Hi, my name is keshawna. Im originally from Jacksonville. Born and raised. I love everything about my city . It's made me who I am today. As well as my upbringing from my family and friends that has made up my culture today. My mother is Jamaican and native american (cherokee) . I love to say I'm carribean made but Florida raised ! I love my fishing, Sunday services, atv riding, watersports weekend, playing dominos late evening life . I grew up with the very mixed upbringings from southern, Caribbean and native american traditions.
As far as religion goes.... we may all sometimes agree to disagree but my family is mostly Christian's. As for me I am a nondenominational Christian. I am a member of Celebration church. In my upbringings I always attended church. Messing with my mama it was all 3 services !! Lol and she sent me for 3 years to a Methodist Christian private school. SMH. But as I look back enstilling his word into my mind back then has lead me to a much better person today. Though I may fail I try to live a better life through Christ.
Now food. Food plays a big part in my culture. I believe it was one reason I fell in love with food and decided to become a chef. I went to Le Cordon Bleu and graduated and now I've been the chef at the Ritz Carlton hotel. But with the get togethers and gatherings we had , food all cooked by the Queens of our family. Really brought my passion for food to light. Being a mixed family gave me the opportunity to love our southern, Caribbean and native American cuisines.
A nature pairing with food is definitely music. Now my family we love to get down. Growing up music was kind of controlled in our household. We weren't allowed to listen to secular music . But that didnt stop me from sneaking and listening to songs on my radio ! Lol but as a teen my family was more lenient and that lead me to learn and follow all the greats. I love jazz and blues, r&b and hip hop. Of course I'm from the south so trap music and mixtapes are a must. Reggae and dancehall are two different things guys!! But I love them both! I can listen to buju banton and switch up and listen to the latest popcaan!. But I'm noticing I love a good song with a good beat. And I'm open to all types of music. I was in the band for 3 years playing the flute . I'm an active member in the Jacksonville symphony. I love a good Mozart's c cello symphony. Music is for the soul and im open to it all. I met yo-yo ma once at my job. But against policies to ask for an autograph 😭😭😭
Being from a mixed family has made me believe that learning each culture and now forming it into my own has made me the person I am today. And I wouldnt change it one bit. I love my culture, i love my city, i love my heritage, i am proud of who i am today.
