Meet Jalevina King

We were lucky to catch up with Jalevina King recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jalevina, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I’ve learned how to be effective in the room by holding close the belief that representation IS a responsibility. I carry my communities with me, whether it’s the African American community or the Queer community. As someone who lives at the intersection of being Black, queer, and a woman, I’ve come to understand how layered visibility is, and how often those layers are overlooked in certain spaces.

Last summer, I found myself in a space where I was visibly alone in my identity, and to be honest, it broke me at first. There’s something deeply exhausting about constantly having to represent and fight just to be seen, to be seen fully, not just in fragments. Even in that difficulty, I didn’t give up, what kept me going was a determination to demand respect, over and over, even when it felt like nothing would change. I fought for visibility not just for myself, but for whoever would come after me. If someone who looks like me were to occupy that space in the future, I wanted her to feel seen, to know someone had already pushed through the silence for her.

I believe everything is connected, and I always try to be mindful of the ripples I send out into the world. Being “the only one” doesn’t mean being alone, it means being a bridge, a seed, a signal that more is possible.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Hi readers! My name is Jalevina King, and I’m a rising senior majoring in Africana Studies with a minor in Psychology. Outside of my academic life, I move through the world as a creative, whether I’m acting, writing material for my ensemble, creating wellness content for my blog ReflectiveLetters, or journaling and sharing thoughts through my Substack. I’m a tireless creative spirit, always searching for new ways to express myself. My deepest hope for me is that who I am is immortalized whether it be through the memories people hold of me or the art I share with the world.

Becoming this version of myself wasn’t easy. When I first started college, I only had one outlet—poetry—and barely anyone knew I even wrote it. Grief is what shaped me into being who I am. They say grief is love with nowhere to go, and after losing both of my parents, I needed somewhere for all that love and pain to land. That’s how ReflectiveLetters was born and my passion for acting got tapped into. I created a space where I could fully be myself, and a space where I could be as emotionally intense as I needed to be. The only rule I lived by in that season of life was to always alchemize and express.

Right now, I’m in a season of uncertainty but I’m also full of gratitude. I’ve planted so many seeds over my undergraduate years, and I trust that they’ll bloom in time. I know my creativity will reach the people it’s meant for. As I enter my senior year, I’m excited to keep building my brand and growing as an artist. There are so many projects on the horizon, especially visuals! I’ve been feeling really pulled toward visual storytelling lately, and I can’t wait to explore that more deeply. And of course, no matter what, I’ll always be a writer at heart, living, breathing, and feeling through every word.

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

Three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are: discipline, standing in my faith, and practicing vulnerability.

Discipline is something I’m still learning and growing in every day. I recently came across a tweet that reframed discipline as “devotion to self,” and ever since then, it’s felt less like a chore and more like an act of self-love. Staying disciplined isn’t easy, but it’s necessary, especially for peace of mind. And when I say discipline, I mean in all areas: spiritual, physical, mental, sexual, emotional. Without limits or values that anchor you, this world will try to swallow you whole. Right now, discipline for me looks like waking up before 10 a.m., following through on my morning routine, drinking my tea or water, stretching, and journaling. These little rituals keep me grounded. When I fall off, I start to feel uncentered, like I’ve gotten lost in “the sauce” of the world. And honestly? I don’t like the sauce of the world.

Now let’s talk about faith. Faith hasn’t always come easily to me, but I had a praying mother, and that made a difference. She was the kind of woman who could speak anything into existence, and now I know it was because she had unshakable faith in God and the power that lived within her. After she passed, I started to believe that maybe I could have that same “crazy faith” that God could work through me too. In this life, you have to believe in something greater. You have to believe you’re here for a reason, that your life matters. Faith reminds me of that, even when the world tries to convince me otherwise.

Lastly: vulnerability. I’ll keep it simple. Vulnerability is the ability to be honest about the condition of your heart, and to let that honesty guide your healing, not hold you back. These days, I pay close attention to the posture of my heart. I no longer believe in harboring pain or emotionally living in the past. Vulnerability has saved me; it’s helped me maintain my integrity in situations where I could’ve lost it all. If you’re not vulnerable with yourself, you end up lying to yourself. And when you lie to yourself, you inevitably lie to others. You get what you give in this world, so please, KEEP IT CLEAR. Keep it honest.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Yes, absolutely! As I prepare to transition out of university as a gorgeous, educated creative (emphasis on all three!), I’m deeply craving new connections and collaborations.

I’m looking to build with people who are open-minded, holistic in their approach to life and art, and grounded in purpose. I want to collaborate with creatives who are inspired by movements like the Harlem Renaissance, who carry the spirit of ballroom culture, and who know how to make struggle beautiful. I’m looking for the alchemists, the ones who turn pain into poetry, who see possibility in everything, and who aren’t afraid to go deep.

If this sounds like you, let’s build. You can connect with me on Instagram at @ReflectiveLetters and @jalev1na. I’m always open to ideas, art, energy, and aligned souls.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Jarrett Matthews
Antwan Cummings

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we

Highlighter Series
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?

Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we

Highlighter Series
Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than