"You make time for the things you want to do"

Elise Michaux considers herself to be an educator, creative, and speaker. Using each of those platforms, she works to encourage others as much as she possibly can. There is power in empowering others to show up for themselves; she gets to do it as a creative when she captures a photo of a person that makes them smile. She gets to do it as an educator when she watches them learn something. She gets to do it as a speaker when she says something that resonates. All of this gives her the energy and motivates her to show up, too.

Where would you say your inspiration comes from?

My focus right now has been solely on social justice. The administration of the past four years really pushed me to use my voice in this area and for that I am forever grateful. It is important that we display black joy, share stories that have us as the protagonist's’, and share our knowledge and experiences so that others might learn. I feel so compelled to share my heart so that others hearts might hear, which would hopefully change minds.

Tell us about your day job and how you are able to balance that with your creative endeavors.

It’s passion right? I watched Bishop TD Jakes and Steven Furtick do a talk once. The bishop spoke of not being placed in a box. He’s a pastor, actor, author, designer and more. That really resonated with me and I realized that I could do anything I was good at and passionate about, simply by making the time for it.

Working in higher education how often do you get to interact with young creatives?

Everyday. I’ve worked to create a team of students that handles our social media and they are simply amazing. They keep me inspired as well.

Do you tend to follow routine? If so, what are three things that you include in your daily routine?

Music. Prayer. Family. All three are a tremendous part of who I am. I spend my mornings in prayer, dance to some music while enjoying some coffee and talk with my mum to keep me grounded.

You were able to uplift so many through the art of speaking during the pandemic, when did you discover this talent of yours?

My father is a preacher. My mother is a teacher. It’s in my blood. After having the opportunity to deliver a speech at my high school’s vesper’s ceremony, I knew that I enjoyed speaking. I’ve been holding the craft ever since.

Tell us about Work It Wednesday.

An initiative to encourage folks to let loose, dance like no one’s watching and simply MOVE! When we were at the height of quarantine, I was in a rough spot. I noticed my good friend Ta’lor dancing on her IG and followed suit. It was an instant mood booster. I know it’s not everyone’s ministry to dance on their stories like us, but simply encouraging folks to move their bodies is what’s most important to me. Throw on a fav song and dance!

Tell us about Sounds About White.

An initiative to talk about social justice in a non-threatening way alongside two of my favorite people: Dr. Jessica Mann and The Ari Alex. Both of them speak so passionately about the topic, that I knew I wanted their expertise and wisdom to be front and center. We covered everything from white privilege and feminism to media representation and voting. I’m appreciative of them dedicating all the time they have thus far and very proud of the work we’ve accomplished.

What have been some of your favorite brand collaborations?

Phonetic eyewear. They saw I had a thing for glasses and we teamed up. I now own a few pairs. Hahaha and the same with Herschel. They saw my back-to-school book bag contest and sent me two book bags. I was pretty pumped about that.

How long have you been doing photography and what motivates you to continue?

I’ve been shooting since June of 2016. what motivates me is how every shoot is different. You develop your eye and style, but the energy shared between yourself and the model(s) makes every photoshoot unique. It’s a powerful exchange of creative energy.

How do you find balance between all of your passions and talents?

All of them fill my cup in such different ways so I might sound weird, but it’s important to me that I do them all. The old saying is that, “You make time for the things you want to do.” I truly live by that.

If you could be interviewed by anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

Oprah. Life goal for sure. She is someone of whom I have so much love and respect.

In honor of Black History Month who are some of your favorite black creatives that you would like to shout out?

I have to start with my homie Cat. It’s beautiful to see her hard work paying off.

My homie Ta’lor Pinkston aka The Heart Advocate. All things self care.

Ray Carrington has just taken his work to brand new levels.

And he’s not from Pittsburgh, but my friend J. Tuck is putting in work out in Cali.

What’s next for you?

I’ll be honest, I do not know what’s next. The pandemic has things kind of in a weird space, but we are selling crewnecks, hoodies, and beanies in my merch store. Hopefully some more speaking engagements come my way more when we open back up.