The Weight of the Crown | Ft. Angelie Spencer - Let's Talk Di Tings

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Some people enter a room and rearrange the energy, not
by force, not with noise, but with their presence. Elegant, grounded,
and beautifully radiant, Angelie Spencer is one of those people.
Crowned Miss Universe Jamaica in nineteen ninety four, Angeley's beauty

(00:25):
first captivated audiences on an international stage. However, it's the
depth behind the crown and the decades that followed that
reveal her true purpose. Angeley's work, whether in fashion, curation,
ori interior design, is a study in intention, what it

(00:47):
means to show up for yourself and that doing so
is not selfish.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
But self full.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
How softness can be powerful, and how strength does not
owe always have to be lowed. So what happens when
you no longer fit into the narrative the world handed
to you? When visibility becomes a mirror and reinvention becomes
not only necessary but aspirational. In this week's episode, Angelie

(01:19):
speaks about purpose, faith, and the courage to evolve beyond perception.
She reflects on the beauty of beginning again, the discipline
behind her elegance, and the clarity that comes when you
recognize how your light affects others, but never allow their
perception to dim it. This is more than a conversation

(01:43):
about fashion, design or pageantry. It's about self actualization, reflection,
the importance of learning how to pivot, and about what
becomes possible when a woman reclaims the author she had
of her own radiance. So grab your tea, coffee, or

(02:06):
a glass of wine and let's talk to Things. Hello, everyone,
welcome back to Let's Talk the Things, where we discuss
personal growth, travel, music, beauty and wellness while encouraging you
to live fearlessly and fabulously. I'm your host, Ash, and

(02:29):
this week we are talking to Things with a woman
who first stepped into the spotlight as Miss Universe Jamaica
in nineteen ninety four and has since become a creator
and representation of beauty in deeper forms through design, reinvention,
and through a life shaped by intention. My dear friend,

(02:51):
the always fabulous Angelie Spencer.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
Hi An chow Are, Hi Ash, I'm great, seetheart? How
are you? I'm good.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
Thanks, I'm so excited to finally have you.

Speaker 2 (03:03):
Me too, too, so great, so cool. Thank you so much. Guys.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Of course, of course, so as a first time guest
and for persons out there listening for the first time.
We begin each episode with our listener's favorite segment, and
it's called that no sounds safe. Don't worry, It's nothing scary,

(03:30):
just good fun. So I'm going to read messages or
social media posts that listeners sent in, and if you
think it sounds crazy or a little bit concerning, like
you just don't agree, you'd say that no sounds safe
and explain why. And if you agree, say you agree
and explain why. Sounds good?

Speaker 2 (03:50):
Sounds great? All right? Cool?

Speaker 1 (03:53):
So the first person said, so many people who don't
believe in themselves are projecting their in securities on people
who do. There's a lot of how dare you energy.
I dare me, and I will always dare me. So
you better face your front and start daring yourself.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
Yeah, yeah, I totally agree. Well, I disagree with that.
I agree with that sentiment for sure. Yeah, I see
that quite a bit because I am an incredibly self
confident person, and so I can see that. And it's
so interesting working in fashions so those many years ago
and interacting with so many women on that level, I

(04:35):
didn't realize how little or how much so many women
believed so little in themselves. Yes, and how little self
confidence so many women had it or didn't you know,
it's it's actually it was actually surprising to me. And
these were people, and it was some people who I
never even expected surprising surprised me. No, would never have

(05:00):
known it was this almost total They actually just didn't
know themselves, what suited them, what they liked, what it was,
and what they were comfortable with. A lot of people
were guided by others, others opinions, others influence. And yes,

(05:23):
as someone who absolutely doesn't operate in that kind of space,
I know exactly who I am, what I like, what
suits me, what I want to look like every single
time I get dressed, for example. Yeah, that was actually
something that really surprised me.

Speaker 1 (05:37):
And I have to ask as somebody that's very similar
as you know, and guys, this is very weird because
we're very good friends, so we know this about each other.
But I think it's an important conversation to have because
there's other women out there that are going through the
same thing. How do you handle being that self confident
person in a room full of persons or women that

(05:59):
don't feel that way? Because I found that then you
become villainized.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
Right, That's absolutely true. So we are completely spirit animals.
And I think that's why we always have such a
healthy interaction, you and I, because we relate on such
a similar level. And I think the secret really is
to just disarm people, you know, Like I am now
more conscious of how my presence affects how others feel

(06:26):
about themselves. And so yes, I won't say that I
never used to care, but I wasn't as intuitive as
how my presence affects the way they feel about themselves.
And so I'm very conscious now. For example, like I
always have to look my best, because what people need
to know about me is that I am and operate

(06:48):
at my highest level and at my best when I
feel my best. And so the fact that I exercise
five days a week and that I put so much
effort into to how I look, it's because that is
all for me. It's not for anyone else. Is because
I like to function at that.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
Level, and that is what makes me feel good about myself.
And when I look good, I feel good, and when
I feel good, my interaction is much better with people,
you know what I mean. So that is purely about me.
But what I am now aware of is spaces.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
For example, if it's someone's wedding, for example, or if
someone is celebrating themselves. So I'm invited to someone's birthday,
I become conscious that I cannot in any way appear
to outshine the person because it's not difficult for me
to do that because of how I dress. So you

(07:46):
have to do you know, you literally have to learn
to read the room. So you have to be conscious
of how I'm not very conscious of how I make
people feel and how I may make people feel self conscious.
So I make an effort to still represent me, but
you have to sort of christ icly, but you sort
of tone it down, step it back a few notches
to be appropriate so that the person is allowed to shine,

(08:08):
especially if it's someone who is reserved or shy or
you know, it isn't fussy that kind.

Speaker 1 (08:13):
Of thing exactly.

Speaker 2 (08:14):
And also even if it is someone who is fussy,
you're not You're not there to compete with them. And
that's the thing. I don't be able to think that
I'm competing. My competition is always myself. I'm always trying
to put and it's not just in get hold the
way I address. It's in everything I do, I give
one hundred percent and hope for one hundred percent in
my results. I'm not trying to be the best. I'm

(08:35):
not trying to be legendary. I'm just trying to ensure
that everything I do I operate at a very high level.
And so that is across the board.

Speaker 1 (08:43):
Yeah, I love that, and it's it's so important to
know that because you can do all of what you
just said and somebody can still be bothered, Right.

Speaker 2 (08:53):
So then that's no longer about you. A that's the
hard I.

Speaker 1 (08:55):
Was just about to say exactly. So I just want
people to know that you can follow all these guidelines
and try your best. And you know, I mean I've
I've been in spaces where I'm literally dressed to me
extremely casual, and it's made into a big deal. It's
like sometimes I didn't recognize it before, as you said,

(09:18):
but then I started to realize you're trying to make
me feel uncomfortable, but it doesn't work. So it's like,
you know, so I think that's so good what you said.
You know, you make the effort because you're not trying
to outshine anybody, But if it is that people still
have issues or still make comments then you realize and
that's not your.

Speaker 2 (09:35):
Prom absolutely the same thing with godsiping it's it's the
same thing when someone's name is mentioned. So for example,
someone who mentioned and the first thing one person will do,
so boy, you know she if even know Sody? Sorry
when I like all that, or I think that comments
like that and people should start to be aware of

(09:56):
that that comments like that say more about the person
that it doesn't the person we're speaking rather than the
person of whom they're speaking, because yeah, it never started there,
it was never intended to go there, but the fact
that you're bringing it there means that you're the problem.
It's not really about exactly so exactly. And that's another

(10:16):
thing that I've become aware of, Like it's those things
you just can't. Don't no longer focus on things like
that and people coming why extra, why you said this?
And it's so fun that meme was certainly that woman
who says, am I extra? Or are you just under dressed?
Or are you just not aware? Seriously that all the

(10:37):
time people said that video to me, thank you, that's
hilarious for validating my position because.

Speaker 1 (10:46):
Too funny.

Speaker 2 (10:47):
Oh my god, we all got the memo honey, and
the memos said black tie? So why am I the
only person here that is dressed black tie?

Speaker 1 (10:55):
Am I the exactly exactly?

Speaker 2 (10:59):
You know?

Speaker 1 (11:00):
That's so funny. I did see that, and that reminded
me instantly of my mom because I remember when I
was a little you know, and she would say the same.
It's so funny. I feel like I'm living her life
sometimes because she would have the same thing, people commenting
how she's dressed, how she does this, how she does that,
and she would very matter of factly be like, I
don't understand the issue. I don't get upset when you

(11:22):
look like you look. You choose to not present yourself. Well,
that doesn't bother me, So why does it bother you
that I'm choosing to, you know, dress myself, like you said,
in a way that makes me feel good? And again
you said it so perfectly. It's really about that person.
It's not about you, No, it's not.

Speaker 2 (11:40):
And it's interesting we're talking about the way we dress, obviously,
because I think it has become something that has sort
of defined me and you, the way I dress. So
people comment a lot about that now because that is
what I am known for. By a lot of it,
and social media obviously has contributed to that. I mean,
it wasn't always like that, but it's not become that it's,
oh my god, she's always how I'm dressed. But I

(12:01):
think it's a little bit more than that. It's it's
that you'll never be you always catch me. I'm always
walking upright, I'm always sitting with my legs crossed at
my knee or my uncle, You'll never sinicity know my
legs spread like I'm a market woman. You'll never you know.
It's it's my back is always straight when I sit down,
and I sit with my back all right, And it's

(12:22):
not a show. It's just how I do. So it's
it's actually carry precisely. And it's all of those things
now that are combined that you say, oh wow, it's
it's the grace and the poise good which I do it.
But then you add the fact that you know you're
very well dressed. It's all of those things. So I
can only it is a combination of things, and I

(12:43):
can only hope that in seeing me or following me
on social media or observing me out several times, that
instead of it's triggering you you should perhaps consider it
inspiring you instead or you know, so it's yeah, it's
it's much more that. And I must say that the
overwhelming number of people say it out of admiration, and

(13:05):
that's always wonderful. Exactly.

Speaker 1 (13:08):
That's what I like to focus exactly.

Speaker 2 (13:10):
And people ask a lot, oh my gosh, can you
do training with my daughter? Or this is so important
that young girls need to be learning this from you.
So that's actually really far more encouraging than anybody else
who says anything other than encouraging things.

Speaker 1 (13:24):
Absolutely, as we like to say, we're not business, no.

Speaker 2 (13:28):
We're a business. None, right, I could just start them
right all right.

Speaker 1 (13:38):
The next person said, this is funny. West Indian parents
don't really help with homework. They just repeat the questions
louder and louder and louder.

Speaker 2 (13:50):
Well, let's don't safe at all? That safe?

Speaker 1 (13:53):
Yeah, I agree that that's the old school and I'm
glad that is that needs to be changing.

Speaker 2 (14:00):
You know, it's interesting as a parent myself, you're not
yet a parents, but as a parent, who yeh, children
are twenty and fifteen, they are huge.

Speaker 1 (14:09):
There are things crazy. It is, isn't it that it's insane?

Speaker 2 (14:13):
Yes, yes, yes, I know. I know, actually wish that
some of those things I had done differently, But we
live what we learn it and so I was raised
by a very traditional type parenting parent, and so the
only way I knew how to parent was what I
kind of learned from them. And then absolutely, so there
are some things that I would change, but and that's

(14:36):
one of the things. There are a lot of the
things that as Caribbean parents we absolutely need to unlearn.
And it's all it's it's critical thinking. It's encouraging critical thinking.
It's encouraging children to actually use their minds and to think,
and bullying them or beating them or shouting that does
not help. That actually frightens them. It scares them into

(14:58):
contrary not to respond. It is it completely is because
what it does is really they may have the right answer,
but they're so afraid that it's the wrong answer, so
they don't give it. And that translates to everything. So
what that does is it unconsciously affects their decision making.
So they now doubt themselves with almost everything that they do,
with everything that they say, and so they rather not say.

(15:21):
They do not put their hand up to answer a
question because they're just not sure. It's actually what that
does is you're taking away your children's voice. And that's yes,
that's what that's what that is. And so that was
actually something that yeah, I was. I was a tough parent.
It's interesting because my husband, for example, was the opposite.

(15:43):
So I think that my children are very balanced because
of that balance of both of us. So too much
of me would have made them those very timid, frightened,
voiceless people. But too much of the precisely, and then
but too much of him they've made them lazy and spoilt,
and that of things. So I think the combination all

(16:03):
has struck the balance by my children are who they are,
but I still to this day. And then you have
to know personalities as well, that some personalities can can
function and thrive under the old style parenting and some
actually just with her and diminish. And so I realized
that even with my daughter, I think I was. I

(16:23):
say no, and I don't mind saying it that I
think I was at times a bit harsh, and I
think that I have as a result sort of taken
a bit of her voice. I think she would have
had a stronger voice if I wasn't such a strong
personality and influence on her in some aspects, and so
I work every day to change that. And the first

(16:46):
thing is in admitting.

Speaker 1 (16:48):
You're recognizing it, though yes, oh my gosh.

Speaker 2 (16:52):
It's in admitting it. And I've admitted that to her.
Literally had this conversation interesting a week ago where I
was talking about just like my expectations of them and
you know what my hopes are for them at this
point in their lives, and I said that to her.
I literally almost apologize, I said, boy, and you know,
I wish with you, especially that I had done things differently.

(17:12):
I feel as if I have taken your voice, and
by taking one a girl's voice in particular, is actually
taking your confidence. And in this day and age and
in this society and in this world where women are
so marginalized and demonized, and it's very important that we
allow girls to maintain their voices and unapologetically so because

(17:34):
when we look around us with me Too movement, and
then what happens in the workplace and every aspect of
their lives, in their personal lives with their partners, and
in their professional lives at work, where we're constantly doted questioned,
spoken down man's playing to all of these things. A
woman needs to have her voice, and it needs to

(17:55):
be strong because it's true, it's so and their points
are valid. Her voice is valid, and we need to
not take our girl's voices away, especially because it's going
to serve them in the future. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (18:05):
Absolutely, And I think, like what you said, it's it's
good that you're able to admit that and have those conversations.
And we've talked about it before on this podcast. As
a matter of fact, we had doctor Judith Joseph who
talks a lot about trauma, and that particular episode because
it was Caribbean American Heritage Month, we were talking about

(18:26):
growing up Caribbean and you know what that comes with,
and the things that we think are normal are really traumatic.

Speaker 2 (18:34):
You know.

Speaker 1 (18:34):
We talked about how a lots of children had to
leave their parents and stay with their grandparents or you know,
leave the country the only country they've ever known and
have to start over and just all these different things
and then even the homework. Like we see these things
as a joke. And we have a lot of young
comedians online that I think are hilarious because we're all

(18:55):
they're laughing, but we're laughing in trauma and they're all
planning to yes, really exactly. And the good thing is
at least you can laugh about it.

Speaker 2 (19:04):
Eh So in sort of way, I find tough parenting
also sort of breeds this resilience and strength. Yes, I
was just about that serves us, but of course there's
some things that are kind of over the limited. But
it didn't like a lot of people send my parents
fan but never killed me. Maybe better. It's sort of

(19:24):
in that sort of context that we said, it does
real strength and resilience. However, it is mn trauma, man,
it is.

Speaker 1 (19:31):
Yeah, it's trauma. And like you said, it's a generational
thing because what your parents did it their parents did
it to them, so you're going to do But you
are fortunate enough to live in a time where now
we're all having these type of open conversations. So your daughter, now,
when she has children, she's not going to have that
in her you know what I mean, She's not even

(19:52):
that's not even going to be a second thought because
we live in a world now where we're actually having
conversations like with our parents. Was that was like what
you have conversations with your parents? Like that would have
never happened, you know, But I think that's the positive,
like looking at the positive. And I think also what
you said about the voice, it's funny, like I never

(20:15):
thought about that, but it's so true that it makes
you doubt yourself in other ways because as you're talking,
I'm thinking, like, oh man, you know, that's probably happened
to me, and I didn't even realize, you know, just
from simple things like you don't get the math problem right,
or you know, like my mom is very as you know,
very big on like posture and how I carry myself,

(20:37):
and it's like I can hear her voice, like stand
up straight, and you know, she has all these things
that she says that used to get on my nerves.
But to your point, at least I have a good
posture and at least I know I can walk in
any room and I can speak for myself, and I'm
very confident and I got that from my mom.

Speaker 2 (20:54):
You know. So some people think you're focusing on the
wrong thing and you're majoring in the mind, but that
it's what is minor to one person is totally measure
because that's what opens doors for us. It's why doors
even are held open because you're coming. It's why someone
chooses you, It's why you're opted. And when I do

(21:15):
my etiquette and department training and courses and talks and
that kind of thing I speak about that people sit
in an at work or at school or in offices
and they think, how come she always gets chosen to do?
And by she I mean a general she or he?
How come that person always gets chosen to the devot thanks?
Or how come there are always the one that speaks
on behalf of was or they're the one that is

(21:36):
presented as the face of the company or the department
or whatever. And you're really need to ask yourself, you
need to acknowledge why that is. It's because outside everybody's
qualified to be there. You're simply there on your qualifications,
and you're operating just from the qualifications. But what else
do you bring to the table? How else? Remember that

(21:58):
we are all visual creatures. Matter what we do, almost
every single thing we do it the visuals stimulate people.
That is what draws people to us, That's what entice
people and excite people. And so it's the person who
is who carries themselves well and who knows how to
use an ife and fork at dinner, and who knows
how to shake a hand and greet and is personable

(22:21):
and charming. And it's that person who, quite possibly and
if you really look at it, as a person who
always has a little upper hand because they bring more
to the table than just the qualifications. It's what I
want my children to understand. Yes, you go to school
and you're bright, and you go through and a bunch
of you ut the same grades. But what's going to
take you to the next level, what's going to get

(22:41):
you on a roll, what's going to get you the
job when you leave? It's the other things that round
you to make you a wholesome person, a full person.
And it's what makes you attractive. And that in the
word attraction doesn't just mean physical, it means just you're
attractive and appealing for on all levels. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (23:01):
Absolutely, that's so important because it's not just about looks.
Because I say to people all the time, Okay, you
see somebody and they look nice for whatever reason, whether
it's to date or to partner, to you know, model
your clothing. But then if you meet them and they
have no personality or their personality is horrible, you're not
going to want to work with them.

Speaker 2 (23:20):
And that's it's another thing too, Yeah, precisely. But for me,
I mean that's not that's not disconne Pretty privilege. Yeah,
pretty privilege is a real thing.

Speaker 1 (23:28):
Yeah, but that only gets you in the door. That
doesn't make you stay in the room. You know, you
can get in the door being pretty.

Speaker 2 (23:36):
But also yeah, and it gets you noticed, but does
it go through all of the end. And so that's
that's my definition of the word beautiful. For example, my
emphasis is on the full part you have to be.
It's full nice, it's it's full of brains, full of charm,
full of decency, just full full of of wit, you know, brains,
it's all the things. Yeah. So for me, beautiful is

(24:00):
the full all the things, all the things.

Speaker 1 (24:02):
I love that love that that. Okay, So two more.
The next person said, instead of questioning yourself when someone
mistreats you, ignores you, disrespects you, and demeand you question
them what is wrong with them that they think that
treating you like that is okay? Question their character and

(24:23):
then disappear from their lives.

Speaker 2 (24:25):
I love that. I actually love that. And you know
where we can you and I spoke about this some
months ago. This is where something like that let them
theory comes in. Eh. Y, So remember before I read
the book, You and I spoke about this and I
read that book ash and it like, literally my approach
has completely changed. When we accept that you have to

(24:48):
let them everything. You have to first of all, everything
isn't about us, and sometimes it's really about them. It's
it goes back to what I said at the very beginning.
And in the case and in cases like that, there
are people who will be receptive in you to you
asking a question, really, okay, so why do you think
and the conversation can go that direction. And then there
are some people who are going to be steadfast, which

(25:11):
I like to call wrong and strong. They're right. So, yeah,
they're wrong for even bringing it up, wrong for even
right questioning, or you know that sort of thing. When
you when you get when you're really encounter the wrong
and strong people who are when you really ask them
what like, what is that really necessary? What is that for?
And then they continue. At this point you just started

(25:34):
to say, okay, just let them continue to be petty, cruel,
all of those things, and let me just remove myself
from this person. This situation and just not let what
they say or do affect me because the only control
we have over anything is over ourselves. That's right, you
have no control over others.

Speaker 1 (25:55):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely. I think like again, like we talked about,
for the older you get, the more you accept that.

Speaker 2 (26:02):
Oh, actually that is so true. Listen. I turned fifty
in October, and I feel this is the absolute, Like
I feel a strength of self I never thought possible.
I feel so optimistic about everything about my future, about
I feel almost invincible, like there is nothing that's going

(26:26):
to stop it because of learning that sort of redirection
and that sort of dodging, and that's sort of letting
them and letting me and accepting that the only person
I have control over is myself. I also have accepted
like it's one thing that I've always held true to myself.
I've always had this belief that I am my only constant.

(26:50):
Only constant it is because when you think about it,
as a child, you're dependent on your parents, but eventually
you're your move away from your parents and you're on
your own. Parents are no longer constant. Everyone in your
life you will lose at some point, and by lose
it can be by either way, the death, divorce, break up, separation,

(27:10):
they move to another country. Whatever you are your ownly,
you're the only person that you're always going to wake
up to and live with and deal with and have
to deal with. And you gotta love that person that
you wake up to every day, because can you imagine
if you don't, if you are unhappy with yourself and
your life and your decisions anything. So only you have
the ability to change that, to make you into the

(27:32):
person that you really will love waking up to and
being the very person you love waking up being. And
so that is what I'm doing, is always self growth,
self development, self love. And then when someone loves themselves
and they're comforted with themselves, they also attract others to

(27:53):
them because your contentment with yourself and the easy with
which you maneuver life and people and situations and stuff,
it actually it encourages and it disarms people and all
of that. It actually draws people to you. And then
you have that position now to actually help and influence
others in a positive way. And so absolutely, yeah, that's

(28:16):
that's just my approach. I at the January one, I
just thought, you know, I feel really good about this year,
I feel it's going to be a good year, and
it's been off to a wonderful start and I'm very
very happy with just possibility. And when I when I
hit a hurdle, you just have it, just deal with it. Serve,
serve or your back up. You figure out how you're

(28:39):
going to cross the hurd because you can't you can't,
you can't swerve them. You have to go over them.
And so true through figure out how you're going to
go over them and actually make it over the hurdle.
And so that's what I love that. Yeah, that's my approach.

Speaker 1 (28:57):
Yeah, I love that. Love that. Okay, the last one
someone said, my father always told me, if you want
to go for a run, go for a run, don't
look for a company. Sooner or later, on your fifth
run or your twentieth, like minded people will find you themselves.
And only recently have I realized that this principle works everywhere.

Speaker 2 (29:21):
That's beautiful. I actually love that. Yeah, I love that. Yeah,
I love that. Say. It goes right back to what
I just said. You're your only constantin and in doing,
in being you and doing you well, it always draws
the right people to you.

Speaker 1 (29:34):
We and you have to use discernment too, because absolutely
draw people that think that just by being around you
they can take take your light or get some of
your light, and then get resentful when they realize, wait,
she's not pretending. This is truly who she is, which
is you know what you alluded to earlier?

Speaker 2 (29:53):
Yeah, man, And yeah, so you absolutely attract the right people. Yeah,
it really is. And then even when those people come up,
you know what I mean, you know, because you're contentment
with yourself and you're comfort with yourself. Good sort of.
But yeah, that's a good one. I like that one
very much. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (30:12):
Great, See that was fun, nothing crazy, just a little icebreaker.
All right. Now let's talk the real things. So and
I would love for you to tell us who is Angeli?
And when I say that, I mean with all the

(30:33):
titles or the accolades, like who are you as a person?

Speaker 2 (30:39):
So I love that question because I find that a
lot of us mistake what we do or use what
we do to define us, and then all those things
are stripped away. What is there? So m I do
not have any dreams of leaving a legacy behind that

(31:02):
don't want to be Oh my gosh, remembered for anything
except this. It's so interesting people talk about when they're
at your funeral. Nobody liked me fuss about little things,
Oh a lot of Tommy and the weight and it
is and that. And when at your funeral and they're
reading your obituary, is anybody going to say that, you know,
she never had her big Tommy? She was nobody to

(31:22):
say that. I'm going to talk about the essence of right.
So instead of focusing or as well as focusing on that,
because I focus on those things, and because that part
is important to me. When I look good, I feel good.
But also in feeling good, am I making others feel good?
How am I influencing the lives that I touch? Are people?

(31:46):
Is it going to be worth it when people for
somebody to say, oh, my gosh, you know actually passed,
to pass on condolences to my children and say, you know,
I'm going to love and I'm loved and I'm going
to miss your mother, to actually attend my funeral and
sit there and say a final farewell, and people who
have things to say, are they going to sit there
and think, you she lived such a beautiful life. She

(32:08):
she touched my life in such a beautiful way. I'm
going to miss her. I truly loved her. I'm going
to miss her very loud and vulgar and brawling, surprising laugh.
And I'm going to love the kind word that she
said to me. And I'm going to love the moments
that she shared with me, and the time she invited
me into her home and into her life, and the
trips that we took and the things that we enjoyed,

(32:31):
and the way her gift changed my life or her
advice changed those are the things that are oputant to me.
And it's it's the little ways in which you touch
people's lives. It's I want to be remembered about how
I made you feel. And I want to make sure
that I made people feel better for having known me
better in the short or long interactions that they had

(32:53):
with me. That's that's what's important to me, more than
anything I love. And so that's why yeah, and and
and and it's it's interesting because I am actually a
loner at heart. I people don't know I'm a sociable loner,
so I may seem sociable, and oh my gosh, A
love that people around. And I'm always around people and
friends and going oay. But truthfully, if if I had

(33:16):
it my way and most of the time, I would
solitude gives me so much peace. The same solitude and
the silence gives me so much peace. Absolutely doing nothing
a lot of the times. But I am sociable, so
I have to balance that so that I don't start
to feel frustrated or overwhelmed and and so so it's

(33:42):
it's an it takes an effort for me to sort
of maintain relationships, but it's not a bad not it's
not a it's not pressure. So I'm very conscious and
aware that you know that I need to maintain these
friendships and I need to to reach out to people.
And and that's why I value the time that I
have with people, because it has to be well worth

(34:05):
it when I'm with them, you know.

Speaker 1 (34:07):
So I love that. Yeah, I am just like, yeah,
that's important. How it is and how people feel after
they leave you, I think is one of the most
important things, right right, And you can leave someone and
feel drained and know that, knowess so un safe.

Speaker 2 (34:24):
Yeah, I'm very adventurous. I'm a very adventurous, spontaneous person.
I love the happiness, I love being happy. I love
to laugh. I laugh a lot. I I love to share.
I love to share the time and space and what
I have, And in those moments, I'm very, very driven.

(34:45):
It's so interesting. That's another thing too. I tell people
that I'm ninety percent. I'm ten percent ability. So of
all the things that people see me do, they think,
oh my god, you're so talented. I know I'm ten
percent ability and ninety percent. I have a will that
is so strong and iron that and it's everything that

(35:07):
I do, I do it at my absolute best and
I get the results as a result of that. It
is not that I am talented or gifted. Yes I
have a little bit of talent, but it's my will
to do it that makes me succeed at what I do.
And so that's that's something that people need to know
about me. It doesn't, it doesn't. I mean, I guess

(35:29):
it comes fairly easily for me. But it's with one
commitment of what it is. That's why every single thing
I do, I'm not showing off. I'm not trying to
do anyone. I always try to be beat myself, be
better than myself, and just to do things at a
high level at my best and just smash whatever it
is that I do. I don't like. I try not

(35:51):
to disappoint that. I do not like disappointment. I don't
like when people disappoint me. I don't and I don't
like to disappoint myself. And so that's that's how I
approach everything that I do.

Speaker 1 (36:04):
I love that. I love that, and I think that's
beautiful that you know, you don't like to disappoint yourself,
because I think sometimes people leave themselves out of that
conversation because they're so afraid of disappointing others. But like
you said, you know, you're with yourself twenty four to seven,
So you don't want to overflow. Your coup is overflowing

(36:25):
and there's nothing left for you, or not even overflowing,
but spilling. Really everything out of your copy is coming out,
you know, and there's nothing left for you. So I
think that's really really important.

Speaker 2 (36:35):
Yeah, I'm brave, but I'm also another thing that is interesting.
I'm quite a lazy person. So when I'm the hardest working,
lazy person you will ever know. I said that, children,
You're like, no, you could anybody trust me. I would
rather sleep late and then take a nap again at
some point in the day and do absolutely not thing

(36:55):
most of the time. But I can't right when I'm
doing a thing, man, am I doing them hard? And
so that's why you think I'm not lazy.

Speaker 1 (37:05):
But yeah, right, yeah.

Speaker 2 (37:07):
I'm not very ambitious or driven either do or have
goals like I said, of being legendary and any of
those things. I have no such ambitions. I never have.
I just just live in the moment and whatever it
is that I'm doing. I do things that I enjoy,
and that's probably why I do them. Well, it's because
I only do. I love staying in my lane, and
that's why my lane is so nicely manicured and it's

(37:28):
really nice because it's the lane that I master. I
master my lane and I don't win anybody's lane because
it's just not my lane. And so yeah, that's another
thing that I'm not spreading myself thin trying to do that,
which doesn't concern me, right.

Speaker 1 (37:43):
Right, love that. So talking about you know, back in
the days or when you were younger, when you look
back at the young woman who was crowned mister Maica
Universe in nineteen ninety four, what do you remember most
about that moment and not really the pageantry, but the
feeling of that moment.

Speaker 2 (38:02):
It's such a contradiction, eh, because it's interesting. When I
was first asked to enter the pageant, my response was,
you see your mad I look in the mirror, my
mirror of Devinette. I'm pretty not intend no beauty pageant.
What yes, yes, because you know what, Actually I was
a tomboy in my entire life. However, there was That's
that's a huge part of the contradiction. Even though I

(38:24):
was a tomboy, there was still a part of me
that like I did my first fashion show when I
was about six, and it was really I was really
good at it, So I was. I was. I was
modeling at the time, but a tomboy. So I was.
I was discovered in nineteen ninety two, and there's like
I had a really great walker. When I entered missed
the Fashion Model and and Supermodel competition. I won the

(38:46):
trophy for the most dynamic, for example, because on stage
I was truly dynamic, like a really great movement and
poise and grease. And this is the tomboy, which is
sort of a weird contradiction. And so stepping from that
isn't it weird? Yes, I would come up a stated
and I would jump on a motorcycle and ride it
and climb things and push cut and I mean all

(39:07):
those other things just rough and tumble. And it's interesting
that actually shifted, like after I did that pageant and
after I did the competition, and then two years later
they asked me to do this universe and then it
was literally the same iron willing me that said, well, Angelie,
if you're going to agree to do this thing, you
better do it darn well and do your best. And

(39:28):
so I just went there to do my best and
hope for the best. And I literally never once thought
that it would have been the crown. And that is
the truth. So of course there was shocked, Like when
I realized just before they called my name that it
was actually very quite possibly going to be me, I
was at a moment where I's like, oh my god,

(39:48):
did I really just do that? And then when I
did it and then I called me on this stage,
it's just like, oh my gosh, I actually did it.
And then I walked out and the crowd was just
cheering and roaring, and and I I just thought, oh wow,
I really did.

Speaker 1 (40:01):
That, Yeah, and that's me.

Speaker 2 (40:04):
That's me. And then another shift happened because then, and
I like to call this now the weight of the Crown,
where I totally embraced that I was missed Jamaica universe,
that at that point I was the the seventh woman
to have that title in Jamaica. I know, realized that

(40:26):
I want a thirty fifth, thirty seventh. I'm one of
thirty seven women of all millions in all these years
in Jamaica to have that. When I say that, you
know how big thirty seven people can fit in almost
any room, right, And I am one of those women.

(40:49):
And so I carry the weight of that of the
crown that way. And so for me, with everything I do,
I continue to carry to get myself with grace and
deportment and the weight of the Crown and expectation and
all that that comes with not even expectation really because
nobody expects anything of me, but that has shaped who
I am today and in everything that I do, I

(41:12):
carry the weight of the Crown with me. Whether or
not it's related to beauty or pageants, it's just become
a part of who I am, and it's it's no
people don't anymore see that rough and tumble tomboy angeline.
But she's still there and she still does all that
she does, and whenever I do them, people are shocked
because they only see of an angel. But right, yeah,

(41:37):
that literally changed my life. It shaped my life. Everything
that I am and do today is because I agreed
that day to enter that pageant. And that's the truth.
My life took a huge turn. And I think because
I took the weight to the crown, so seriously, I
took every advantage of all of it. And I'm still

(41:59):
very proud of myself to the day. But it's not
something that I speak about. It's interesting. It keeps coming
up much more now recently, right, But it's not because
I'm bringing it up, but just because it is what
it is. I'll give you an example. I went to
you know, I did that activation recently in the Eastern Caribbean.
So when I hadn't met the general manager at the

(42:21):
Saint Martin property last Samana and when she when I
was introduced to her and we're planning the activation, which
was purely culinary, I was not even though I've done food,
I was not going to be preparing any food I
was not going to be doing any of that. I
was literally just the facilitator and the curator and facilitator
of the event. And she googled me and she saw
and then she went to my page and she saw

(42:42):
that I was a bit Jamaica Universe and she's like,
oh my god, all coincidental. This trip was so serendipitous.
She was actually going to be hosting the franchise holder
and the contestants of the Miss Universe, Saint Martin. Literally
that very weak, and so she said, angually, this is
so perfect. I would like you to have a talk.

(43:04):
We're ready to have a talk on women empowerment in
the Caribbean. And the fact that you're going to be
here at the exact same time for your activation as
this is happening was so incredibly serendipitous. And so I
had that talk, and it's it's I still just was
one hundred percent that Mistery Maker Universe nineteen ninety four

(43:24):
as today in twenty twenty five, and just all of
it just falling into place, just like that, just beautiful serendipitously. Yeah, yeah, it's.

Speaker 1 (43:36):
Really yeah, but I think it goes back to what
you mentioned early on in the year where you said,
you know that you were going to be intentional about,
you know, having just the best year. And I think
that what happens at least what I've learned in my
short time on earth. I don't want to sound like
an old lady, yeah, but you know what I've learned
through my experience is when things like that start to happen,

(43:59):
I feel as though it's God's way of telling you
that you're on the right path. Like that to who
you truly truly are, you know, because like you said,
I'm not a parent, but I just feel as though
mothers they give so much of themselves to their children,
to their husbands, to their friends, their sisters, like whoever,
you know, because by nature you're just a nurturer like that,

(44:21):
especially once you have children. I just presume it will
it will increase exponentially. Right, So when you spend years
doing that and you're still being yourself, you know, you're
still doing things you like to do, but not fully
fully because you're putting everyone ahead of you. Now you're
in a space where your children are older, so you
know you have a little bit more room to do

(44:42):
things you would like to do and I feel like
that's why everything is just kind of like a puzzling
into places, you know, just coming into place. Yeah, I
think it's beautiful.

Speaker 2 (44:51):
I love this like a life shift. But yeah, it's
your soul, right, And I try to tell mothers as well,
and just just save a little for yourself of yourself
for yourself. We can't we can't poor from an empty
cop I've seen where when a mother isn't happy, they
have this new thing, happy wife, happy life. It's the
same when I'm when a woman isn't when she's feeling

(45:14):
overwhelmed and stressed and all of those things, it manifests itself.
So it's it's mother's whose women are constantly snapping at
their children or their spouses. They're they're not carrying themselves well,
they're they're suffering depression, like all of these things. It's
because we're not striking enough of a balance and at

(45:35):
the end of the day, because we know that in
the end, they're all going to leave with the children
are adventure. You're raising them. You're not raising children, and
when we have to, we're not raising children. And that's
the thing a lot of us go through life thinking, you're, oh,
this is, well, it's a baby and you're raising a baby. No,
you're actually raising an adult who has to pass through
the phases of being a baby, a toddler, an adolescent,
and then an adult. And it's you're shaping an adult.

(45:59):
And it's so you have to you have to give
them responsibility, share, teach them to become an adult. That's
what your job is. And if we're not overdoing it
being raising babies even when they're teenagers, we're still treating
them like babies and and giving one of ourselves to them,

(46:19):
treating them like they're still babies that require all of
our attention and our time and advice and all of
those things. Then that's when you have to learn to
take for yourself. It's keep it's preserved, that self preservation,
it's it's it's all of that. Yeah, but you're quite right.
It's it's been a this a big shift because Anna

(46:40):
is not even a university. Look is so much older
that this agent or even business with us more than
right that full clothes and shelter.

Speaker 1 (46:51):
Right, that's how it goes.

Speaker 2 (46:56):
Home. Like the time and I sit on beside you
and look a handle all of those things. That a
nice sweetheart. It gives them willingly, but but it's it's there.
You have them so much less, and so yeah, it's
probably why. It's always it's great, but you don't regret
any of it because it's all part of your journey.
All of it is a part of the journey, and
you have to just appreciate every every aspect of the

(47:19):
journey and make the best of every aspect of the journey.
And I feel like I have done that, and I'm
very happy that I have and that's why i can
sit here at fifty and just being a good place.

Speaker 1 (47:31):
You know, I love that.

Speaker 2 (47:33):
I love that.

Speaker 1 (47:34):
And now you and I think you mentioned it earlier
in passing, but now you do a lot of interior design,
you do fashion design. So was design in general always
something that was in you, something that you wanted to
explore or is that something you noticed when you got older?

Speaker 2 (47:52):
Okay, yeah, I discovered it. And then another thing is
so you know what I have actually passed through once
I've started doing things I've done and things on my
own thing. I passed through. Food I passed through, so
it was cakes and then actual food and then make up,
make up, fashionake up. Yes, but in.

Speaker 1 (48:14):
Case you you didn't hear me the first time. You
love all trees, okay, And she does it all well
because I don't. I can't even talk about the chocolate
cake exactly.

Speaker 2 (48:25):
I can't. It's all of those things. But interestingly, interior design,
interior decorating is the first everything else chose me. And
I'll explain, but this is actually the first thing that
I chose. So cakes, How did I start doing cakes?
I did and a turn one, and I wanted to

(48:46):
make her a beautiful two taired cake. And I'm very
frugal as much as on a sim you know, the
nice clothes and travel and eat good food.

Speaker 4 (48:55):
Frugal bad man, just spend my morning just so I
literally on how you keep it, how you keep me things.

Speaker 2 (49:07):
I'm very frugul. And I said, you know, especially at
the time. Gosh, it's just like I'm not give it
spell enough. Thirty thousand dollars on one cake for one years.
How difficult can that be? So go friend? And I said, okay,
I watch a fund Okay, I didn't know what the
hell fundant was overare to find it? I google a
cake that I like to figure out what I needed

(49:28):
to make it. I figure out where I can't find fundant.
And I made this beautiful cake for her first birthday
and everybody was like, oh my god, this is so beautiful.
So my friend who was there, her son turned one
the following month. He's like, oh my god, you have
to make his cake. So I made his cake. A
month later, at that birthday party, another coworker friend said,
oh my god, that cake is so beautiful. My daughter's

(49:48):
cake isn't too much. You have to make her cake.
So I made another cake and it was beautiful. And
then her friend at that party says, angually made that cake,
No soir. She happened to miss sister and go out
with the cake. And then all of a sudden, I
was doing cakes. So the cakes shows me, Oh my gosh,
and I learned. I did a little course on on bake,

(50:11):
cake baking and decorating because cakes chose me. And then
same thing. I remember when I got and I got
a little bit, but when Anna was born, I really
didn't want to fly anymore. I wanted to be home
with her, and I decided to sing. And then, of course,
with a very short time, I got a little bit
bored being at home, and I said you know, I
should do a little thing at my husband and said,
you know, you you cook so well, you make things

(50:32):
so well, why don't you do a little lunch thing.
And so I did a little thing that was so
solid and sandwiches and I shared it with them, peo
with friends, just obviously, and stuff the new clothes in
the vicinity where I lived. Of course, all my conversations
like this always have to bring Novia into the pictures
of anti called your antimof course Novia. I'm doing this thing,

(50:54):
and she's like, oh, it's lovely, and let's let's do
a feature. This is when Nova used to actually go
on the sides are elf And she came by the
apartment and I created a soup, a salad, a sandwich
on a pasta, and she did a whole feature on me.
And that's how it all started. Yeah, And I was
doing my little lunch liver service. People are just like,
oh my gosh, it's so good. This this is just

(51:15):
a colunch, you know, And I said, oh my gosh.
She asked this event. And I was doing Cricket World
Cup and then Rock Cricket World Cup. I was doing
as of things, and then the food just took away,
and then I took off, and then I was I
remember I was a participant with the Food Awards. That's
when nobody was doing Food Awards. And I was a
partisan on an exhibitor for three years consecutively, and that

(51:38):
was foods And then yeah, that was.

Speaker 1 (51:41):
Just so you know there, I'm not pretending I literally
never knew that because Angelie is not also telling you.
She's very humble, so she wouldn't just voluntarily tell me
these things.

Speaker 2 (51:52):
And then I became pregnant with my son, and so
with Luke, and then what happens is I actually it's
a little sad part, but it's fine because my children
are beautiful. I actually miscarried before I had both of them,
and so my pregnancies are a little complicated. And so
once I became pregnant with Luke, I stopped everything because
I sort of just keep it, take it easy, right, So, yeah,

(52:13):
you're right, and so I had to put all of
that on pause after Luca was born. It's about when
my sister Arlene started to do She started drenal Luna exactly,
and she did her first Caribbean Fashion Week and I
had always been her music. Rie had always been kind
of toying with it. She'd always saw things for me
and and so I helped her out with that launch

(52:35):
launch on that It went really well, and she decided
to get her space. And so Luca's old enough now
and I was able to help her with that, and
so that's why I ended up in fashion. And then
of course Arlene is very very opposite and very humble,
very laid back, very behind the scenes person, very quiet,
and so I now became almost the face of drenal

(52:55):
Luna because I was the marketing and client person, and
so people thought I was Drenal Luna, but I was
really just just the face of it. And so we're
very active with Adrenaluna, and that was doing really really well,
and I was out more. We had we had a
magazine we used to contribute to this magazine in New York,
a monthly contribution where we did the fashion and the

(53:17):
makeup and everything for that. And then we're doing this
article in the Observer every week called Rocky Cloth, and
so I started doing the makeup for that and styling,
and I said, well, one of our neighbors, the store,
the store that was next door to us, the Adrenalina,
Italia was actually a makeup studio, and I decided to
just get certification there. So I did, of course there

(53:39):
and got the certification. And so it was makeup and
fashion that also kind of chose me because I was
doing it, so okay, let me just refine it and right,
and then the day Nova came to cover the food
those many years before, she stat in my living room
in my little apartment and she said, you know, actually

(53:59):
you have a good eye, because she asked who decorated
the space, and I said I did, and I said,
you have such a good eye. She says, why don't
you just just write a little article which is something
about that ottoman that you made? And so I did
the autumn and that article ran for six years called
do it Yourself, And that was all little yes, that
was all little house decorating tips, little decorating tips, little

(54:22):
doing yourself tips, and so I was always sort of
doing that. I did my host, I did another of
friend's host. I was doing people's homes, and then in
twenty seven, twenty seventeen, many befast forwarding quite a bit
now when I just thought, you know, and it's time

(54:45):
for me to do something that I want to do,
and it was it just started to call me interior
design and I said, I think I'm going to do this.
And just as I was thinking about doing it is
when I saw Deserve advertised that they were going to
have Design Week, and I called Novin. I said, Nopha,
what's this design Week? And she told me that it

(55:07):
was an initiative. But she's done food with Food Awards,
She's done fashion with the Style of Wars and everything else.
So now they're doing something for home. So it's architects, designers, developers, contractors, builders,
everything is all around interior and home and design. And
I said, interestingly, I'm actually just about finally deciding to

(55:28):
do it, and she's like finally, I know. They just
grabbed me and fling me as the host of the
inaugural event and actually your home store. It's like, wait,
that's what event.

Speaker 1 (55:39):
I was just saying that sounds very much.

Speaker 2 (55:44):
And she just grabbed me and me and it's just
like okay. She introduced me to the Ashley people. It
went really very well, and I had that relationship, Yes,
I had that brand relationship. I remember that for what
four or five years running consecutively. So the first year
I hosted the first event. The second year I had

(56:05):
my own show or a collaborator with four other designers.
We did that for two three years, and I've just
been doing that ever since, and it's just been quite
quite wonderful because so finally something that I chose, So
I love. I've had quite a colorful journey. Yes, some
of it naturally evolving and some of it just yeah,

(56:30):
very deliberate, some of it coincidental.

Speaker 1 (56:34):
What I love most about just listening to your journey,
especially the part that I just didn't know is that
it includes women like in being inclusive and pushing you
in rooms that you need to be. I will say
probably the last two three, maybe four guests that I've had,
they always mentioned Antinovia on their own and I just

(56:57):
love that because I think it says so much about
who she is as a person without having to even
say anything.

Speaker 2 (57:03):
You know, Novia is She's a fascinating and incredible, wonderful woman.
Because and it's interesting her new her slogan has become
very popular and a lot of people are using it.
We're about sending the elevator back down. Yeah, but Novia
has quietly. So I have to tell you this. Novia
has been a part of my life since nineteen ninety four.

(57:24):
She was actually one of the judges in the Midst
Jamaica Universe competition, and for years I didn't even realize
it was her or the whole connection, but she was
a judge there. So Novia has all She has the
ability to see in us things that we can't see
in ourselves. She's had helped so many of us discover

(57:44):
who we are. She's helped some of us, so much
of us with our becoming. Like so many people have
to credit Nova for their becoming, Jamaica needs to thank
Nova that the Nova I've lienen and I strongly say
is handedly responsible for the explosion of lifestyle in general

(58:07):
in Jamaica.

Speaker 1 (58:08):
Absolutely absolutely, there's no question.

Speaker 2 (58:11):
When Novia had that brilliant idea of bringing Take Silo out,
she saw it in New York. She called Natalie, she'll
tell you that story, and literally three weeks later she
brought it to Jamaica and she locked down Kingston in Gridlock, Oh.
Novia announced that and everybody bought into it. Amazing, it
was amazing. That first year of Take Silo was just unbelievable.

(58:35):
And I asked her this question. I said, Novid, you
realize remember when I did the the we Inspired talk.
Oh yeah, yeah, those yeah, those seven or eight years ago,
and I remember it was over two days. It was
what ten women, everybody who went up on stage. I
remember the first day I was to speak on this Sunday,
and on this Saturday, four women spoke, and everyone who spoke, yeah,

(58:57):
see acknowledged Novia. And I looked at my speech and
I said, no, man, I mean, if you take this
so because it's on all of those step parts the
workod don scratch. Yeah. And then I said, but I can't.
I can't remove her from it because she's such a
huge part of my becoming, of me being heir, of
people being aware of me, because every single thing that

(59:17):
I've done, LoVa has been there to support me. She
even prompted it, like I said, She's the one who
sat in the living room I said, actually write this article.
She's been telling me, calling me the Jamaica and listens
for years, prompting me to just do, just do do
do do the things. And when you do this thing,
I said, you do it, and when and in.

Speaker 1 (59:39):
Doing it, you become gives me too, and in.

Speaker 2 (59:41):
Your becoming that is why yes, yes, and in your
becoming is it's why everything that I now do is
all a part of that. And so she's at the
core and the center of it. And I acknowledge that
quite often because she does not ask for those accolades,
never has and she never will, and she quietly does

(01:00:03):
it and she expects nothing from anyone for it. Yeah,
she's just doing it. And she has that incredible and
uncanny ability to see, you know, so we don't see
in ourselves. And I have to say that Novia has
seen in me all those years, and it says, no,
what thirty one years later something that I never ever

(01:00:24):
saw in myself? Yet it has become more completely And it's.

Speaker 1 (01:00:28):
So true because you know, she does so much, but
like you said, she doesn't ask for the accolades or
even the acknowledgment. But I think it's more of a
testament that so many persons, unsolicited choose to speak about
her because it's a choice, right, So they choose to
acknowledge her, and they choose to thank her or you know,

(01:00:50):
just really say what she's done for not only Jamaica,
but like you said the whole lifestyle space, and you know,
even individuals saying that you said the and the eleve
her back down. As you know, I talk about Antonova
all the time because I love her to death. But
I spoke about that when I was at Harvard Business
School because the idea that she was able to take

(01:01:11):
even during COVID, that's the time period I spoke about
and do like a virtual fashion show, like things that
had never been done in the Caribbean, you know, and
she makes it look so effortless and I'm sure it
was hard work behind the scenes, but you would never know,
you know. So yeah, I definitely think masterclass Vogue. Somebody
needs to call her because you know, we don't want

(01:01:34):
her to get taken away from Jamaica.

Speaker 2 (01:01:36):
But she's she's just no telling.

Speaker 1 (01:01:40):
What she'll be able to do, even on a higher scale.
If she's been able to do that, you know, in
these all these years, it's amazing.

Speaker 2 (01:01:48):
And she expects and demands nothing of it. I mean,
I asked her that question once. I mean, sure, I'm like,
you know, Novia, you could she could monetize, she could
be thinking of monetizing all that she's done. And I said,
at the end of the day, like in ten years,
are you going to sit back and said, Lord, I
could have been so rich if I had just or

(01:02:10):
is it just the satisfaction of having done it? And
I realized when I asked her the question, because nobody
ever asked her and she never had to actually think
about it, Like if she was to put a value
on every thing that she's touched that has turned gold,
she would be so rich. But she actually she thought
about but she never ever has ever wanted that, And

(01:02:34):
so it is therefore her legacy. Because I speak about legacy,
I don't care Whush Andrew for any legacy. But without
even trying or thinking, oh, this is going to be
my legacy and I'm going to sit down, And Novia
has forged this legacy for herself by doing that. By
she is the definition of empowerment and empowering us because,

(01:02:58):
like I said, so many of us have had or
becoming because of Novia, and it is an overwhelming number
of women. There's something to be said. Women can be catty,
we can be difficult, we can actually fight against each
other and cripple each other. But I find overwhelmingly when

(01:03:21):
women come together and work together. It is a beautiful thing,
and there is a lot of it around us. I
know the shows that I've done. When I did Design Week,
it was overwhelmingly a bunch of us women and one male.
And to see those beautiful female collaborations has always just
been wonderful and beautiful. And it continues to happen. And
that's a beautiful and a wonderful thing. And when we

(01:03:43):
work together, we produce such wonderful things. It's always so great.

Speaker 1 (01:03:50):
And last question before we transition to our final segment.
So you said before that you can design a room
to tell a story. So what story are you telling
now with your life and with the work that you do?

Speaker 2 (01:04:07):
Oh wow, I hope you say a beautiful one with
the emphasis on full. Ah. I love the word beautiful.
It's so interesting. I say to people, I'm not pretty,
Like nobody look at me and saying, oh she's so pretty.
I'm not that. But what I do get, and I
very rarely I will sometimes see somebody will say, oh
my gosh, you look so pretty. I look so pretty

(01:04:27):
at the time that moment. But what I do get
a lot of is that, oh my gosh, you're so beautiful.
You're so beautiful, overwhelming her beautiful, and I think it's
is the fullness of me that is beautiful. And I
think that I have a full life and a beauty
full life, and that's also that's that's what I am

(01:04:53):
vision of my life, for it to be beautiful. Having
done beautiful things, I've made beautiful memories. I havn't produced
beautiful children. By beautiful, I mean they're just beautiful human
beings who people love and love being around. And people
look at my life and said, you know, I really
admire that about Angelie. Angelie inspires me to do that
sort of thing. But I approach spaces where I want

(01:05:15):
the client. I want it to be beautiful, look beautiful,
but for it to be representative of them. I want
to when their guests and family come into their homes,
it makes them feel welcome and warm and lovely and
just just beautiful, and I want it to be a

(01:05:35):
reflection of them. So I don't want to go into
a space that I conceptualize in my head and I'm
proud of it and it's so instagrammable and I can
take the pictures and it looks great, but then the
people are uncomfortable in the space. Another thing that I
really want when that's very important to me when I
do clients' homes is I like to incorporate something of theirs,

(01:05:56):
something that holds memory, something that is sentimental. And even
if whether I revamp it, whether it's revamped.

Speaker 5 (01:06:04):
Or it's repurposed or it's reused, it's it does two things.
It tells a story, it's it's a memory that they'll
always have. It's something that's very special and dear to them,
which is why I w when I decided to do this,
I went away and I learned and decided I wanted
to learn upholstery because I found a lot of that

(01:06:24):
people were at pieces that they inherited or that they loved.
It was the first piece that I bought, and they
feel a lot of sentiments and attachment to it. But
of course it but a bruise and it weird on
And instead of throwing it away and chucking it and
contributing to all of the landfill, what you do? You
keep these beautiful, strong, durable, sturdy pieces and you repurpose them.

(01:06:46):
You either refinish them, give them a rebirth and they
live within the new spaces in your lives, or they
are repurposed for example, and I can share this for
back to Nova again. Arma Andovia had these beautiful pieces
that her parents. You know, her parents were part of
the room windrush generation and they brought pieces back from
the UK to Jamaica. It was uh dressing a bureau,

(01:07:11):
a wardrobe dresser with a mirror and a chest of
drawers and it was this beautiful set, beautiful set.

Speaker 2 (01:07:20):
And she had been downsizing. Gracie was no gone and
she was downsizing and she was like, Angela, you have
to help me. And she had this piece and she
was going to chat and I was like, are you crazy?
Have you looked at this? This is so beautiful. We
have to find sumwhere to in corporate? Actually, what am
I going to do with these pieces? And I said,
leave it to me, And I repurposed the wardrobe. I
removed the shelving inside and I altered the back of it.

(01:07:43):
And it is not this beautiful cabinet that she that
in her dining room. It houses like glasses and stuff.
But I caught on the back of it and the
television is housed in it. So when you don't want
to see the TV, just close the doors and the
TV is closed away and you open it and it
serves all purpose. The dresser I repurposed as an entrance table.
I removed the mirror from the top. It's now an

(01:08:04):
entrance table in the front of her home. And then
the mirror used in another room. And then a third
piece was at the top of a unit. It was
a double dual unit. The bottom piece was the top
piece was damaged and I repurposed the bottom piece and
turned it into a bar and it just turned out
so wonderfully and she's so happy with the piece, and

(01:08:25):
it just fits into her home and she still has
a part of our parents, you know. So that's what
I want my design, my space is to be that
people still have the newness and nice and then the
great thing, of course, obviously big mistress frugal, is that
when you save and furniture and so piece very purpose
and they have kent of money. If you did a
new Chris kitchen and they get the nice fixtures and

(01:08:47):
the bottom So I mean there's a method and there
is method to the madness. So it's it's like it's yeah,
the duality of it. So that's that's really what I
want to create spaces that people are. It's reflective of them.
It it it's something that their family will love and
enjoy and be comfortable in it. And it's more reflection

(01:09:09):
of them than you than me. But it's a reflection
of them through my eyes. And you can go into
the space and you can still see that it's an
Angelie space, but it's it's it's curated for that particular
So of course it will have wallpapering there, I know exactly.

(01:09:32):
So yeah, in the UK, and I said, I'm want
to learn the upholsterry and I'm going to learn the
wall papering because I want those two things to be
my signature.

Speaker 1 (01:09:39):
Okay, So for our last segment, I'm going to ask
you a few rapid fire questions and you have to
answer with the first thing that comes to mind. Okay,
all right, okay, what is your favorite color to design with?
That's tough.

Speaker 2 (01:10:00):
Is I love neutrals, So for me, the rule of
thumb is keep the large investment pieces like the couch
and their beds and those things in a neutral tone
because then you can add splashes of color in accents,
and those colors can be anything. I love blues for
like coastal designs. I like black and white for like
urban and modern designs, naturals for more rustic. But for

(01:10:24):
me the trick. I love whites of whites, ivories like
they usual, those colors, those neutral tones, because then the
layering is so beautiful. Yes, and then layering you can
add the area, rugs, the cushions, the drapery, the wallpaper
can be bold and printed and stuff, but I like
to keep the nice. The large piece is neutral.

Speaker 1 (01:10:42):
We'll just say neutrals. That's good, all right, neutrals. Caribbean Island.
Have you not yet been to that you would love
to visit?

Speaker 2 (01:10:55):
Caribbean Island? Animost The Saint barth is kind of high
on my listen, not only because I've now been to
Anguilla and Saint Martin quite. I just want to finish
off the trio, and so the next time I go,
I'm actually going to go down to Saint bart so
that I can really just complete that trio. Barbados I've
only been to once and I was literally there for
twenty four hours, So I really want to see Barbados. Yes, yes,

(01:11:19):
I only did twenty four hours, so I already haven't been. Yes,
so I really want to go to Barbados, Yes, and Gnada,
Grenada has been on my list and now my friend
is there.

Speaker 1 (01:11:29):
And you know you feel already don't even get me started.

Speaker 2 (01:11:34):
Yes exactly, I know I know something of your excitement
and just just just being on my radar for some
time actually, and dumb rep. To be very honest, I
really want to visit a dom Rep.

Speaker 1 (01:11:48):
Okay, good that those are definitely some good options for sure. Okay,
what is somewhere that you would choose to go if
somebody gave you a million dollars all expense paid trip
anywhere in the world.

Speaker 2 (01:12:05):
Literally, I think it would be back to Bali. This
is so hard, man, because you know, gosh, I'm in
love with Italy. I'm planning my trip to Italy for
in a couple of months. I would love to go
back to the Philippines where I went for Miss MS Universe.
It's been calling me. But Japan is also a place

(01:12:27):
that I really really want to go to South Africa.
But Bali was so very special when I went for
so many reasons, And gosh, that's that's that's a tough one.
Aould finish. Come on, as I world traveling yourself and
you can rely answer that question there with one place.

Speaker 1 (01:12:48):
No, that's why I'm asking question.

Speaker 2 (01:12:52):
Me. But yeah, but yes, honestly.

Speaker 1 (01:13:00):
As a regular traveler, that is very hard.

Speaker 2 (01:13:03):
It's so hard. What's the meaning? Yeah, but Bali, to
be honest, Bally was magical when I went, I love
to go back.

Speaker 1 (01:13:12):
Well, look at it like this. If somebody gave you
an unlimited budget, you could just go to all of
the places multiplayer.

Speaker 2 (01:13:17):
Yes, when I go Bali, then we can go across
to the Philippines and yeah, yeah yeah, but yes, yeah,
to be Ballet the Philippines, Japan. Yeah, homie frougot. We
can't stretch.

Speaker 1 (01:13:34):
That's you know, that's why I said, I'm just not
your money, you know, it's it's other people's money.

Speaker 2 (01:13:41):
It can stretch. Stretch, it is stretch.

Speaker 1 (01:13:44):
Oh gosh, that's hilarious. Okay, what is your favorite perfume?

Speaker 2 (01:13:55):
Oh goodness. So there is a low collar and Bible.
I'm in Purbban. It's a Jamaica and I think a
Cae Manion who collaborated and it's called ted Green and
they have one called yoh my gosh, black orchid. It
is divine. So I discovered it at the collection model yes,

(01:14:16):
at the motor market last year and I tried it,
and when I wear it, people literally gasp, So there's
some obviously it mixes well with my chemistry. You do,
I'm going to get it. Actually, I think I come
in your way soon. I'm going to bring one for you. Ash.
It is my God, it is beautiful. I think it

(01:14:36):
is the best not I think it is definitely the
most compatible with my chemistry that I've ever worn. When
I wore I mean I wore the other day and
I kissed someone and was like, oh my gosh, it's
not good and I lean into my neck and sca,
oh this isn't like it is it's really really Yes,
it's Ted Green and they're out there in k Man.

(01:14:58):
It's available at local. I discovered it at at the
motor market, and man, I just don't want to ever
run out of it. So that is when I'm is
my evening scent, and it is just it's incredible beautiful.
It's beautiful. It's beautiful, and it's this beautiful dark emerald
green bottle and the packaging is so gorgeous as well,

(01:15:21):
like everything about it is just beautiful, so beautiful. I
was so proud that it's Caribbean exactly exactly. It is
so sophisticated and beautiful. That's scent they're packaging. It's in
this beautiful box like it's really really truly divine, beautiful love.

Speaker 1 (01:15:39):
That's beautiful, Ted Greene. Okay, And the final question, what
would you say now to your eighteen nineteen year old self.
I'm not sure how old you are at the pageant,
but that's exactly that young.

Speaker 2 (01:15:53):
Girl you were.

Speaker 1 (01:15:54):
Okay, I was that young girl standing in front of
a mirror with the on your head. What would you
say to her now that you've lived life.

Speaker 2 (01:16:05):
I would say to her that her journey is going
to be beautiful, but she should not drink the kool
aid because kool aid is not good for you. It
is fake. It is artificially colored and it is sweet. Right,
It's just like a bump of a face. It's a
good gear fat. If you take too much of the
kool aid, is just that does sound cool? Do not

(01:16:25):
drink the kool aid. So in my journey, of course, yeah,
you meet a lot of people who comedy bs, comedy, trickery,
comed all of that. The people who are not genuine,
they only want a p apiece of you, because of
the title, because of the crown. All of those things
are a part of it. And if you don't get
caught up in all of that, then you're fine. Just

(01:16:49):
stay focused. There are things that I wish that I
had done. I wish I had, like you, gone on
to higher education. But like I live with very few regrets,
and that is one of the only things that I
regret is that I'm didn't want to further higher education.
But can I truly say that it's a regret having
done all the things that I've done in my life
so wealthy, No, I do, so I have no regrets.

(01:17:10):
But that is a single thing I wish I had done.
And then my whole trajectory changed away from that, Like
I diverted from that path once that happened. So nineteen
year old me with a crown on my head went
in the path that I've now taken and away from
that other path. But truthfully, I think that this path
that I've taken is my destiny. It is the path

(01:17:33):
I was meant to take. And along the way, of course,
you know, you made some like there's some things I
wish I hadn't done, Like I don't live you regret so,
but they're such a part of the learning and the journey.
But just just just said, angelil it. You know, kool
it cool. It is artificial, isn't it. It's so artificial,
And it makes sense that there is an analogy that

(01:17:55):
people drinking them kool aid. Yeah, And the reason that
is that there is this a thing. It's because it's fake.
Lady is fake, fake sugar, fake flavor. Everything about it
is fake, fake everything no good for us. So don't
drink the kool aid. Don't drink to much of the
cool aid. You can taste it once in a while, yeah,
you can like a flavoring, but ye, don't don't don't

(01:18:19):
don't heavily consume the kool aid.

Speaker 1 (01:18:25):
Okay. So I would just like to do my thank you.
It's kind of my thing, So thank you and for
reminding us that elegance doesn't arrive in a dress or
a title, but in how we choose to carry the
fullness of who we are. And in your story, we've

(01:18:45):
seen that life is not something we ask permission to keep.
It's something we were born to shine with. And when
God calls you, no crown, no critique, no circumstance can
what was divinely designed to really and I think that
you've shown us that design is never just about esthetics.

(01:19:09):
You know you said it earlier. It's about alignment. It's
about intention and listening, but not just listening, listening deeply
to what's longing to be made beautiful Again. As we close,
I hope that every woman listening is reminded that her
light is non negotiable, and her path, like yours, doesn't

(01:19:31):
have to look like anyone else's to be profoundly hers.
So thank you for sharing your wisdom and your lights.
Had so much fun talking to things with you, and
I love you dearly as you know.

Speaker 2 (01:19:44):
Yes, Oh I wish you could keep so know that
was really beautiful. Thank you so much. That was a
beautiful and perfect summation like it was. It was really
really beautiful. Thank you so much for having me. I
feel very privileged and honor. Thank you so much. And
boy B, we could have talked for next all right,
so it goes next time.

Speaker 1 (01:20:05):
Next time. Definitely you'll get back for sure. Thanks so much,
Love me too,

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The Weight of the Crown | Ft. Angelie Spencer

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}The Weight of the Crown | Ft. Angelie Spencer