It’s a different kind of honor when someone reaches out to you with the request for you to photograph them to celebrate another solstice around the sun. Shayna gave me that same honor this year. We’re celebrating a 3 decade milestone for her so it was a must that I asked for some insight. We had a chat about womanhood, aging, and being kind to yourself. View her full gallery here.
First I’d like to start off with an introduction, where are you from? Who do the people know you as? And what is it that you love to do?
My name is Shayna-Raye, a lot of my friends just call me Shayna. I was raised in a neighborhood called Deepside in Broward County, for some of my adolescent years Montego Bay, Jamaica. I guess my passion in this life is to share my love with as many people and in as many ways that I can. One of the ways I’m doing that is by building a lifestyle brand called Irie Life, the art of living well. We’ll be open online very soon; offering high quality products for mind, body and soul.
It’s been a while since we last spoke, that was when I photographed you to celebrate your 30th birthday. What has the start of your new decade taught you so far?
That I don’t know shit (lol). I definitely believe that I’m no longer spinning in circles by now— actually spiraling up. Which means that when I encounter similar experiences from my past, my present self reacts/feels different about these situations and I’m now able to move forward to learn different lessons. At the end of the day we all have to “do the work” some days it’ll feel like a complete fucking incline but all of the days it’ll be worth it. Resilience is what these last four months have been about.
How does aging in this era feel? I don’t want to sound depressive but Florida might wash away, we’ve been hearing about Social Security running out since we were kids. What are you looking forward to in the years to come?
It’s strange because I don’t honestly feel the time going by. I’ve actually been feeling like it’s time for me to pull up to a new city. I think New York is calling my name. I think that’s what I’m actually looking forward to, a place that feels like home. The other things are stress, Jah will provide.
At the seemingly still tender age of 30, do you feel like an “adult” now? Or is there more growth and work?
Gender and adulthood are both social constructs, almost everything is. What is an adult, what’s the definition other than being over 17? What’s 30? Other than an a even number? As a society we’re really doing a lot of damage to ourselves trying to gauge and define what life should like look for everyone. It’s suffocating. We have to create more room for ourselves, so we can in turn create room for others. Growth and work are both continuous, it’s only ever over when you die. That’s why the journey is more important than the outcome.
I feel that woman aren’t allowed to age. We’re supposed to be young and wrinkle free forever. How have you come to terms with growing up and maturing? Has it caused you some anxiety or are you actually excited about the journey?
I’ve been having this conversation a lot lately. I do view myself as non-binary which I’m still figuring out but I also don’t discount a single experience being seen or treated as a woman. Again, I think we’re still very much so boxed into these perceptions of how women should look/behave. I’ve gotten comments from people on my grey hairs, asking me if I thought about dyeing them. All while I’m actually so excited to see how my salt and pepper look evolves. I’ve come to terms with the fact that aging is inevitable, how we choose to live our lives or shift our perspective is our choice. I choose to live fully. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store for me.
What have the women before you said this process was like? Can you relate or do you feel a little bit different than them?
My mom, aunts, and grandmothers were pretty emotionally closed off. They never really shared their personal experiences. But they did attempt to heavily impose gender norms into my experience. That made me feel completely alienated from them. It closed off a lot opportunities to develop meaningful relationships. I’m here breaking the cycling and trying to use my vulnerability as a superpower and to the lay foundation of what living in your truth looks like.
Finally, what do you want to tell your younger self? What did you wish to know then that you might’ve found the answers to?
I’d actually thank lil Shayna for never giving up hope, even in the darkest of nights. That there was nothing wrong with me and that I’m lovable, as my whole self.
