Rishauna
Nowadays, 56-06 Cooper Ave, Queens, NY — 7/13/2023
Author’s note: I met Rishauna in the summer of 2019, in St. Nicholas Park in Harlem, where a group of us gathered to celebrate the legacy of Toni Morrison, who had recently passed away. We immersed ourselves in her timeless words, sharing passages and discussing her lasting impact.
Is there a quote that deeply resonates with you?
00;02;30;27
Well, I don't know if there's a quote so much, but the poem “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver is one of my favorites, and I feel like that stands out as a set of words that mean a lot to me.
00;03;19;00 - 00;03;40;21
Today when I was posing for an art class, the person drawing me asked me, “Do you have a motto? What's your motto?” And I thought, Huh? I don't know. I'm not sure.
But one thing I read in a poem recently has stuck with me. That's the last line in this poem called “Idea” [by Kate Bear]. It says something like, “My life. I will not waste it. I will enjoy this life.”
00;04;04;28
So I'm thinking about that right now–just really trying to make the most of my time. We don't know how much we have. So I want to try to keep doing what's meaningful and all the things that bring me joy, as much as possible.
Do you have a small but fond nostalgic memory from childhood?
00;08;41;21
I really liked climbing this one pine tree in the backyard because it had low-level branches, so it was pretty easy to get up on, and just seeing the progress of getting higher and higher with each step not being so far from the last. There was a more easeful sense of accomplishment than with some other challenges.
The concept of happiness, what does that mean to you? How do you search for that in your life?
00;06;15;27
When I'm dancing is the time when I'm happy for the most part. So finding opportunities to dance is a way I can access my happiness.
Being in nature and outdoors is really important for my happiness, and that's something I can control for the most part. Although, you know, when we have situations like poor air quality, that's not so good.
I definitely try to get fresh air, move my body, walk, be with friends, and laugh. Venturing somewhere new, seeing something new, and being in a state of wonder is a time of being happy.
How do you navigate regret?
00;09;33;14
I'm not sure. I might be in denial that I have regrets because I'm sure there's a sense of regret to some decisions or actions or inaction in my life. But I don't feel really actively aware of what those regrets are.
I mean, I feel like the first thing that rises to the surface is that I didn't fully commit myself to becoming a professional dancer or choreographer. But I'm not so sure that I would call it a regret. It's like a wondering, a curiosity. What if I had done that? Could that have been, you know, a really satisfying life? I don't know.
So, yeah, I might be in denial about regrets or I just don't really have many.
What does the word love mean to you?
00;12;17;02
To me, love means caring, affection, sometimes sacrifice, generosity, and respect. Independence and trust. I guess these are a lot of words for it, but maybe, as a feeling, I mean, I don't know…There are definitely a lot of influences of things I've read about what love is, especially from Bell Hooks, and the idea that it's an action and something you choose to do. I think that's true.
00;13;35;13
I think in its highest form, it really is the practice - the choice, to act from a place of reverence and respect and honesty and care. It extends to all facets of our life. It is not just romantic. It's how we care for our community and our family and our friends, animals and plants, and all of that.
“When I’m dancing is the time when I’m happy.”