Who is Skyla Carmon?
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Skyla attended Manvel High School where she graduated and began her turbulent but exciting journey to Cornell shortly thereafter. At the time, she was a high school senior unsure of what the future held for her. Today, she is a college senior who is about to graduate and is studying her passions: human development and creative writing. After a seemingly endless trek through Cornell’s rigorous terrain and arduous academic environment, she is ready to finally graduate and move to the next chapter of her life— whatever that may bring!
When I asked her to describe herself in one word, she said:
“Bold. Because I tend to do what I want by the end of the day— I definitely weigh all of my options and all of my consequences to those options, *but* at the end of the day I usually go with my gut feeling even if it does feel crazy at the moment. And I have definitely done it before and it has worked in my favor. And it has made me become more bold over the years.”
On a typical day, you will find Skyla working on her thesis, doing her coursework, or writing an IVYWOMXN post. She is the content creator behind IVYWOMXN, an account where she focuses on a wide-variety of topics: talking about her experience as a woman of color, advocating for mental health resources, and detailing the importance of inclusivity.
Inside the Mind of the Creator: Skyla’s Creative Process
I asked Skyla a diverse array of questions about her experience as a content creator. This is Skyla’s creative process, in her own words:
What is the creative process like? How do you decide what kind of content to post?
“It has definitely changed over the years. I think in the beginning it was more like— if I was dealing with a problem, I’d just write about it. Now it’s more so me thinking about it a little more. I usually try to journal at least three times a week on my own time and that is just in my written paper journal. I would go back over my entries and see what was bothering me the most that week and just try to find common themes about what I am writing about. Then I’d make a post about it. So if I am dealing with boy troubles, for example, I’d write about what exactly the issue is. But not in a way that’s putting out exactly what’s going on— like details and names. I want people to relate. I more so talk about what a situation made me feel, and that’s how I do it.”
What specifically drew you to creating your digital journal account?
“I just remember sitting in class one day. I was in one of my HD [Human Development] classes, and everyone was really involved in the material we were learning that day… except me! It felt like I was the only one who did not really care what was going on. I just started scrolling on the internet and I was already thinking about writing and getting my content out there— not even seeing it as content at the time— I was figuring out ways to broadcast what I had to say. The pieces I had written already were basically diary entries on Google Docs!
I wanted to see if people liked what I was writing, and they did! They started relating to what I was saying and finding emotional attachment to the words I was putting out there and that’s how it spiraled to what it is now.”
A lot of your content emphasizes inclusiveness and advocating for mental health awareness. Why is that?
“I came into Cornell very interested in mental health, but my own mental health was struggling; I didn’t really have the language to express myself, because I wasn’t in therapy and I was not in programs teaching me specifically about the conditions that I was experiencing. As far as why I am so interested in mental health— it was really just an outlet for me. Being able to talk about how I felt and what I was thinking with no one fact checking what I had to say or telling me exactly what it meant what I was feeling. No one was monetizing my feelings. I liked that I could just express what I was feeling on a day-to-day basis at Cornell because it wasn’t easy coming here. It gave me the opportunity to talk about my feelings.”
What do you consider your biggest accomplishment(s) regarding the account?
“Finally being proud of my work and feeling completely 100% me regarding the stuff I am putting out. When I first started IVYWOMXN, I was focusing too much on what people wanted to read— instead of what I wanted to put out. This year, I made that switch of creating what I wanted to create: putting the pictures I wanted to use for a post, writing exactly what I wanted to write about— and if it doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t make sense! That’s when I started gaining a more authentic audience and more engagement of what I was putting out.That was my proudest moment: being 100% happy with what’s going up.”
What advice would you give to someone thinking about being a content creator?
“Don’t overthink how you are going to approach it. Of course, have a loose plan of what you want to put out or a focus of what you want your content creation to look like. As far as not starting until that’s fleshed out, don’t do that! Just put yourself out there and then figure out the rest later. You have to start somewhere. The longer you wait, the longer it’s going to take to start— and the more excuses you’ll have to start. So, just start!”
Final Thoughts
Towards the end of the interview, I asked Skyla what she wants her audience to gain from her content. She responded:
“I’d like people to feel at peace after they read my stuff. I want them to feel like ‘dang, she really took the words out of my mouth.’ When I imagine people reading or finishing a post, I think of them taking a big breath of relief saying ‘that feels good to see it on paper like that.’ That’s how I would like people to leave feeling.”
Skyla’s content covers difficult issues and sometimes uncomfortable conversations. She draws on her own struggle with mental health, her experiences as a woman of color, and life-changing encounters. Skyla’s authenticity and openness comes across as admirable given the relative anonymity of her readership/audience. What remained with me after our conversation was when she said not to be afraid to “get what you deserve.” As a content creator, motivation and diligence are integral. Skyla’s words emphasize the need for perseverance and persistence in the face of obstacles. Although there may be obstacles that inevitably pop up, it is important to continue following what you are passionate about.
Finally, I asked Skyla if she had any latest projects she was working on. She said:
“Right now I am writing a book. I am writing a novel called So That’s Love. Who knows when this is going to be put out? My plan is two to three years—but we'll see what happens. That’s the biggest project I am working on aside from continuing on with IVYWOMXN and my thesis.”
If IVYWOMXN is any sign of Skyla’s talents and drive, I cannot wait for what’s to come. So to everyone reading this, I expect you to reserve your copy— that's non-negotiable!
IVYWOMXN’s Socials:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivywomxn/
Wordpress:
https://ivywomxn.wordpress.com/
(All images posted in this article have the express permission of Skyla Carmon to be published.)