Alicia Roberts on Bridging Creativity & Wellness
Photography: Roya DelSol / Set Design: Roya DelSol assisted by Leah Sammy / Styling: Jode-Leigh Nembhard assisted by Leah Sammy / Hair: Desiree Mariner / Makeup: Nicole Guthrie
Top Zara, Denim owned by Roberts, Earrings vintage
Alicia Roberts has earned her stripes as a creative producer in the heart of Toronto. Working alongside various artists, brands and companies, she has designed and curated numerous events in the name of community.
Sitting closest to her heart is her wellness brand, Jaded Cultur, a safe space for BIPOC creatives dedicated to self-healing and personal development. “When COVID happened, I literally figured this was my time to go for it,” said Alicia.
“As a creative, you are naturally tapping into this energy of healing. And there’s something about wellness that comes from these actions––from creating art, from singing a song, from doing all those things that serve you––but there’s also the other side that’s not so glamorous because we don’t always live well. We rely on substances at times, like in my early days of trying to unblock my creativity. It was like I had to smoke weed all the time to feel like my creative juice could flow, and I was like, “no, that’s not it.” You hear about creatives and writers who rely on alcohol or other substances to create. So because of that dual nature, I decided that Jaded Cultur would be a wellness brand for creatives and help people unlock their creativity. We’re all really worn out, we’re tired, we’re trying to figure it out. We feel so numb and disconnected. So it’s speaking to the culture, but then it’s speaking to the fact that the creatives are also that solution to help us all wake up. I think that’s how all the alignment happened.”
We began exploring Alicia’s upbringing, experiences and philosophies around honing our intuition and being intentional towards accessing our unique powers.
LEAH SAMMY: One must possess the ability to wake up, so to speak, to arrive at this place of awareness and acceptance of themselves and those around them. I’m saying this after reading one of your blog posts about being in the party scene for a while when something just flipped in you, and you said, “Okay, priorities. I’m committing to my journey and my dreams.” Who and what planted these seeds in you that showed you how to wake up? Where did that click come from?
ALICIA ROBERTS: Okay. I’m bringing myself back to literally the moment when I was really depressed and feeling the come-downs. That’s where I have to take myself because I know that it was in those moments where I would wake up in the morning after a really crazy night out with my friends. I remember just feeling really dark after a while, and when I woke up, I would move around my apartment and feel so out of it, like everything in me just wanted to stop and curl into a ball. And you know that feeling in your chest when you hear your inner voice and intuition? I didn’t have people in my support system that would help me––I’m Caribbean and Italian, and my Jamaican side didn’t talk about depression or what comes with it––so it was my inner voice that took me on the journey of waking me up. I would go into Chapters and find the self-help aisle, and each book would plant the necessary seeds I needed to wake up. Then, I began to journal––that really helped me get all the funk out. I realized that writing was one of the tools that helped me express and heal as well. So to answer your question: my inner voice.
Dress israella KOBLA, Shoes Zara, Earrings owned by Roberts
LEAH: I love that you were able to tune in to that. I call it “the voice that doesn’t use words” when I talk to other people and my sons. Like, “Hey. Listen to the voice. It doesn’t use words; it just shows you via feelings,” you know?
ALICIA: And that voice gets loud. Especially when you’re about to really hurt yourself, especially when you’re about to really put yourself in danger. You’re walking down the street and maybe a car or some kind of element is about to harm you, and you just feel that gut feeling to move, right? Those instincts get loud. They’re quiet for the most part, but you can tune into them and create that relationship. But when you’re not tuned into your spirit or energy, you’re kind of not awake. You still know what that is, and the only time you hear it is when it’s loud. Like yeah, girl, fix-up.
Top Zara, Denim owned by Roberts, Earrings vintage
Dress israella KOBLA, Shoes Zara, Earrings owned by Roberts
LEAH: Mmm, yes. Describe your current relationship with your ego.
ALICIA: Hmm. Oh, she’s . . . something. The ego is a survival mechanism. It can rear up from time to time when it feels like you’re being threatened. I’m learning to practice compassion for fear, ego, perfectionism, jealousy and envy, emotions that can come up. I’m really learning to step back when I feel those emotions and say, “Okay, I’m gonna give you the space for a minute and not judge. And if you want to cry, girl, cry. If you feel ugly right now, feel ugly right now.” Then, I bring myself back to the present and tell myself, “Okay. Hey! So we’re good?” I get to the bottom of the fear, or whatever it is that’s challenging or triggering those emotions, and then I practice self-love by affirming myself. I will literally take out my journal and talk to myself in its pages, saying, “Girl, it is okay, I hear you. I feel you.”
LEAH: I love that. Because it shows you’re still evolving and you’re just accepting all the parts of you.
ALICIA: That’s where I’m at right now: the acceptance part. It’s acceptance, non-judgment and compassion for me. And in relationships with others, too, I’m really focused on those four things. And fuck, we’re always evolving, man; there’s so much work to do.
Top Zara, Earrings vintage
LEAH: So much work all the time. Thank God. The work never ends. What is your message for the people? Anything you would like to share with them?
ALICIA: Wow. Fuck. It’s like the message wants to come up, but I don’t know if it’s the message yet. I feel something around just wanting people to know how much power they really have. You are more powerful than you know, way more powerful than you’ve been taught––because we have been taught that we are not powerful. There is that agenda and message out there that tells us that we are nothing, that we are just human beings having this mundane, back-and-forth experience. And it’s not true. Your tools, first and foremost, are your intuition––that voice in you that would be your compass and your guide if you build that relationship. Your language is so freaking important, so learning that everything you speak has power, everything you write has power, how you talk about yourself in every moment has power. Do not use the phrase, “I am trying.” I hate that; I had to take it out of my language. You are not trying. Anytime I hear it, I say, “You are doing.”
You can find Alicia online, dishing out creative gems of healing from her blog or Jaded Cultur’s website; her messages are filled with intention and reckoning. I, for one, am honoured to share space and time with her caliber of a human being.