Meet Joi Donaldson | Creative Director & Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joi Donaldson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joi, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
The decision I made to “go”. I held myself back for years out of fear of being judged and looked at with both wonder and animosity. I chose the road less traveled in my bloodline and a special set of obstacles comes with that. I turned to see the odds I had been running from were only made bigger by me not facing them. Once I faced them, they shrank and I began to grow into my most authentic self. From there, I only needed to go with my flow and whip up the magic I always had inside me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My ultimate artform is filmmaking. I am a storyteller through and through – venturing into script writing and directing was a dream I’ve long cultivated. My background in creativity runs deep. From a writer beginning at age 7 to a poet to an essayist to a podcaster to a filmmaker, the path has been unorthodox yet so rich. My agency, The Joi Element, allows me to play professionally in my creativity through marketing and branding so there’s always a semblance of play in my work.

My biggest obstacles have been overcoming other people’s expectations and beliefs. The lessons learned during those realizations are:
1. Remain true to your desire even when it seems pointless. There’s always someone out there that needs to hear your story, your how, your why. Let that be the momentum that keeps you moving forward.
2. Starting over is a blessing. It means we still have time. Putting a deadline on your dreams is the quickest way to ensure you don’t reach them. It’s a lesson I relearn regularly as I remind myself to allow things to flow to me and not chase out of desperation or scarcity. And sometimes, we discover the juice of those dreams isn’t worth the squeeze and we need to start from scratch. And that is okay. You haven’t failed, you’ve redirected. (preaching to myself now.)
3. Your version of the top is only as lonely as you make it. Even if it is just you up here, you’re not alone. Your Ancestors, your higher self, The Creator and the Universe all collaborated to get you here. It’s a celebration for a physical party of one who defied the odds by listening, staying connected and taking the correct actions. Live it up.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ok let’s see. Charleston has a soft place in my heart for its charm but Rock Hill is quickly becoming my fave new place to be for the art scene. So if I had to write a loose itinerary, it would look like this:

Day 1: Charleston, SC – Downtown
Breakfast at Hominy Grill because I HAVE TO start my morning with their Shrimp and Grits. Bestie and I love walking tours so we’d just hang out in the Waterfront Park and visit Rainbow Row for the pics and dream of painting our homes similar shades. Grab some lunch at Charleston City Market before going on our first-ever carriage tour. It’s been on my to-do list for years so why not share that moment with a friend? Head to Husk for dinner then retire home.

Day 2: we rest as I guarantee we walked a lot the day before and our legs are TIRED.

Day 3: a day at Folly Beach to recharge in the sun. Swing by Bowens Island for the view and the local seafood and make it a lazy day.

Day 4: we immerse ourselves in culture by taking a long walk around the Gibbes Museum of Art. “Something Terrible May Happen” has been on my list to check out. Stop by Callie’s for a biscuit to walk around with then head to Butcher & Bee late in the afternoon. Close out the day with some shopping on King Street then more rest before we hit the road to Rock Hill the next day.

Day 5: day trip to Rock Hill. Being in nature, feeling the sun on my skin and the breeze on my legs is my favorite thing so we head to Angel Oak Tree just to soak up how small we are in comparison to the life around us. From there, we prepare to hit the road to Rock Hill. Once there, we take in the Catawba River on the riverwalk and stroll up to Legal Remedy for dinner.

Day 6: we act like true locals and romp up to Amelie’s French Bakery for breakfast. My usual order is a breakfast wrap with yogurt and homemade granola. Then we head down to Old Town Rock Hill for more shopping before we part ways the next day. We grab a couple of 12′ pizzas to go for dinner later and we spend the rest of the day retelling old stories and making new memories at Glencairn Garden.

My most ideal day!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout every Southern Black girl who decided the ordinary wasn’t enough. To be young, Black and successful even in the mundane moments is truly a blessing. I have so much love for all the multipreneurs who have taught, nurtured and uplifted me.

Website: https://joiunspeakable.com/tje-home

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joidonaldson/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joidonaldson

Image Credits
Black & white feature photo: Sean King of The King Image. This is my Brave photo credit: This is My Brave, Inc. Selfies by me.