- My grandmother is convinced I am the oldest Destiny in the world.
- Naming me Destiny is the only thing my mom and grandma ever agreed on.
- I used to hate my name. Wanted to be called Ebony. Not because I loved that name. But because that’s what people thought I was saying anyway. “Destiny” I’d shyly mumble. “Ebony?!” they’d shout. “No Destiny” I’d say louder. “Unique?” they’d reply. “Yes,” I’d sigh.
- When I don’t feel like talking, I tell people my name is Kelly. It’s direct and to the point. There’s no conversation that comes with the name Kelly. There’s no way to mispronounce it. It’s just Kel-lee. Destiny, on the other hand, invites sidewalk soliloquies. “What IS your Destiny? Can I BE your Destiny? Are you MY Destiny?” That and uh whole lotta “So this was meant to be, huh?” is why I just mechnaically smile and murmur “Kelly”.
- In my late teens, maybe early 20’s, I started to realllly like my name; started to develop an understanding and connection to the word itself. And so I would articulate that shit. “Des-tih-nee“, affirming it like it should’ve doing said all along. But by then it didn’t matter. I’d moved to Atlanta where they didn’t pronounce their t’s anyway. And so, for over a decade, I have been des-i-nee.
- When I lived in Chicago as a kid my name was ethereal. When I moved to Atlanta as a teenager people asked, “Do you dance?” My name took on a whole new life. The reactions were different. An exotic name and a blossoming shape was all it took to have mailmen & mechanics from Bankhead to Buckhead hittin me with the, “Hmm. I know you from somewhere. Can’t put a finger on it though. Where you work?” This occurrence was so regular I once had a blog called “A Stripper Stole My Name”.
7. The owner of Instagram @destiny’s real name is Steven. I’m @yoyo.destiny by default. Digitally forced into this account because @itsdestiny, @mydestiny, @hidestiny, @yodestiny, @whoadestiny were all taken and I ain’t want no underscores so yoyo.destiny it was.
But it’s grown on me and in an eerie way has been very instrumental in not only revealing but reminding me of my unique gift and the purpose my art serves on the internet: Like a yo-yo, my thoughts, mood, interests, and even responsibilities are all over the place but through writing, I am able to harness all those pieces and mobilize my destiny. If my self-expression is engaging, entertaining and enlightening enough then I can get other people excited about their destiny. So get it? “My destiny. Yo destiny, Yo! Yo! Destiny is calling”. Clearly I’ve made it work…STEVEN!