Meet Intikana

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Intikana. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Intikana, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Self-mastery is critical to manifesting dreams. Believing in yourself is a pre-requisite to victory in anything. Hesitation and doubt are dream killers. Be careful of the thoughts you allow in your head. Self-confidence stems from witnessing achievement and experiencing progress. Self-esteem accumulates as a result. Although life can try to beat the confidence out of us, we must be determined to not falter. No matter how many storms pass or how many tragedies we face, we have to be our own superheroes. Surviving through severe pain provides a different level of understanding. Personally, my confidence comes from my connection with the creator. I believe in myself because I know I have a mission and I know that mission is essential. My purpose builds my self-esteem and keeps me from ever allowing the poison of negativity to seep in.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Through music and film, I tell stories that illustrate real life experiences while addressing social issues. As an arts educator, I teach young people how to find their true voice. A journey that leads them to learn more about their own cultural heritage as they undergo character development. My brand is centered on indigenous identity and highlights Afro-native culture. I just finished writing my debut solo book titled “Native Eyez” which is based on an album I released in 2013 with the same name. The book will be a personal memoir with Hip-Hop lyrics and curriculum to be used in schools. It will serve as a guide for teachers seeking to celebrate Native American culture in the classroom. So far, it has received sponsorship from (1) Word, Beats, & Life (Washington DC) (2) The Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (New York City) and (3) Verses Project / End Of The Weak (NYC).

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Integrity
2. Honor
3. Gratitude

Build on integrity by challenging yourself to make righteous decisions. Particularly when it is most inconvenient. For example, don’t steal even if the opportunity appears easy. Or don’t share a secret when someone has asked you not to.
Integrity is key in building trust with people. We should have compassion for others. I do my best to treat people how I would like to be treated. No one is perfect and we all fall short of glory. However, constant improvement is available to us daily.

Having honor transcends temporary interactions. Honor means having respect. It’s important to show others respect even perhaps when they might not deserve it. By doing this, you show yourself respect. Honor has a grand impact on one’s standing in society.

Being grateful invites more blessings and abundance. When someone shows that they appreciate the things people do for them, it encourages those people to want to do more. At the same time, it’s not just about receiving. It’s about giving and exemplifying gratitude through service. When I look out for someone and I can see they value my offering or support, it makes me want to keep being there for them. I admit I receive joy from helping others. The more I appreciate what I have and the less I stress that which I don’t have, the more I find happiness in my life.

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

I would recommend going all in on your strengths to get to the top but I would also advise improving your weaknesses in order to stay there. Success will highlight your vulnerabilities and require you to be better. Talent will take you where only character can sustain you.

If someone’s greatest strength is their talent, they will get very far and probably won’t even need to work as hard as others. However, if they combine their talent with relentless skill building, they’ll be able to outcompete anyone. There are plenty of talented people who get outworked by those who may be less talented but have endless drive.

As an artist growing up in the music industry, I realized that talent alone was not enough to get me where I wanted to go. My dreams required me to build skills that complemented my natural born abilities. As someone who frequently communicates with many different people, I learned to develop patience and deep listening skills. Over the years, it became evident that just being an artist was not going to cut it. I also had to understand the business of what I do. I had to acquire skills in sourcing funds, marketing, promotion, filming, editing, production, etc. Being well rounded makes us dynamic. Knowing a little bit about everything provides a platform of knowledge to empower our strengths.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.intikana.net
• Instagram: @intikana
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intikana/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/intikana
• Twitter: @intikana
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/intikanaTV
• Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/intikana
• Other: Tik Tok: @intikanaTV

Image Credits

1. Intikana – Statue of Liberty Mural (Photo by Jamal Felix Spann)

2. Intikana Performing in Tanzania (Photo by Jacqui Martinez)

3. Intikana Performing in Chicago (Photo by National Boricua Human Rights Network)

4. Intikana with Darryl McDaniels aka DMC and Students in Harlem (Photo by Hamilton Grange Middle School)

5. Students with Intikana Stickers (Photo by Intikana)

6. Intikana with Students at Manhattan College (Photo by Intikana)