Dauntless Muse has been a place for me to connect with girls-girls
like myself. I have been blessed & inspired by the leading ladies I am
surrounded by every single day. These women have been through the ups and downs
of life & have come up on top, while finding happiness in where they are & how
they have gotten there. This series is meant to show off us 20-somethings
making it happen no matter the circumstances & doing it in style!
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Over the years, I’ve watched one of these fearless women take
on any task like the beast she is as she continuously makes her dreams come
true! De’Osha has grown into such an incredible woman while effortlessly doing it
with poise & grace.
I got a chance to catch up with this lovely lady. She truly
embodies the meaning of what Dauntless Muse stands for!
Tell
me a little bit about yourself!
Omg this is always tricky for me. What do I say? I’m
De’Osha – I read, I write, I grow things. My life’s work is to tell stories and
I do that in a variety of way for my career which is a blessing. I believe in
hard work and relentless pursue of excellence. I also believe in playing just
as hard as I work!
When and where were you born?
I was born in Atlanta on June 4, 1993! I’m a born and
raised Georgia peach but I’m happy to be living in DC for now.
Tell me a little about your childhood.
The older I get, the more I realize what a privileged
childhood I had. I grew up with two loving and openly affectionate parents and
the perfect big sister. I had the typical middle-class upbringing, but my
family was filled with love. We weren’t rich but all of our wants and needs
were met. My parents were extremely hard on us at times, but it was out of
love. I had a very loving and healthy childhood, which I realize how has made
my life easier as an adult. I still face lots of challenges, but I come from a
strong foundation and a family of winners.
What are you currently doing as a career? Are you doing what you love?
I currently work at a public relations agency,
Edelman, and it’s a dream come true. I had always wanted to work at Edelman and
I was rejected 4 times before I actually got hired at the DC office.
(#resilience). I’ve been a student of public relations and storytelling for
years, and I’m able to really flex my muscles in this industry. I am doing what
I love because I can tell stories all day. I think ultimately, my career will
evolve into a different kind of work in storytelling, but for right now this is
where I’m supposed to me and I am grateful.
What has been your greatest personal accomplishment?
My greatest personal accomplishment to date has been
moving to DC for my dream career. Every day I thank God for this dream come
true, because I honestly didn’t think it would happen. I’ve always wanted to
live in DC and I knew that my greatest regret in life would be never moving! So,
I made it happen. It took a lot of hard work, and it was scary, but I did it my
way and on my own terms. I was patient and I got everything I wanted and needed
by moving to DC.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Go easy on yourself and stop being so competitive. I
have super tunnel vision, once I set my sights on something I don’t stop until
it’s mine. I got serious about my career, I think, way too soon and much faster
than other people my age. It was like I woke up at 19 overthinking… “Is what
I’m doing good for my future? Can this go on my resume? How can I do more? Did
I study enough? Can my grades be higher?” which all seem like positive things…
but it really gave me this shitty superiority complex. I
went too hard, I shut people out, I was a bad friend because I was always
looking down on people who I felt weren’t taking their lives seriously enough.
My life was the litmus test for how everyone around me should live and that was
wrong. Once I graduated and had a job I looked around and realized that none of
that mattered. Yea my competitive spirit and willingness to go the extra mile
landed me right where I wanted to be but at what cost? I had to do some deep
soul searching and pray that crazy competitive spirit out of me and understand
that people don’t have to move at my pace.
What are your plans for the future? Career, love, life?
Career wise, I just want to continue to work hard at
whatever I am doing. I do want to write a book and I want to do TV writing. I’m
not ashamed (anymore) to say I want to be married and have kids – family is
very important to me.
As for life in general, there are days where I wake up
and look to my right to see this huge bookshelf in my bedroom, then I look at
my plants and the sun peeking through the window, then I feel the sheets of my
bed and my cool satin pillow case and I think… “this is luxury, this is life,
this my perfect world.” And then I get up and make coffee and stare out of my
floor to ceiling windows and my heart practically leaps out of my chest. I live
for that feeling. And I think we can all feel that every day. So, I want my
future to be me, waking up happy and content with the tiny luxuries in
life.
What makes you happy?
My relationships make me happy. Not just romantic
ones, but my friends and family. Love makes me happy. Flowers, reading, my
plants sprouting new leaves, when I drink my coffee at the perfect temperature,
Twitter and good wine all make me endlessly happy. I’m really into simplicity
these days. I try not to wait for something huge to happen to say, “Oh that
made me really happy.” Happiness is sometimes just breathing for me.
What
impact do you want to leave behind?
I want to leave behind one hell
of a story. I want to show the world that anything is possible but it takes
strategic sacrifice and hard work. I didn’t get to where I am without giving up
something else in exchange. I also want to continue to hold the door open for
others to have incredible opportunities and live the life they image.
What
do you do for fun?
I’m a party girl so I love a good night out. I am also
a homebody, so I love a good night in. For me fun is all over the spectrum, I
can easily have a blast at a plant nursery by myself or hit the town with
friends and party until 3am. It truly depends on the day!
Who is your fashion inspo?
This is hard, I’ve learned to really dress for my body,
so I always try to do what works and looks good on me while staying current
with trends. I don’t know if I really have a fashion inspo or if I just see
things I like and try to make them work for me. If I had to pick, Tracee Ellis
Ross really inspires me because she’s so true to herself in the way she dresses
but is always on point. I like exuding that energy because I hate looking like I
tried too hard or like I’m straight off of Instagram. Like I said, I’m really
into simplicity these days, and quality. I HATE cheap clothes. I’ve recently
been splurging on classic staple pieces and building out my wardrobe.
Favorite inspirational quote.
“You are your best thing” – Toni Morrison, Beloved
Tell me the soundtrack of your life
Currently it’s ‘I Been On’ from Beyonce’s HOMECOMING
album.
Usually, it’s Gravity by John Mayer
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Follow this girl boss and her journey!
Instagram - @queende_
xo,
Jas
daunt·less
adjective
showing fearlessness and determination
muse1
noun
a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.
