Today we’d like to introduce you to India Monee.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved stories and entertainment. I used to write my own chapter book series, bind them, and share them with my family. Growing up, I used to always watch talk shows like Ricki Lake, Jenny Jones, Oprah, and Tyra Banks and also music shows like TRL and 106 & Park. Looking back now, I know that all of these shows influenced my passion. I honestly feel like it was destined for me because I was never interested in anything else. Back in the days of tapes and VCRs, I used to record myself on a Barbie camera that actually had a small tape that would go inside of a bigger tape and put it in the VCR and watch myself. I’ve literally have been writing and sharing stories my whole life.
As I got older everything started to come together. From there, in high school, I was apart of the yearbook staff and in college, I was the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper. Once you really find your passions, everything starts to make sense. I created a YouTube channel before it was the thing to do, to originally share my college HBCU experience at Prairie View A&M University because there wasn’t anyone else doing it. I felt like I could share my college journey to influence other black youth to attend.
During the journey of undergrad, I found myself getting experience in everything from journalism, video production, and radio. That’s when I realized that I didn’t have to place myself in a box. I could live limitlessly and still succeed. Everything that I’ve gone through in the past prepared me for the journey that I am on now.
Has it been a smooth road?
This journey has had plenty of struggles! I literally struggle every day with something. Some of my biggest struggles are dealing with exposure, uncertainty, and money. When you’re creating a lifestyle from scratch, there are no right or wrong answers so I’m left with trying to figure it out myself. Every day, I’m pushing to create content that I love and that others would love too. I’m learning that being in this industry my entire career is up to me. I have to figure it all out day by day. Money is always a struggle because this isn’t a cheap industry. Websites cost money, equipment costs money, and even attending events costs money. Being in this field, you have to be up to date on everything, you have to always be social, and know how to do everything so sometimes it’s draining. You have to constantly put yourself out there to create opportunities for yourself. It’s not an easy industry or lifestyle. In the end, it’s all worth it when you know you’re working toward your end goal.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with India Monee’ – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I’m my own business. I’m a journalist and media personality. I’m myself all day every day and I love that I can make a living off of that. I specialize in anything media related. I can do it all, write stories, edit and shoot video, get in front of the camera, and everything else. I’m super proud of that. I’m versatile. I think I’m most known for my college vlogs because I vlogged for so long. My biggest buzz thus far has been due to my YouTube channel. I’m proud that I created that platform all on my own. What sets me apart besides being well versed in everything is that I’m always relatable. People always tell me that “omg, I was thinking that too” or “when you said XYZ, I felt the same way!” People who I’ve never met have shared how I’ve helped them grow or related to them. I’m most proud of the way I connect with people, how much they trust me, & how they feel connected just through YouTube or social media! I’ve been able to touch and inspire people through social media which is huge to me. I’m also very nice! A lot of people and specifically women can be very nasty in this industry. I pride myself on always being there to help the next person with whatever they need! Everyday I just want to have fun, live my life the way I want, and make a difference in somebody’s life by inspiring them however I can.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I love most about Dallas is the culture! Dallas is like no other city in America. You can see a certain type of haircut and know someone is from Dallas. You can watch the way someone dances and know they’re from Dallas. You can listen to the slang and dialect and know they’re from Dallas. The city is just a beautiful melting pot with so much opportunity. I love the diversity and I love the food. Something that I think Dallas needs is more black millennial go-to spaces to network, hangout, and chill. When you go to other cities, I feel like it’s easy to find those spots so if Dallas could fill the void that would be good for the city.
Contact Info:
- Website: thedowntowntea.com
- Email: indiamonee1@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/IndiaMonee/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndiaMonee1/?__tn__=%2Cd%3C*F-R&eid=ARAkZq7rCYkekgYf7ARQB99VJY4JaiePUG1MaLxzUueUEPgQkmFJoJTrLy2EWmBkqdvB7mKhJGN27tfy&hc_ref=ARS0NFZRxSl0GemPH3H_9dlAuBBW9yOs0AqNK5TTZfSzJEOoibCk2x3gqlOSIoZB3Rc
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/indiamonee
- Other: https://www.facebook.com
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
