Meet RaKiya Latrice | Engineer | Actress | Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with RaKiya Latrice and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi RaKiya, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my success is that I chose to believe in myself no matter what. I learned very quickly that the journey is the reward, so I stopped spending so much energy focusing on the goal rather than enjoying the process. In the end, all the ups and downs on the way to the destination are what makes it worth it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When it comes to my work, you should know that my personal mantra is “Who says you can’t have it all “ and I was very strategic when creating the unique lifestyle I’m fortunate to have. By day I am an engineer working in the space and launch industry. I have had the opportunity to work on some historical projects such as the rocket that will transport humans to mars and satellites that provide internet connectivity to some countries that don’t have access. I’ve always been curious and excited about learning about the world beyond our atmosphere. However, when I leave work each day, I’m many other things; mainly a creative. I grew up doing competive dance my whole life and was a dance instructor for a short time. I even had the opportunity to dance with a professional NBA team as a child, but I’ve always wanted to pursue acting since I was a young girl. I did a few plays when I was younger, but I knew I had to move to LA to really make my dreams come true. I didn’t know how I was going to afford moving to LA since it was so expensive. Then I realized I loved math and science, and plus my parents refused to let me spend my scholarship money on majoring in dance and theatre. So I figured out I could have both and use my engineering degree as my ticket to LA. So now I have the best of both worlds. Side note, I was also Miss Long Beach 2023 and had the opportunity to compete for Miss California. Also, I’ve been getting more involved in real estate, working on a clothing brand, and I’m even developing my own scholarship foundation. I have a lot in work right now, and as you can see, I don’t plan on leaving anything on the table. Life is short and I’m going to experience everything my heart desires.

I’ve been very fortunate to have a career that has allowed me to do so many things I love at the same time which lead me to start documenting my journey and starting my YouTube channel to show other young girls they can do the same. Representation is so important, especially for minorities and women. I want people to see the things we call dreams, really are obtainable even when it seems so far out of reach. Sometimes we let the world put us in a box subconsciously and it’s important for us to break the status quo for ourselves. I’ll never forget people telling me I needed to be more realistic, but I choose to take an unrealistic path because who says you can’t have it all.

Creating this multifaceted career did not come without its challenges.. I attended the number one engineering school for my major which was a challenge in itself. At one point, I was going to two schools at once and working part time. Then I moved across the country alone to work in a male dominated field where no one else looked like me. In the words of Nipsey Hustle, I went through every emotion. I would always ask God, “When do I get to the good part?” I sacrificed a lot during my early 20s to be where I am today. Now I appreciate it, but back then it was hard. I felt like I was missing out on truly experiencing some of my best years. Throughout the journey I kept telling myself I could do it despite the challenges and it would be worth it in the end. I’m really big on self development and looked at each challenge as an opportunity to grow versus letting the obstacles bring me down. God has shown me multiple times that I’ll be ok, so I keep going no matter what.

The most important lesson I’ve learned along the way is that it’s not about me. I use to think I was doing all the things to prove it to myself that I could do what seems impossible, but recently I started receiving random gratification from multiple people telling me how much I had touched their life and how they look up to me. I was taken back; I remember saying I’m just a regular person. There are so many people doing even more than I am, but now I’m honored and I realized that I am an example and a role model for others. I want to continue being an example of what seems impossible or far fetched.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a bit of an explorer, so it’s rare I go to the same place more than once. There’s so many places to see and good food to eat, so most likely I will go to all new places. One of the things I love about LA is the sun. It’s a reminder for me to live and be happy and stay positive. I would most likely take them to all the touristy spots to understand LA culture and find restaurants with a nice view. I live for a good view. We would absolutely have to go to Disney because it’s the happiest place on earth. I would be sure to take them to check out some of the black owned spots since they remind me so much of home. I moved to LA during covid so I think I’m still learning myself.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to everyone who has been apart of my life journey, short term or long term. Each person has touched my life in some form or fashion and I wouldn’t be the person I am without each and every one of them.

Which lead me to creating my own podcast called “What’s your Story” which is coming soon. The audience will get to hear from some of the people who have touched my life in some form or fashion whether it be life lessons, friendship, building wealth, mental health, and so much more. I understand now when adults use to say life is tough. It’s not because of bills and things like that. It’s all the things that life throws at you that you can’t prepare for. It’s so important to have a support system to lean on. My podcast will allow the audience to learn from others. We all have a story to tell and that’s our debt to pay to society; we all have a social responsibility to pour into the generations that will come after us. It’s important to me that I create a safe place to enrich others and prevent them from making avoidable mistakes. History is our best teacher.

Instagram: Officialrlatrice