Meet Raina Menné / Nana Kailiwai

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Raina Menné / Nana Kailiwai. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Raina / Nana below.

Hi Raina / Nana , 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?

I’d like to start off by saying although I actively work through my battle with imposter syndrome and doubt it still exists. The older I get the more I learn that every season truly has a reason and the more you grow and evolve the more you will be tested. But this is exactly where I feel my confidence and self esteem sprouted. I had to make a choice to be aware of my insecurities and face them. When I first started modeling I did it because I knew I was beautiful externally but I don’t think I was yet aware of the beauty that lies within me. Over the last eight years of me modeling I’ve had the pleasure of being introduced to this brilliance, to my light. it’s like at a certain point we have to look within, take inventory, and say ok, this is what it is, and what it ain’t, but nobody is gonna tell me what it can’t be!? it’s almost as if we’re in a constant relationship with self, learning new ways, tricks, love languages and how to truly embrace what we’re growing into. Pretty much what I’m saying is what has helped me obtain confidence is my desire to get to know myself whilst being kind in the process bc it isn’t always easy. 🙂

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

My name is Raina, Rain, Rae, Nana, phat, bean, seastar. Many forms I take but the most important over the last couple of years has been Nana. An integration of who iam on all levels but mostly baby rain meeting her infinity. Her divinity. This journey began pre covid & has expanded over the years. The becoming of a writer, the acclimation of a muse, the design of a director, the healing of my mind, body and soul but mostly my place within my community. I’d like to think of myself as a healer. I’m a muse mostly from what you guys may see on Instagram or through work I do but overall who iam is rooted in the coming together of things aligned for me wether that be modeling, writing, directing, co producing or producing, aiding in community, prayer, council. If you’d like to read my newsletter ‘girl on fiya’ you can find it here : https://girlonfiya.substack.com/p/homecoming-23?r=2dsntw&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZHgtRul9zp_7VC1xIRaKxSCGRyMQwX_4DcFxh5CP_a4B60pvYG5lYoKf4_aem_6MROTBb6_Kxqfu1BYjtKGA&triedRedirect=true + my Instagram @rainmenne / @[email protected] for booking. My ‘musery’ as I’d like to call it is so special to me because the art it portrays and the story it tells. To be able to make people feel color through a location or place of significance to me makes me feel like iam doing a portion of my life’s work by being able to translate such messages. There’s even times where I’m introduced to parts of myself through shoots & being on set and it’s just really rewarding to be able to do so and share it with likeminded creatives & sometimes even really close friends. I wish to publish a book by the end of this year & I’ll have more newsletters coming soon so feel free to subscribe & share. Thank you guys for getting this far, may your days be sweet.

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?

When it comes to modeling what impacted me most was getting to work with my peers at the start of my career. My first shoot was for a higher end streetwear brand in my city which kicked off an array of collaborations between me & different brands. I can remember feeling as if I wasn’t a ‘super model’ and that my work didn’t reflect a portfolio worth displaying in full confidence but when I look back that is completely false. Working with my peers gave me the space to grow. I had opportunities that some don’t get to be infront of the camera free range. It also feels good knowing I had people around who trusted my skills even then. Of course you always want to be intentional about what you choose to creset but please never feel afraid to just do it and take ahold of the opportunities that your peers may be providing & if they aren’t, and you’d like to be apart, reach out! That is also a big lesson within community & communication. 9/10 someone is going to ask for your help so why not ask for theirs? Having those that you can barter & grow with is so important in any field. That even ties into my experience with becoming a more skilled writer. There was a summer where my best friend wished to teach writing classes & I myself needed to be taught. For a couple of weeks she would give me writing assignments that I had to turn in that I still reference to and even want to build upon. Practice makes perfect and allowing others to help you is the cherry on top of it all. Emphasis on practice. I’ve had to train myself to train myself. When learning new things and building upon new ones it’s so important to be teachable but that process starts within. We truly have to discipline ourselves to better our focus and explore even when things get slow, you have the power to create worlds alone!

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

My number one obstacle for about the last 4 years on & off has been something most girls like to label ‘I’m just a girl!’. Her name is big P to me. Medically labeled PMDD, she comes 2-3 weeks before your menstrual cycle. She’s loud. She’s sensitive. She’s lonely. She’s uncomfortable. She is always upset. She is me every other month. Becoming a woman is sweet, it’s kind. It can be one of the most liberating and exciting time periods for a girl, but it can also be horrifying. All at once in fact. Something I’m very familiar with but with that familiarity and a dash of transparency I’ve found so many other women that suffer with this same thing. We’re the women who run with wolves. Learning to turn that suffering into healing by choosing to face what these cycles dig up. It’s kind of a gift we have – to be able to see so clearly what has for years & maybe even decades or lifetimes affected our wombs, our families. I’am overcoming monthly by this knowing. By the understanding that iam not broken or unhealthy or even unhappy I’m simply delicately being put back together. Some signs of PMDD for women who may be wondering are: extreme highs and lows, moodiness, suicidal ideations, anger, breast tenderness etc. please see a doctor if you are experiencing any of these 2-3 before your cycle & reach out to me if you’d like to chat about vitamins + herbs that can aid in repair / healing.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUqRCFYBnqC/?igsh=MTYweWpvdWZ6cG91eg==
• Twitter: https://x.com/rainmenne/status/1703844983520821253?s=46
• Other: https://girlonfiya.substack.com/p/homecoming-23?r=2dsntw&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZHgtRul9zp_7VC1xIRaKxSCGRyMQwX_4DcFxh5CP_a4B60pvYG5lYoKf4_aem_6MROTBb6_Kxqfu1BYjtKGA&triedRedirect=true

Image Credits

@bybrucepowers
@thyrealandre
@laikenjoy
@cjs1022
@everetteevans
@soundbetter / Michael W.
@juwanjvmes
@han.oncam
@sighofapoet