We recently had the chance to connect with Keileana Evans and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Keileana, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
Over the last year and some change, I have been becoming increasingly more aware of global conflicts and the oppression of various indigenous peoples across the world. As I became more aware, I became more vocal. With this shift in mindset and content, I noticed a decrease in content collaborations with bigger brands and modeling opportunities. While this has created a wedge in my platform to solely sell products and experiences, I still would much rather use my voice and platform to speak for others that have little to no freedom to speak for themselves. For me, as an artist and creative, my work is tied to expression and freedom! And I refused to willingly let the expression be silenced or misused.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
The name is Keileana, but I go by Kei and ‘The Reflective Muse’. I am what’s known as a ‘multi-passionate’ individual, meaning I take an interest in learning and specializing in multiple fields. One day, I may want to sharpen my makeup skills. Next, I may focus on community organizing and education via social media. And next, I may choose to attend a casting call for a fashion show! I AM the brand. My overall goal is to educate, uplift, and advocate for humanity through my art and work while simultaneously encouraging others to do the same in their own unique way. I do this through various lanes, including but not limited to: fashion and modeling, psychology and communication, cosmetology, and even commmunity education! From the way I own the runway with confidence, to my very first e-workbook, I have been learning how to use every skillset that I have to uplift the people while also building and maintaining my own strength.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
There really isn’t a single relationship—platonic, business, or romantic—that has shaped me into who I am now. The person I am now, and continue to grow into, has been shaped by various lessons and trials. The biggest lesson I have learned in the last year alone is the importance of not only understanding your boundaries but also not being afraid to enforce them.
As an only child of a rocky marriage, I often was a therapist for both my parents from a young age. While I find it intriguing that they felt comfortable enough to vent to me, as I got older, I realized that this was where my unhealthy establishment and relationship with boundaries began. From then on, I went through friendships, relationships, and even business partnerships, being naive about the ‘give and take’ of mutual partnership. There were plenty of times that I was taken advantage of by being “too nice” and “too understanding,” and there were also times that I have overstepped my place as a friend or significant other. But at the end of it all, I am thankful for the experiences and lessons I have learned from childhood up until now. I am also thankful to be continuously learning how to stand on my own beliefs and boundaries while connecting with truly like-minded individuals.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I started transmuting my pain into power around the summer of 2025. It took a lot of introspection and reflection, but I am grateful for the lessons I learned. Throughout most of my life, leading up to now, I have been very naive and overly focused on “people pleasing” to the point that I gave most of my power, time, and talents to others. This ‘people pleasing” had led to mental and financial hardship back in 2024, to the point where I almost gave up on modeling and creating in general. After going through a housing crisis related to water damage, something clicked. I realized I am the master and curator of my own life, physically and mentally! I began learning to retrain my thoughts of fear, anguish, and disappointment into thoughts of strength, gratitude, and perseverance. I used the pain of 2024 to curate my very first e-book, a workbook called “P.O.S.E.”, to help other models and creatives identify their true selves and use their story to stand in their power! I want to use my story as a learning lesson, not just for me but also for all other creators and entrepreneurs. A lesson that your pain, your story, and your skills are fuel to propel you further. Without experience, positive and negative, you would not become the person you are today. But it is also a reminder that, ultimately, you ARE the curator of your future and destiny, and it all begins with changing the way you think.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
I would say yes. I pride myself on living outwardly in my authentic truth, mistakes and successes alike. Given everything that has transpired over the last few years, personally and globally, I have taken a very strong “humanity first” approach to life. I have taken it upon myself to not only advocate but also educate others on topics related to history, psychology, and creativity or art. While I tend to be very passionate and borderline assertive about the things I value, I also now understand that everyone will not immediately agree with my stances. We may never meet eye to eye, but I still understand that as a society, we have the free choice to believe and engage in whatever we choose daily. With this newfound understanding, I have taken a “you can lead a horse to water, but cannot make it drink” approach to sharing knowledge and advocating for various causes. I have taken it upon myself to not just repeatedly speak on the values I uphold but also to integrate the same values into my actions and the way I move throughout society. Whether that be using my content creator skills to capture content for an inclusive fashion show, using my runway skills to showcase the designs of a small or minority owned designer label, or even using my platform to share historical facts about my culture as a Black femme presenting person in America, I will always utilize my voice and pulic version of myself for the betterment of humanity as a whole.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
Something I deeply understand that most people don’t is: standing in your authenticity and truth will build stronger connections than regurgitating the ideals and talking points of someone (or something) else. With this understanding, I can strongly say that I will never regret standing firm on my boundaries and beliefs while standing up for humanity and the voiceless. I truly believe that whatever route I take as a creative and entrepreneur will involve using my voice and skills to uplift the people. While it does become hard given the staunch difference in opinions and values from other people and brands, as long as I remember that I create my future, I can remain steadfast in my mission. In the content creator sector, brands don’t particularly like creators who are vocal about global injustices. In the modeling sector, many agencies and managers will forbid you from speaking about disparities and exploitation within the industry to keep your bookings high. Once I began to understand that the same people who didn’t want me speaking for humanity had very little care for the sovereignty I had as a human myself, I stopped living for their opinions (and coins) and started living for truth and freedom. Again, of course, there are ups and downs when trying to book collabs or fashion projects, but it is worth the freedom of being able to use my voice, skills, and platform to encourage and educate others while also doing the same for myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://payhip.com/HausofReflektion
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keiputiton/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Keileana-Evans/61550601988617/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@keiputiton?si=N64EnFwpb86OjRqm
- Other: My Ebook, POSE: https://payhip.com/b/8RKd2
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@killakei_
Image Credits
Johnathan Robertson, Daniel Lona, Alexus Brown
