Today, The Platinum Mask channel would like to introduce D.L. Kyles for a conversation.
Hey! Please explain to the audience what you’re promoting.
I am promoting my children’s book, Be the Light. It is about a little girl who gets bullied then later helps another child who was being bullied as well.
What was the biggest obstacle in your journey and how did you overcome it?
The biggest obstacle was finding a publisher. I understand the big thing now is self-publishing; however, I needed an illustrator and most publishers, small or big, have in house illustration. I was able to reach out to close family about connects. When you’re good people, others won’t mind reaching out for you because they know your character and that you’re not playing games. I overcame the obstacle with the help of my village. S/o to my Bonus!
What separates you from similar artist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area?
I am just different. I genuinely care about other peoples success and want others to win. I legitimately practice what I preach. I hold myself accountable and never advise people to do anything that I haven’t done or tried already. I am versatile and constructional in my career and multifaceted. I write, I make herbal tea, tell visual documentary stories, and currently in the journey of becoming a licensed counselor. There’s only one D.L. Kyles no different than their is only one you. I like to help people see that it’s only one of them and to be proud of the vessel they were given.
Is there anything you wished you would have known earlier in your journey?
Honestly no. I’m not saying I knew everything, but I am saying God made sure that I had enough to go through with this journey. I think that everything happens for a reason and God’s timing provides us with exactly what we need and when we need it. It is our jobs to be open and receptive to the abundance of knowledge and clues given to us. Being in tune with our surroundings and remembering the lessons that are taught to us as well. By keeping this in mind, we as human beings will never go without and will always be on a learning road that leads to accomplishment and enough abundance to share the wealth.
Do you have any favorite spots in the Dallas-Fort Worth area?
Yes. My big brother/twin (Chef Jarrett Kyles) is the chef at Ten:01 Uptown and honestly anywhere that he is cooking is my favorite. The man can burn! I also like Luxx Hooka Lounge in Grand Prairie because it’s ducked off. Usually anything low key I enjoy. Most of all, the best spot is with FAMILY. I love going to my aunts, and hanging with my Pops. We have some really great conversations. Other spots I enjoy are but not limited to: DJ’s Steakhouse and Vinetti’s out in Addison. They have a really good happy hour plus it’s ran by family.
Were there any major challenges due to the covid-19 pandemic? How did you overcome them?
The main challenge was deaths and the cry for help the world was in. I understood that we had to be the answer for each other, and that’s how I overcame it. When things started to shut down, I started to open up more and be receptive to abundance of knowledge given to us in divine timing. This is when I started making teas for, congestion, pain and inflammation, and most importantly the immune system. I spoke earlier about how there isn’t anything I wish I had known because God makes sure to give us what we need and when we need it. This was one of those moments. My only job was to be open and receptive to all the good there possibly was. That my friends, is how you get through any pandemic. I honestly believe I saved some lives during the pandemic simply by focusing on the immune system.
What was your upbringing like and did you discover your passion early on?
My upbringing was fun but tough. There isn’t enough room to get into everything I’ve been through. I will say by the time I was 8, I had lived a full life and understood things that most adults still don’t understand. I will say, I am from Pleasant Grove. I learned a lot at my Nanny and PaPas house (the house I was raised in). I learned how to read, draw, write, cook etc. in the Grove. The first 7 years of my life I was in PG until my mama and her husband, at the time, moved us to Mesquite. Boy was that a culture shock for me. So much of a culture shock that believe it or not, I fought from the time I got there (2nd grade) until I started playing sports in middle school. It was so different. Even the black kids were different. Basketball started to be my escape. Basketball was the difference when reading, writing, and drawing weren’t enough.
Do you have a mentor and can you remember any key advice they have given you?
I can always tap into the knowledge of the best teachers and coaches I had because they genuinely cared about me. I wouldn’t say they are all my mentors, but they cared more. Ms. Dean was a great 1st grade teacher. Mrs. Wadsworth in 3rd grade, Ms. Frances in 8th, Coach Washington, Coach Stehman, and Coach Johnson in middle school in general. Stehman was the first one to call me Dee Kyles. From then on my name had a ring to it like no other! Mrs. Wascom my AP English teacher in high school, Mr. Davis my high school band instructor, Coach Morris (who never actually coached me but was extremely supportive of me) and Mrs. Cummings my elementary school principle. I sat across from her desk far too many times. My best school memories are with these teachers and coaches in mind. In high school, outside of school was Coach Rodney (PG G.I. Soldiers), Coach Studd, Rod, Dee and DOOMIE (PG Trojans). They helped me more than they actually know. They were a part of my escape. They honed my skills. And I am still in contact with majority of them on this list. Whether through passing or checking in from time to time.
Were your friends and family supportive of your mission?
Yes, most definitely. To keep it short, there isn’t an aunt, uncle or cousin that I have that is not supportive of me. I realize that it’s rare to have relationships like this and am truly grateful for my family of both sides. I like to call my Pops “Dadager” (dad+manager) because he really gets it’s going. All you have to do is tell the man your dreams and boom there it is. My mom is a great cheerleader and the life of the party. I seriously always need her support. My Nanny is going to always pump me up and my papa thought I was the smartest gal in the world before he transitioned. I can still hear him say, “That girl smart as hell!” One thing I’d like to share is a couple of years back, my cousin Jr. (that I refer to as my uncle from time to time) told me, “You remind me so much of your pops. Y’all just know how to do stuff.” He said, “baby, you cold with that camera, but it’s your words that’s going to get you there. It’s your words.” At that moment, I was shocked because I didn’t even know cuz was paying attention to me like that. That made me remember who I was in a sense. That’s what helped me start writing again with a publishing intent behind it. This is just a FEW examples of the support I have. I could literally go name by name from uncles, aunts, cousins and siblings but that would take a book. My family is out of this world supportive. It’s a Kyles Thang or no thang baby!
Any links you want to share for the viewers?
