We’re looking forward to introducing you to Rickale West . Check out our conversation below.
Rickale , we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
A recent proud moment for me was serving as the Division Lead for Visual Arts at the inaugural Fade to Black Arts Festival at Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston. That experience opened the door for me to organize and curate an exhibition for the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival at the Latanya Richardson Jackson & Samuel L. Jackson Performing Arts Center at Spelman College. Both opportunities reminded me of the power of art to build bridges, honor culture, and create spaces where Black creativity shines.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Rickale West, and I’m the founder of Roxy Wuz Here Art, a brand and creative platform dedicated to celebrating bold, expressive, and thought-provoking art. Through Roxy Wuz Here Art, I create original works, curate exhibitions, and lead programs that highlight the transformative power of creativity, particularly in uplifting and empowering communities.
What makes Roxy Wuz Here Art unique is our focus on art as a tool for healing, reflection, and liberation. From workshops with youth to curated exhibitions featuring emerging and established artists, we aim to create spaces where creativity and self-expression are not just encouraged but celebrated. Currently, I’m working on new projects that fuse visual storytelling with community engagement, including exhibitions that explore themes of resilience, identity, and hope. My work is driven by a belief that art can spark conversation, inspire change, and connect people across experiences and generations.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
Looking back, one of my earliest memories of feeling powerful comes from when I was seven or eight. I had experienced events so traumatic that I had stopped speaking, and yet, I found my voice again. As an adult, I recognize how pivotal that moment was, it taught me that my words, my presence, and my story carry power. That early reclamation of my voice continues to guide my art and my work today, reminding me that vulnerability can be transformative, and expression can be a source of strength.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain when I began my art journey and career. At first, creating art was deeply personal, a way to release, process, and make sense of my own experiences. Over time, I began to understand the true power of the work I was doing: how my pain, once buried, could be transformed into something that resonates, inspires, and heals not just me, but others as well. That realization sparked the desire to build a platform, Roxy Wuz Here Art, to share this work with the world. What started as personal catharsis became a mission: to turn vulnerability into empowerment, and to show that our struggles can be catalysts for creativity, connection, and collective healing.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
The first person who comes to mind is someone I deeply admire and consider a mentor: Danette K. Davis. I can honestly say she has written an entire chapter in my art and business journey. What makes her remarkable is that she does this not for power or recognition, but simply because she saw potential in me and chose to nurture it. I am forever grateful for the ways she has guided, uplifted, and challenged me.
What I admire most about Mrs. Davis is that I’m not a one-off, she pours into everyone around her, especially the community. Through her nonprofit, Kay Davis In The Community, she consistently creates opportunities, fosters growth, and uplifts others without expectation. Her generosity, integrity, and commitment to empowering others are what make her someone I respect not for her position or influence, but for the depth of her character.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely. I believe anyone can feel fulfillment from doing their work well, but praise has never been my ultimate goal. For me, impact has always been, and will always be the driving mission. Many of the opportunities I’ve had are the result of consistent effort and persistence, even during times when there were no calls returned, no sales, no responses, or even rejection from shows and exhibitions. Through it all, I continued to create, to strategize, and to find new ways to raise awareness for my brand and generate social impact through the arts. Showing up, doing the work, and staying committed, regardless of recognition, is what has allowed me to build something meaningful and enduring.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.roxywuzhereart.com
- Instagram: @roxywuzhereart
- Linkedin: Rickale West
- Facebook: roxywuzhereart
