Meet Donovon Alexander

We recently connected with Donovon Alexander and have shared our conversation below.

Donovon, 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?

For the most part, I have always been used to being different. It started at a young age when I started expressing my love for the arts while being apart of a sports-oriented family. So being the only one has been something I’ve been used to my entire life.

I have learned to use my uniqueness in my best benefit by being a person of substance, depth, and being intellectual. Being a person that exudes positive energy and kindness will captivate people’s attention- especially if you look good! Ultimately I’ve learned to use my beauty and brains to work the room.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Things have been so amazing these last few months. I just recently signed to 2 agencies, one in Los Angeles and one in New York. I also just released my first E-book, The List: From a Hallway to the Runway where I discuss my journey of moving to New York City to conquer my dreams and give guidance to other models and creatives that may want to move to a new city, but not know how to navigate through that process. In my e-book, I give details of certain challenges I faced and how I overcame them. The book is to be utilized as a guide for those who have not had access to people (or any resources) that are piloting through the industries of fashion, media, and entertainment. I am also in preparation of releasing a new brand at the top of the new year! Be on the lookout for that!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

First quality is to have faith! You have to be so faithful that it could almost be mistaken as delusion because without faith it is easy to get side-tracked, lost in the sauce, and forgetful of the reasons why you set out to achieve the goals you’ve made for yourself. Sometimes there are going to be moments, days, weeks, months, and maybe even a couple of years where your faith is the only thing for you to lean on. If you give up in the process because there’s a slow season, you aren’t faithful.

The second quality would be resilience! You have to be resilient in life, in general, but especially if you want to be in this industry and propel to the next level. You have to know how to pivot, not allow rejection to discourage you, and always keep your focus on your end goal or goals.

The third quality is professionalism. A lot of us are artist, yes, but there is a business behind all of this. Pay attention and learn from the ones who have come before you. Read, connect with others, and try to learn as much as you can. Also, apart of professionalism is having a good sense of effective communication. If you don’t know or understand what that is, you may set yourself up for failure. This is a dog eat dog type of world, so don’t ever put yourself in the position to be the prey.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I am feeling overwhelmed I ground myself by doing breathing exercises and praying afterwards. I’m also an advocate for cannabis and utilizing it in your benefit.

My personal process is to disconnect from the world by putting my phone on ‘Do Not Disturb”, turning on my music- most likely Lana Del Rey, Sia, Rihanna, Billie Eilish or any other artist who’s music makes me feel emotion. Then I roll my blunt and write down whatever is in my head (tasks, goals, visions). By the time I’m done with my blunt, it’s time to turn my music off and switch over to singing sound bowls. I love Healing Vibrations and the variety of sound baths he has on YouTube. At that point I do my breathing exercises for me to focus on my breath which allows me to be present in the moment and not in my head. After my breathing, I pray. I give it all to God, and that’s how I heal myself.

I will always recommend grounding yourself by breathing, meditating, and praying. There’s nothing like it. If you are a smoker (marijuana) I think you should try this after you indulge. It’s so peaceful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.donovonalexander.com
• Instagram: DonovonAlexander
• Youtube: DonovonAlexander
• Other: TikTok: DonovonAlexander

Image Credits

Donovon Alexander for No Sesso

Creative Director: Courtney Carson / @courtxcarson
Photographer: Rashad Nelson / @rashadnelson
Wardrobe Stylist: Justus Steele / @justusteele
Designer: No Sesso / @nosesso
Makeup Artist: Aime Ramirez / @aime_mua
Hairstylist: Doll Religion / @doll.religion