Today we’d like to introduce you to Chastiny Brown.
Hi Chastiny, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When Elevate Your Essence first started, it was just three young people who shared a dream of helping youth become ahead of the game. October of 2021, we decided to do a pre-launch and it didn’t exactly go as planned but as we grew things picked up QUICKLY in February of 2022. We now have plenty of partnerships in Austin and are working to collaborate with Manor to build a space that is inclusive to youth and their growth in professional and personal development
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?
It has not been an easy road. There were a lot of learning curves and sometimes we didn’t see eye to eye, but that is expected when you have strong personalities. We learned the importance of systems that are easy to follow. More importantly, we learned how to build ideas from scratch.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the artist and creative one of our co-founding group. Social Impact is where all of the fun happens! I believe thinking outside of the box and creatively collaborating helps build innovation. I have worked professionally with kids for about four years now and learn a lot from them. I’m always proud to witness them grow in their confidence and develop new ways to express themselves.
I think what sets me apart is that I am a huge advocate of letting youth be themselves no matter what room they walk in. I encourage them to fail and learn from their experiences because that is what guides them to their passions.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
G.E Loveless is the main person I have to thank for my increase in knowledge and opportunity. He has thrown me into many roles and encouraged me to try things even if it didn’t exactly make sense at the time. They have always been supportive of my journey and truly believed in helping me gain visibility for my gifts.
Chas Moore is also someone who has been here since the very beginning and since meeting me reminds me of how talented and important I am to the spaces I help create…
Lastly, but not least, Corey Alan has been one of my biggest supporters and truly has been there since the beginning. He is actually who introduced me to G.E and made sure I was included as a Co-Founder because he understood my vision and love for youth.
Contact Info:
- Email: Impact@elevateyouressence.org
- Website: Elevateyouressence.org
- Instagram: @_thechasbrown & @thelevatedessence
Image Credits
Tasiah Iman (group photo)
