!!”. (Charlie) “OKAY! WELL I DON’T WANT YOU TO BE ALONE, WE LIVE HERE AND WE ARE FROM CANTON, OHIO. WE ARE GOING TO STAY WITH YOU. YOU CANNOT BE ALONE RIGHT NOW.”

SHAKING UNCONTROBLY in this stranger’s arms (Charlie). My cry silenced. My face shifted, emotionless with a distant blank stare up at the blue sky sprinkled with white clouds………completely numb and hearing nothing around me.

Days later, phone call, Shakilah (lived in GA):

Shakilah: …But we have to go

Me: I don’t want to go home for that, I just got back to California, why do I have to come right back for a funeral. I don’t want to.

Shakilah: Shai, I know, we have to though. We have to be strong together.

Me: (crying) I don’t want to be strong for this, this is not real, this is a joke! Just say this is a joke!

(Takes breath)

Jenasia and I had goals set, we were dedicated. The love between us was real. Our connection, our chemistry, our essence, we were a team. Jenasia looked up to me. Modeling, acting, dancing, creative artists, educated, and goofy as ever, you name it! You see me, you saw her in some way, shape, or form. Like me, “my Minnie Me”, Jenasia was a visionary, a dreamer, with a HUGE HEART and some ATTITUDE! She was in Ohio following her own dreams and every piece of information I gathered from self-help books, business seminars, therapy sessions, and motivational videos, I passed along to her. A person of compassion, literally, she would not hold grudges. In spite of our seven years age difference, we bonded, sisters.

Growing up, my mom loved to dress Jenasia, Shakilah (my little sister who is five years younger than me), and myself alike because she said it was easier. Every holiday or every event my mother would dress us alike. I would be so irritated because I’m like, “I understand that I am petite yet I am older than them, they are two years apart, I am 5 and 7 years apart with them, this is rude!” Mother, “No, I do not care what you want to wear; all three of you are wearing this!” We shared rooms, slept in the same bed, and when I was old enough, I would be left in charge to watch them while my mom went to events. Jenasia came to me for advice and always called me to talk her friends off of the ledge. She said I always helped her out of her funk and figured I could get through to help her friends too. I did. “My sister is a Doctor!” she would boast to her friends.

You share your dreams with so many people and they look at you with doubt. Then there is that one person that believes you more than you believe you, at times. That is who my sister was for me. At 21, she was now giving me advice and solid advice at that. “You are going to do it!” is what she would always say to me about everything regarding my dreams and visions. It was always a mutual ego stroke because I told her that she was that bish too! 

Hurt People

I was known as a prayer warrior to many and my biggest prayer did not work. I began shutting out everything, church (converted to IG 60 sec clips), gospel music, select people, and everything that had to do with God because my faith was gone. I stopped praying. When young girls would look at me, family especially, I would turn away thinking that I had nothing positive to give. I felt beyond broken. I stopped looking at my calendar. I was made at “time”. I was mad because I did not have a few days’ notice this time.

I had one job, pray for my sister to stay alive. In a matter of 10 minutes from the initial phone call she was hit by a car and gone. Life, time, did it’s one and only job, continued. I now had this new mental state that I did not know how to deal with and a dream still standing ahead of me. By December 2018, I lost my little sister, I lost my teaching job, ended up back in my car because my living situation ended abruptly once I returned from funeral, and acting classes were not in the budget.

I drifted quickly in a complete zone of grief, anger, depression, ambiguity, loneliness, defeat, and silence. HUMBLED… at its finest. What felt like my biggest prayer was not answered (or at least in the way I thought it should be at that time).

The pursuit of my dreams came to a slight pause. 

[Montage] A Call to the Wild

January 2019 Hiring manager, “Dance to one song and at some point show your boobs.”

And the show definitely went on…

February 2019 Jenasia and Shakilah’s birthday celebration month.

March 2019 For the actions of being high on heroin, Scott McHugh, 19, was sentenced to 8 years for the death of Jenasia Lenise Summers, 21. My family and I were back in forth to court from September 2018 until March 2019. Those 6 months carried a lot of mental and emotional weight.

April 2019, I began grief recovery sessions in Virginia (where I lived for a month) at the recommendation of my cousin Antoine Bates (U.S. Marine). Him, “LeShai, you need help, you have not been still since you got here. I will go with you (words of gold).” He did.

He could see me a piece of me that I thought no one else knew. A piece of me that I didn’t even recognize myself. I was much different. This new woman felt that it was inappropriate to even laugh out loud at anything. This new woman was angry at the world and yes that includes the cashiers at Starbucks at a first encounter [laughs]. This new woman thirst after numbness. That day my cousin let me know that he could see all of it. I felt dirty and exposed. Might eyes filled with tears that I did my best to hold back.

I sat in grief recovery every week and shut out the things that people there and in the world would say, such as, “she’s in a better place”, “you can’t be sad, you have to be strong”. Then one day, I’m sitting in the circle and a woman shared about her husband. As I was listening, she said these words… “God loved him more than I ever could…”

…Those words changed my life and my heart. That day no one was pointing the finger at me and telling me how to feel. She was simply telling her own story and through that I gained a piece of healing, a piece of peace. I realized that God loved my sister more than I ever could and if that’s how he chose to take her then who was I to judge…ACCEPTANCE and permission to now flow through me.

May 2019 Moved to Ohio for a month to spend time with family, attended proms, and a mother’s day with my mom. Had not spent one with her in years.

June 2019 Moved back to LA and then went back to Ohio for Aunt’s funeral. I returned to LA. Reached out to people to start working on filming projects and hopped on a couple. Popped in on a few open mic sessions for comedy for an outlet.

July 2019 Car is repossessed (I was late on the payment and I actually had the money to pay it prior to…I took my time in paying it so they took it), got it back within the next day, and it was towed a week later. Popped in on more open mic sessions for comedy.

August 2019 Car is totaled.

Sept 2019 My birthday month. Filmed for a pilot. Popped in on more open mic sessions for comedy.

October 2019 Moved to Texas with family and worked.

November 2019, In Texas, feeling good about life and working.

December 2019 Moved from Texas back to LA to keep the dream alive. All 2019 I drowned myself with motivational videos by people like Dr. Eric Thomas.

January 2020 Ring in the New Year, comes up with idea for a documentary and goes skydiving. Life changing SHIT! In a great way! Filming for a pilot. Popped in on a few open mic sessions for comedy.

February 2020 Jenasia’s 23rd and Shakilah’s 25th birthday month. Went to Ohio to celebrate Shakilah’s birthday. Popped in on a few open mic sessions for comedy. BACK IN ACTING CLASSES. Working on projects.

 [End montage]

PAIN is the GIFT that Keeps on GIVING

KEYS: STABILITY AND CONSISTENCY through the eye of storm

Presently: Here we are, March 2020 and quarantine is in action and I have of this “journey” behind me. We all in a sense have to be still. The question for myself was, how still can I be? I manifested a lot of the situations I lived through based on my thoughts and where I focused my energy. Am I drowning myself with social media or am I really sitting with me? I purposely had to make a decision on where am I putting my attention during this time. The journey is continuously in motion, isolation for now, and once we are out of quarantine, it keeps on going. I am actively pursuing my dreams in the entertainment industry while in quarantine. I am currently working on projects (a documentary, a feature, and a pilot). I am writing. I have connected with new women who want me on their platforms to speak once we are back moving in society. In honor of Jenasia I am publishing a book to change the lives of the masses. I attended the Social Proof Conference with David Shands @sleepis4suckers and many more speakers in April 2020 during quarantine, shameless plug. It was a lot of gems, strategies, and stories that just helped fuel my journey and process more. Yes, I am continuing to get fed and committed to growth. I am still working toward finishing up my PhD, I am ABD (all but dissertation). I have been having fun too during this time of isolation, as well.

My journey is one that many people, even yourself, can relate to. I faced loss. I experienced homelessness, job loss, and loss of loved ones. I gained strength. I gained a new love for self. I gained a new respect for time and the presence of others. 

I had no idea when I landed in LA with a baby doll, $100, and some clothes…homeless to Hollywood…that I would travel back and forth following the omens [The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho]. I thought that once I landed, that would be it; I would land in Hollywood and poof! Movie Star! No MA’AM. That is not the way it went.

ADDED VALUE 

The moral of my story is that it is a journey, not a destination. The moral of my story is to be true to self. The moral of the story is to go with your GUT feelings and flow with the stream downhill. The moral of my story is to love to capacity because time is not promised. The moral of my story is that even if you have to take a pit stop, keep your dream, your goals, and your vision, in front of you. Pursue them by any means necessary. The moral of my story is IT IS YOUR STORY, your gift to the world.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I do not believe that it has been easy or hard, it simply just is. Each moment, just was. The road is unpredictable. I have a general direction of what I am creating and pursuing. Along with my general direction I faced fear, excitement, frustration, anxiety, nervousness, bliss, and many other things. For me, the event became what I decided to label it in the mist of the moment. For instance, when I moved to GA and tour around high schools as a speaker, I just went with my gut and left LA. In those moments, sometimes before speaking, I had a choice each time to decide whether or not I was nervous or excited. Either way my body was experiencing the same chemical reaction. The “biggest challenge” was the loss of my sister. It was more of a challenge when I labeled it a handicap as opposed to an unexplainable miracle. It is the ownership behind it. A woman said to me once, “God entrusted you with this tragedy because He knew you could carry it, it is a miracle that you can even go through that much pain and still be here functioning”. I could not hear her initially and now, it is clear. My cousin, in the Marines, taught me to take ownership of my pain. ACCEPTANCE and permission to flow through me. What if I never got to even meet my sister, Jenasia? What if our relationship was shitty our entire experience on earth together? Then what is or was it really worth to me? How much value did we add to each other? We did map out vision boards and dreams together. On the flip side, what if our relationship was the brutal opposite? THIS SHIT HURTS MY FEELINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY! NOW WHAT? Either way, now how can I use that in my art to help the people develop valuable relationships, businesses, and generational wealth? Again, I do not believe that anything is easy or hard, it simply just is. I may express it through one of those terms and when I really sit with it, it is just an experience. It is something that I added to my toolbox. I pull it out to mold new situations. I evaluate the experience and share it because if I don’t then it really is just an experience. It would become uneasy if I sat with all of this experience and kept it to myself.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I specialize in teaching others how to desire to be happy by retraining their brains to better suit themselves. My evaluated experiences and many years of study have taught me how to create change, reprogram self, and refine habits. I am currently focused on sharing truth that penetrates the soul of other people. Meaning, I love to tell life changing stories on multiple platforms. I love to increase good feeling emotions in others. I am a teacher, actor, writer, producer, comedy content creator, and speaker. I fight for the light bulb moments in life that give us the fuel to keep moving forward. Those are the moments that literally keep us alive, taking that extra breath. Think about that one movie, that one song, that one person who said something during that one time that changed your life, your heart, and your soul. That is the focus of my communication on every platform I touch. I personally am most proud of the fact that I am allowing myself to use everything that I have been through as fuel, with the least amount of judgment. Some people stop and my content gets you to press the reset button. If you have not today, then touch yourself and say, reset. Breathe and pat you on the back for all that is and is yet to be. If you want to be fancy then draw a reset button out on a piece of paper and press it. It is all love. What sets me apart? I am a Tarblooder (mascot) Glenville High School, Cleveland, Ohio, another shameless plug. What sets me apart? My DNA. MY PERSPECTIVE. That is why everyone should just do them because no one else can, everybody has their own DNA! 

What were you like growing up?
In school and at home I was soooooo goofy growing up! Pure class clown and a nerd all in one! I had straight A’s and unsatisfactory in conduct throughout grade school, I stayed in trouble. I was in gymnastics, figure skating, basketball, cheerleading, boxing, I made up characters in my room after school, and mimicked the dance portion of hip hop music videos almost daily for years. I was a walking theatrical performance who also always stated, “I am going to be a doctor on Mondays and Tuesdays, a lawyer on Wednesdays and Thursdays, do hair and nails on the weekend.” My grandmother would always say, “Oh baby! You can do all of that!” Well, everything is in the works or has been done except the lawyer part. That means a lawyer role in a project will suffice at this point. In high school, I was known as “Lil Shai” and they deemed me as “annoying”, “biggest flirt”, and “smart as fuck”. I had a lot of friends and always kept them laughing or sharing school work in class. I was a COOL KID *winks* [hahaha, no I am serious, I was, hahaha]. At the same time, in spite of my humor, I was really insecure about being tiny as a young Black woman (“you cute but you aint got no booty”) [hahaha]. Now, as an adult, I love it! I got a little “butt, butt” nowadays! [hahaha] and even if I didn’t, it is not important! It is about my heart! [laughs] Growing up, I was always the first person to do the dare. Risky. Best risk in high school was forging my mom’s signature for a trip to New York, Paris, and London. Yes, I got in trouble. Yes, she let me go on the trip. I always tell my mom that I went out of the country multiple times by myself, and even booked a one way ticket to LA by myself because when I was 14 years old she would not let me walk to the store by alone. At 14, my older sister could walk by herself and all my cousins. She said the difference was that, I was too small, petite. Little. This was a huge factor in my life that kept coming up… you are too small, you are too little…you cannot do it…Today at 5’1… I am still doing it. Because what? Everything Qualifies YOU. A Story of Extreme Loss and Gain.

I am grateful for this opportunity to share a piece of myself with you and Voyage LA. Thank You. Blessings. Reach out to me, lets connect and share ☺

Contact Info:

• Website: https://leshaireneehunt.wixsite.com/hunt
• Email: leshaihunt23@gmail.com
• Instagram: @leshaireneehunt
• Facebook: leshai renee hunt
• Other: @j.lenise

Image Credit:
Alvin Smith; Karine Simon photography

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