Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Nimer.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kayla. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It all started with a life-changing shift in my personal life that led me to a path and journey of healing. I had left college because I was depressed from a lot of trials I faced in my childhood that I kept buried under a facade, I felt like a bum because I dropped out of school, I dealt with neglect, low self-esteem, sexual assault, rejection, and after I thought I had healed from all of that, I experienced heartbreak from the person I thought I would live the rest of my life with. All of these things occurred within just a couple of years. I felt so lost and confused. How was it that I was back in this deep, dark place that I thought I had been delivered from. I was fighting myself and my spirituality, questioning myself, God, and everyone around me. I started to pray every day just over the smallest of things and just took it one day at a time. I had to learn how to love myself all over again and I had to start from scratch. One day I decided to make a stride forward. I knew I loved poetry, I had been writing since I was introduced to the writing-style at the age of 7 years old. I started off going to poetry shows. First it was only to just listen, seeing people pour their heart and soul and be so vulnerable on a microphone, it almost felt like unconventional church as I was delivered through every word that was spoken. One day I signed myself up, I didn’t know how I was going to do it, I was nervous, I had stage-fright, but I decided to trust God. I was at work one day and I prayed for God to give me the words and within about 15-30 minutes I had written “Good Enough”.
It was at that point that I decided to start approaching life with a new mindset. Everything that I had hoped to do but never had the courage to do before, I did it. I wanted to be transparent, show the good, the bad, and the ugly. I didn’t want to just show the aftermath and post pretty pictures, I wanted to have open discussions and raise awareness on mental health and self-love. The opportunities kept coming, different venues, conferences, art shows, etc. For me it was confirmation of what I prayed for and even though I still couldn’t believe it, it was happening right before my eyes.
At some point poetry wasn’t enough. My peers were suffering in silence. I prayed to God, surrendering myself to him and asking me to use me as a vessel in whatever way he saw fit. That is when I received the vision for what would later become ” The Elevation Plug”.
It started off as a retreat. I invited a group of women to come and spend a weekend with me. I formulated an itinerary that would both allow them to open up and also to be lifted up. It was held at a beautiful home in Cypress. I invited a life-coach to host, had a caricature artist come out and do portraits of the women as a take-home gift, we had a yoga instructor come out and do a yoga class, all meals were provided, the ladies even received self-care journals (written by the life-coach herself) so they could continue their process once we all parted ways. Throughout the retreat different discussions were initiated on the theme which was “Heal, Restore, Elevate, Celebrate”. We laughed, we cried, we talked, we played games, we ate and we had a good time. I was satisfied with the retreat overall but I knew I wanted to do more.
As I went into planning for the next retreat, a much larger vision came to mind. I didn’t know how I was going to do it but I trusted that with God at the foundation it could not fail. I knew who I wanted involved and I knew what experience I wanted the guests to leave with. I got to planning, not knowing how it would all come together but trusting that if it was truly God’s plan for me that it would surely come to fruition. On June 7-9, 2019 I launched “The Elevation Plug” and hosted our very first 3-day conference. It was at that very moment that God gave me a glimpse of the woman he had been molding and shaping me to be. It was preparation for greater!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The journey has definitely not been easy, but God never said it would be. Whenever I feel defeated or want to give up, I have to remind myself that I’m doing it for his glory and no one else’s. We tend to look for worldly acceptance but the world will never be pleased (say it louder for the people in the back). Also, it can be hard to support a vision when the response doesn’t come as quick as you thought or people don’t believe in your vision the way you do. Still you must remain encouraged and if you want it bad enough, you will keep pushing. There will be crossroads, roadblocks, and you may have to take some detours but keep going. Your destiny and your purpose will be at the end waiting for you!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Elevation Plug – what should we know?
The Elevation Plug was created for inspiration, networking, and elevation. We work with brands both personal and professional to connect them with the right people that they need to grow. Whether it is spiritual, mental, physical, or financial we have the tools and the resources. Most importantly, if we don’t know we will find out. We also provide a platform for businesses to promote and market. We are just starting off but we are working on a conference in Dallas and Atlanta, and also planning to do some finance/credit workshops in Houston and San Antonio for ages 18+. We want to do whatever we can to help businesses, especially black businesses and brands succeed. We work with ministers, licensed therapists, caterers, musicians, artists, speakers, accountants, lawyers, and more. We are looking forward to collaborating with businesses and brands all over the world and one day hope to fund businesses and purchase commercial real estate so that we can help create economic growth in urban areas.
We are most proud of the fact that our team remains humble and genuine during the process, and platform we were able to create and the feedback we received from our first event and meeting wonderful people who truly want to evolve, expand, and elevate not only their personal lives but also their careers. We hope that as we continue to grow we will never lose the intimacy and pureness.
What sets us apart from others is that we stand on the foundation of mental health awareness and faith. We want to continue to bring like-minded individuals together and expand our network to all who need it.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
All credit goes first to God, but also to all my supporters. I have been so blessed to meet some amazing people along the way some of which I teamed up with in bringing the first public event/conference to life and we all support each other. It is refreshing to meet people who don’t just care about what you’re doing, but genuinely care about how you’re doing as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ayeeprettyblack.com/the-elevation-retreat.html
- Phone: 713-859-1459
- Email: theelevationplug@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theelevationplug/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theelevationplug
Image Credit:
TyTimlet
EmexFocus
StoriesByTori
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