Six Questions: Ken-Grand Pierre | New York, NY
- What was your biggest goal before the initial lockdown in March?
Ken: Funnily enough, it was to slow down with my life. Nowhere near the degree we’ve been forced to slow down throughout the pandemic, but back in December 2019, I remember feeling an acute awareness that my “always on” approach to life was starting to drain me and that I needed to learn to be more still; to truly be present.
Outside of that, I was really looking forward to traveling more for leisure in 2020. I’ve been fortunate to have traveled a lot throughout my life, but most of that travel has been work-related. In 2020, I was hoping I’d see friends abroad more often and visit places I’ve yet to visit.
2. How has the experience been creating a new podcast show during this uncertain time?
It’s honestly been the best part about this entire pandemic. The experience of creating the show has had its ups and downs, but the constant is that it just feels so great having something to focus on. I realize now that the podcast is truly as good as it is because I was able to focus so much of my time on it at the start of lockdown.
I hate having idle hands, so creating the podcast has been a great way to stay busy, be productive, reflect, and also learn in real-time. There were (and still) are so many things that I don’t know about podcasting and I’ve been enjoying being a novice again.
3. Has isolation strengthened your personal relationships and connections with people?
It sadly hasn’t, and that’s an element of lockdown that I wish I was better at. I’m an innately isolating person, especially because my career requires me to be more social than the average person. I enjoy being around people, but I also enjoy being by myself and crafting something by myself for days on end. I do get genuine joy from that, but it’s also not a sustainable way to live a life.
What’s been a struggle for me throughout the pandemic has been breaking out of tunnel vision, especially when it comes to keeping up with friends. Since we don’t really have places to be, I haven’t felt a sense of urgency in keeping in touch with people and I hate that.
4. When this state of quarantine is over, what is the first thing you are planning to do
Without a doubt, traveling. Not only to be in a different setting but also to be re-immersed within the state of mind that traveling puts me in. I miss all the little things about traveling and when all this is over I’ll be aiming to be back in my favorite place on earth: Belfast, Northern Ireland.
It’s far from what many would consider being a vacation spot, but that’s a city that has the kindest and most welcoming people I’ve met in my entire life. Whenever I get to go there I feel as though I’m getting a full reset to my mind. The people there are unpretentious, always up for a laugh and it’s a genuinely warm place to just exist within. I’ve been going there since I was 19 (I’m 30 now) and I have many happy memories and friends there.
5. What was one of the hardest moments of this year for you and how did you get through it?
I think the first 2 weeks of lockdown. I partially fell in denial about what was happening and kind of had an attitude of “oh, this is going to be a blip and pass over” but as those weeks went on I started to realize how serious everything was regarding the pandemic. I felt blindsided, just like most people did. To have months be swept away…it was just intense. A big thing for me is being able to plan ahead, think about what I want to do, and work towards it in a tangible way. My life has been built on that, so having that taken away felt very…I’m still coming to grips with it.
Along with funneling my energy towards my podcast, I also got through that time by being less hard on myself. By looking at things from a more macro perspective than a minor one. Creatives can be innately competitive and I think what helped was realizing that because of the pandemic, we were all on equal footing (at least for these first few months). So, I was able to put my energy aside and tell myself “well it’s ok to relax for a bit because it’s not like someone else is achieving things that I want to achieve.” You know what I mean?
Also, with the podcast, it gave me a great excuse to catch up with people that I hadn’t talked to in a really long time. Especially since the overall idea of the series is that I chat with a different person each week and it makes me proud to know that no two episodes are alike.
6. As this year comes to a close, do you feel any semblance of hope as a Black man in America?
I do and I don’t. I feel a glimmer of hope in knowing that I’ve seen protests at a scale that I never have before. That there is a large swath of people who’ve witnessed the injustices towards black Americans and said “this is wrong” Seeing that has definitely been powerful and I’ll never forget it. However, there is a potent sense that the progress made has been too slow and with that…I mean, George Floyd won’t be the last. It breaks my heart knowing there will be other George Floyd’s and other Breanna Taylors; there will be more situations like these and so much energy is spent trying to figure out how to not let that be me. That’s the sad reality of being a black man in America; how do I make sure that I don’t become a hashtag?
Bonus Question: Who is the next Star Wars character you would like to see get a Disney + series?
Ooo, I really like this question. I’m a big Obi-Wan Kenobi fan, so I’m thrilled that they’re working on a series with him (especially with Ewan McGregor reprising his role). Outside that, I’d love to see a series starring Jedi duo Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura. Suuuuuper deep cut for fans of the comics and Clone Wars series. They’re two Jedi who balance each other out and have a similar dynamic to Anakin and Obi-Wan but far more interesting. It’d be fascinating to see that depicted within a Disney+ series.
Follow Ken-Grand Pierre on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Also, listen to his podcast, The New Exchange on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Get all caught up with season one. Season two will begin in February 2021.
