Meet Ida Divine

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

Ida , so great to have you on the platform and excited to have you share your wisdom with our community today. Communication skills often play a powerful role in our ability to be effective and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your communication skills.

Simply, Music. If I were asked to share a thought or feeling or memory I’d be able to recite lyrics to a song that would capture exactly how I felt. Right now, the song replaying in my mind is Fleetwood Mac’s “You can go your own way” Which is a beautiful reminder to take risks in life that bring us joy. Songs have helped me learn and understand Communication and that its more than just words. We need to hear the cadences in and rhythms of speech, see each other’s eyes and body language to fully understand what someone is saying to us. I learned this very early by observation of the different cultures in my neighborhood and watching how they communicated to one another. I can recall a difficult period when I was a young girl being very shy to speak and even whispering when speaking, not understanding how or when to speak for myself and my needs. I was being bullied by students about my appearance and unsure how to tell any teachers or my Mom. To keep myself safe, I chose not to speak about this in fear of being told to fight back or retaliate in some way that wasn’t sure how it would turn out for me. I remember at this time in Art class I began to pour my my deep hurtful feelings into creating images which showed myself and others that I was extremely artistically expressive in writing, drawing and painting telling stories of escape and triumph over hard situations. My Art teacher at the time noticed how expressive and detailed my pictures were and asked me if I would contribute to a huge community mural. This single experience not only helped my confidence and supported me feeling seen and heard, it also taught me that communication could be much.more than words. Over the years, verbal communication continued to be a challenge for me into my teen years as I learned how to navigate and decipher peoples personalities. Our families are a good indicator of how well we connect. Unfortunately if there is a break down of communication in these relationships we do experience barriers to understanding which can delay healing. I’m on mission to heal myself and other’s through music which I’ve learned has been most helpful tool in guiding me to communicate my thoughts effectively.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a Brooklyn, New York based singer songwriter raised in Staten Island and Charlotte, North Carolina. I am a post-partum doula, a curator, collector and seller of vintage items. I also advocate on the state level for optimizing Medicaid covered health care services for black and brown children and pregnant mothers. I adore long nature walks, Bodega cats, 80’s salsa and baking interesting Keto cookies. I have been awarded a few times as an R&B female vocalist and songwriter from 2012-2022, An Afro Punk Battle of the Bands finalist and gone viral with a dance routine that was created and originated in Brazil for my top charting Afro beat single “That One.” My music has been featured in 3 films and I’ve performed on several stages internationally, including the annual New Orleans, Essence Festival. I remain a proud member of the New York City chapter of the Grammy Recording Academy advocating for the needs and wellbeing of independent musicians globally.

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?

Customer service I feel is not appreciated as a quality that can be utilized outside of the service space. Everyone is a “customer,”someone who’s on the receiving end of your “service.” Your service can be as simple as holding a door open or helping a disabled person cross the street. Another great skill to practice is communication through body language. “Talking” through body language looks like softening one’s of voice or speaking loud. Touching, hugs and pats on the back can give reassurance and comfort. In my opinion, the most important act of body language is our eye contact, if done within the culturally accepted space can bring trust and connection to a conversation even if there’s a language barrier. Being mindful of our body language communicates to people we are self-aware of ourselves and empathic to their needs. Lastly, ongoing meditation I believe is the practice of checking in with our higher selves, and centering ourselves to cultivate a better understanding of how we want to show up in life. Meditation can simplify a difficult situation by taking the time to relax in the moment while your mind plays through the best scenarios. These practices allow people to trust you and look to you a sort of role model of what a good person could be. Key qualities I’d recommend one to implement in their daily lives would be the repetition and practice of these skills mentioned above. Doing anything for 60 days trains your brain to normalize it into a routine. So make sure you repeat good behaviors!

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

Parents are not perfect. Some of our parents were really young when they brought us into the world. They were also still learning themselves. Although my Mom and Dad separated when I was 7, my Dad remained active in my life. On my 13th birthday my Dad took me to get my.nails done which was extremely exciting and memorable. During the summer before going into 10th grade, while on vacation in North Carolina with my cousins and Aunt, my mother made a decision to move me away from her and my brother. I went to visit family in another state and simply never returned back to New York. This decision hurt and confused me for years. It also hurt our relationship. Over the years, I understood my Mother chose to move me away from a crime ridden, negative and chaotic environment where many of my peers were not thriving and some sadly passed away. The move was made more difficult because my mother did not tell me I was never coming home again, there was never a conversation with me or any indication I was about to experience a huge life change. Sadly I planned to run away back home and became extremely depressed. My family supported these mixed feeling by encouraging me to focus on my current situation and look at the new opportunities around me that were not available in my old neighborhood. The move for me exposed me to another culture and environment and demanded that I assimilate quickly. In high school, I discovered running relay in track and field and the dedication and focus it took. In my second semester I was also elected to join advanced placement (AP) Art classes which involved more complex artistic concepts and technique. Simultaneously, working my first job at Burger king taught me the value of customer service and the independence of earning my own money covering my own needs instead of waiting for or expecting a hand out. This life changing decision was the most impactful loving and thoughtful thing my mother could’ve done because it allowed me a chance to discover myself undisturbed

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @idadivineofficial