Meet Qishanda La’ree | Actress & Yoga Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Qishanda La’ree and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Qishanda, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Takes a deep breath…I think about risk as the thing that is in between me & want I want. Yeah, that’s it. For example, when I wanted to lose weight after college (freshman fifteen, ok thirty) I didn’t know anything about living a healthy lifestyle, like zero…I’m talking fried everything, sodas, chips etc. Seeing what I wanted was easy but the thing that was in between me and what I wanted was the risk. Oh, btw what I wanted was Teyona Taylor abs in a crop top, simple…not. The risk of becoming a new person, the type of person that would wake up like that daily. To do this I had to change my… in the words of a previous mentor, Garrain Jones, “change your mindset, change your life”. That means working from the inside out, which is not always easy & or pretty. I lost friends, followers, fat (ayeee), etc but that was part of my growth. Look at me now, I am a certified Yoga instructor, training in Muay Thai, Calisthenics, Ran Half Marathons, can hold planks from up to 9 mins, you know beast mode. The way I eat now is totally different, way healthier & I love it. Taking risks are like the weights in the gym. These weights make you stronger in all areas of life, spiritually, mentally, physically & emotionally. I read a daily meditation book, Human 365, by Jade Tate who uses this reference a lot & I can relate to it.

It’s interesting as I sit & ponder (yeah I said ponder lol) the role that risk played in my life I see it in a whole new perspective, like a annoying trainer yelling at you to go harder when you just want to punch him in the face, but once you push through that your way stronger than when you went in. But that still doesn’t make doing it any less harder to do.

The role that risk has played in my life is that is the role of a personal trainer, a really really great one. So, I think of Life as a roller coaster, & the risk is getting on and enjoying the ups & downs, I mean it’s a ride after all. 🙂

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
The more I grow the more I realize my art is just an extension of me. My head is always racing with ideas and concepts. But, if I had to put into words I’d say it’s simplicity, beauty & and raw realness. I love creating cinematic visuals, photos and vibes. When people see my art I want them to see me, Qishanda, a human being with a beautiful heart experiencing life while inspiring them to do the same. My art is about love & true expression of self.

What sets me apart from others is my open heart and standing firm in what I believe in. I hold a great deal of passion, integrity, honor and unconditional love for everything I do. What sets me apart is being truly selfmade. I don’t follow the trends, I create my own. And because I am rooted in my Raison D’etre it automatically separates me, there is only one Qishanda La’ree.

What I am most excited about right now is booking my first lead role in a feature film. This excites me because it’s a great opportunity to showcase my art. It’s a role I love & it’s a great script. I am not sure if I can talk about it fully yet, but the character is creative, beautiful, sexy with a ton of issues she’s running from (we can surely all relate at some point in our lives). So I am excited for the world to meet her and I am excited to explore all the nuances of her in this role. I am also stoked to learn on set cinematics of shooting & directing. Directing is another avenue I am in pursuit of. I just can’t wait to learn, grow & explore everything this role has to offer. Yay!

I got to where I am professionally by deep deep work on myself. Personal development, spiritual practice, self love & extreme focus. Working harder on myself than anything else, like seriously getting to know myself (still learning) my insecurities, fears, faults, strengths, weaknesses etc and being patient with myself & honest with myself. Also, having a clear vision of what I wanted. I mean super duper clear by listening to that voice inside, my intuitive voice. Once I found it, I cut out ALL THE DISTRACTIONS from your life. I even changed my number. I had to take a break from social media, reconnect to myself, I changed my number & cut people & things from my life that no longer served me.
It was/is not easy to do. However, it’s something that can be accomplished with the right mindset. Everyday I have to wake up, thank the Most High, turn on my swag & flow. Having a tribe of like minded serious individuals is essential to growth & wellbeing in this life. And when I didn’t have one I went searching and created one.

There are a lot of lessons I have learned along the way but the two main ones are, SELF LOVE & CARE for myself, the second one comes from my brother Nipsey Hussle, “you are a student at best”. I don’t know ish, and the moment I started to think I did, life came in & showed me otherwise…lol not fun. So I am learning to always be a student of everything, staying open, positive & curious. Self love to me is being there for me, being my own cheerleader when times are rough & encouraging my way through it. Care for myself looks like eating right, exercising, yoga, health check-ups, holistic healing, and really caring for my body temple because it’s the only place I have to live (Jim Rohn) & the harsh truth is no one is going to save me so I am saving, loving & taking care of myself 1st.
What I want the world to know about Qishanda La’ree is that I am here, I matter, I love to love, help & inspire people to reach their Highest Self & want that in return from anyone I choose to surround myself with. And that my grandma Johnnie Mae is everything to me, when you see me see her, see us. About my brand, Spiritual Loc, coming Spring 2022, I would like the world to know, love is all there is & we aspire to inspire you, while inspiring us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Some of my favorite places in the city to eat are Simply Wholesome, Post & Beam, Sage Plant Based Bistro, Harold & Belle’s & C.O.D & my all time favorite restaurant is Crustaceans. For fitness & good vibes G-train Fitness Center, White Heat Yoga, Walk Good LA free outdoor yoga and Keep it Run Hundred. For culture & drinks Leimert Park. Post & beam Nothing but Black Flea Market, The Comedy Store, Wish You Were Here Brunch, Monday Night Vibes and Sip & Sonder. Def Malibu Beach & The Getty as well.

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 my shoutout to my grandmother, Johnnie Mae, my best friend & now angel. She’s the definition of support, love & encouragement in the purest form. From her I gain a true insight of what it means to be a truly good human being. From her I gain fortitude & resilience. And the one thing I treasure the most is the power she gave me to be me & stand in my truth no matter what’s going on in the outside world. She is my Shero and inspires every step I take. I love her with everything I am, everything. She is my reason & I am her legacy.

Website: https://www.qishandalaree.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qishanda_laree/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qishandalaree/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8AIT5776tUDSNCypgAHh0A

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5248556/