Meet Ahsha Davis

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ahsha Davis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ahsha below.

Ahsha, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

Being an only child, I had to often find my own way. I had to get things on my own terms when I wanted them and that helped me to learn to be myself. Growing up, I was never shy, and I believe a part of that was because my parents taught me how to command a room when I entered it. It wasn’t always easy, especially in school when other kids are intimidated by your success. But I learned to just not let anyone step on my toes. I figured out that I wanted to be great, and part of that involved me feeling confident in who I was. In high school I was thriving and never went a day without making sure people knew my name. I carried that on into college and by the end of my academic career, I was unstoppable. The key to it, is to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. I went to a predominately white institution and was often the only person of color in my class. I had to have tough conversations, I had to experience tough situations and that made me stronger each day. I had to learn how to stand up for myself, especially without siblings. I was my own role model and that made me realize that in this world, you are your biggest fan. I started to believe in myself and decided that I wasn’t going to let this world take me down. With all the issues, and terrible things that we face, I was not going to allow my light to be dimmed. So I worked hard, I got close with professors, I took on many roles and responsibilities. I stayed up late, and studied the ways of commanding a room. And to this day, I still do those things. Because when I leave this world, I want people to remember me for how I made them feel and for the life I brought.

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?

Growing up in a divorced household as an only child in the Detroit, MI allowed me to become creative in the way I view the world. I often found myself needing an escape in life, from the shifts within my city to the hardships of my personal life. As a child, I spent a lot of time alone, dreaming and creating new stories wanting to make them real. I grew up exploring worlds that allowed me to see things differently than what I was used to. One of the things that truly helped me was film as it has always been the thing that pulls me in when I am in a tough spot.

When I entered college, I immediately wanted to help others to make their dreams come true. I personally think that is the greatest thing about being a producer. I started off my journey as a producer working in Radio and Television and eventually, I moved film. I started out working at a radio station on the production team to help create news production content. I eventually became a program director for a hip-hop station which allowed me more creative involvement. This position helped me to be more expressive and think outside of the norm. I worked on programming for underrepresented communities and played a major role in rebranding the station. One of the best ways that I was able to explore this was creating a show that focused on the importance of mental health. This show allowed me to be creative in terms of challenging society to think about others. I also spent a month focusing on Black history and its importance in media.

I believe that my childhood is the main influence behind the stories I choose to tell. I tend to make science fiction stories because as a kid I needed a way to escape from my personal life. I often felt alone as an only child, which created a lot of sadness for me. It was science fiction shows, movies, and books that allowed me to completely leave the current world I was in and explore a different world. In the stories that I will produce, audience members will often see characters with strong personalities. I often create characters who do not come from a lot of baggage and are confident in who they are. Their story will be about strengthening their identity rather than searching for it. This is mainly a reflection of me, but also the person I aspire to be. There will also be a lot of female leads that showcase women being more than just wives but equals and even superiors.

As a film producer I hope to design stories that are filled with mystical creatures, and worlds that involve women as equals. I am often inspired by worlds that don’t exist because as the viewer, you choose your own adventure. As a producer I want to take the audience on a journey with me, while also allowing them to choose their own paths. I enjoy how they challenge viewers to learn the rules and interpret them in their own way. I love stories that show women taking on challenges and conquering them without following societal rules. I think that stories like this allow women in real life to believe in their potential. I want to show stories, that can reach multiple audiences. I think my work will represent the story of marginalized communities. Communities that often get left behind and are not always represented.

I think overall I want to create change for my viewers. I want my characters to make them look within themselves and think about how they can improve the world. I specifically want my films to cater towards those who often fill alone in the world. I want my work to always represent people in a way that makes them feel like they are being heard, rather than being a box checked off. I am often connected to stories that focus on addressing real world issues, through new perspectives. I think a lot of my work often challenges me because of the different experiences I have been through. My goal is to make content that allows people who come from a similar background as me to have an outlet, while also showing that little black girls from Detroit can make it in the world.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

My first quality is Passion – I can’t do anything I am not passionate about. If my heart is not in it, then I cannot give it 100% me. I have always been driven by my passion. It keeps me sane, and grounded. It reminds me of who I am and why I was brought into this world. For me passion is a lifeline. It is how I start my day and how I end my nights. I want to be remembered for being passionate about my work, family, friends and more. Without passion, there is no Ahsha.

My second quality is Empathy – This world can be dark and dangerous. This world is filled with so much hate, and people really deserve grace. Being empathetic is so important to me, because we never know what others are dealing with. I like to think of myself as someone who would always be there for people, support them, and have their backs. I like to protect my loved ones and understand what they feel. Empathy is a gift. Being able to understand someone else or take a walk in their shoes just to help them. I believe it makes us human when we can have empathy because it shows that we care.

My third quality is being myself – I love who I am, and the woman I am always becoming. Not in a conceited way, but in a way that I am no longer looking for approval from others. I spent of alot of time working towards being a better me, and living for myself. So everyday, I’m proud of me, for waking up, getting through and just being myself. It isn’t an easy skill and takes a lot of discipline. But I love myself enough to know what I want in live, and how to live my life to the fullest.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

I know a lot of people talk about Self Care but I practice it more than anything. I once say a quote that said “Self care is giving the world the best of you and not the rest of you” and I’ve stuck by that ever since. When I feel overwhelmed, I lean into my self care plan. Each week I try to treat myself to some self care as much as possible. Self care can be big and small, so sometimes it’s 2 hours of gaming, or 3 hours of writing. Other times it’s a coffee or my favorite candy. It helps me to calm down, and reanalyze what the problems are. It’s a strategy I learned in college and has helped me.

The other thing I do is make a list. I make a list of things I can control, or fix and work on that. When you can’t control things, or problem solve, it may feel like you are drowning. By making a list of things that I know I can fix, I remember that there are things out there that I can change.

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