Meet Teya Knapp | Mental Health Advocate & Owner of A Safe Space Mentor

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

Hi Teya, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
For the majority of my life I dealt with PTSD which caused me to be in and out of the hospital due to stress for a long time. At the age of 21 I was able to heal myself by implementing more meditation, yoga, physical activity and more self care into my lifestyle. Growing up in a low income household I realized that opportunities for mental health and self care felt expensive and inaccessible. At the age of 23 I began traveling more and experiencing self-care in retreat settings but when I looked around I didn’t see many people that looked like me or that I could relate to. In those moments I felt that there needed to be more opportunities like these available to young adults in BIPOC communities. I felt that the people hosting and opening these opportunities for wellness should also be able to relate to the community they wanted to serve.Young adults are in the process of building their lives, going to school, and trying to meet other societal pressures.Opportunities for self-care can seem like a luxury during this time of our lives. My experiences in these situations inspired me to come up with the idea to facilitate retreats, events, and community building opportunities to help young adults in BIPOC communities to work on their mental health at no cost. I want people to feel safe, supported, and empowered in prioritizing themselves in their self-growth journey.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My background stems from the fashion industry for the past seven years I have been modeling professionally in New York. Being in that industry was a challenge especially because it can be very superficial which in return has effected my mental health in the past. Although my journey as a model has taught me to be strong, patient and confident which has helped me in becoming a better leader and entrepreneur. Being a model has also given me more creative skills which today has grown into be being behind the scenes as a creative director and producer for multiple creative projects that I have worked on this year. Another accomplishment this year has been being the co-founder of my partners creative production agency Pangaea Ultima NYC. At Pangaea Ultima we work on creating content such as editorials, brand development, and much more. At Pangea Ultima we are also creating a safe space for creatives to feel supported and appreciated. So, my past and present experience has been very much in alignment with A Safe Space Mentor by providing me with all of the tools to be successful in creating this business and community.

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.
I am currently located in Ridgewood, New York. So, if my best friend were to come visit for a week I would probably take them to all of my favorite food spots in New York which would be Oxomoco , Miss Ada, Bond Street, and Sweet Chick . I would definitely take them to The Brooklyn Museum because it’s one of my favorite places, A Bathhouse in Brooklyn in the early morning, and Dumbo House for a creative work day. Also, I wouldn’t be able to end the trip without taking them to all my favorite hikes and scenic spots in the Hudson valley of New York like Mount Beacon, Washburn Trail and Long Dock Park.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have so many people to credit first I would say my partner & Co-founder Robert Arias who has supported, invested, and contributed so much to the growth and future of this Buisness. Brittany Bradley for helping our Buisness with marketing strategies and always showing up to help and support for every retreat and event. Cherrelle Moore for supporting and helping to connect us to the community we are serving. My Grandmother for being my role model and setting the bar by dedicating her life to Civil Rights, Women Rights, LGBTQ rights, and Ending world hunger. The Cradle NYC and their owners Pesy Therese and Jide Also for catering and supporting our events. Nelo Phiri owner of Fearless Growth for facilitating fitness and meditation activities at our events and retreats. Also, the entire Safe Space community that has attended, contributed, and been apart of our journey, events and growth.

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

Image Credits
Photographer Robert Arias @pangaeaultimanyc