We’re looking forward to introducing you to Leasia Posey. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Leasia, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
I have stood up for myself even when it cost me my comfort of knowing. I find myself feeling more connected and confident in myself, but in turn I have seen how I have been dismissed, used, and unwanted, my identity to my environment only became a tool for satisfaction. So I gave myself permission to find myself in things I used to think were too cliché for me. The reality is, it has been taken from me mentally and spiritually. I believed I owed other people and things a truth that only belonged to me. I never knew what that meant until recently.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I have many names. Artistically, I am known as Leray, who is a bold parable filled with hidden meaning, rugged and blunt. I have always recognized this part of myself. I can explain all the things I accomplished in 2025 that prove this. I participated in a collection of five exhibitions during the summer alone, which is quite an achievement.
However, I also have other “brands,” as I prefer to call them. In reality, I am authentically “Leasia.” My loved ones know me as “Asia” or “Ray” with a “y” because of Ray of Sunshine. Authentically I often feel afraid and uncertain. My mind can be nimble, yet I remain open-hearted. I read between the lines through poetry rhymes, delving into emotional complexities. I have come a long way in terms of “repentance,” and my creativity has often been my karma.
As I mentioned, I have always known Leray, but I have come to understand that it was a glamorous mask I created to overshadow who I truly am.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I reflect on all the things I’ve lost and released, and it shows in the work I create. I have an iconic piece called “Death” that highlights a significant point in my life, but another work, “The Fool,” has been receiving more attention lately. To answer your question, let’s compare the two.
“Death” was born in 2022, at the beginning of the year, when I had just turned 20. If you had asked me about it at that time, I would have told you that I was releasing the part of myself that served as a vessel for the regrets I felt, only alluding to the world around me. I understood what I am seen as, but I could only imagine the true damage I was consuming. I told myself I had already overcome my struggles, when in reality, I was the incarnation of them.
Then “The Fool” was made a year later. I who was unaware and distant from what “she” had become, yet I was honest about her identity. I began to see parts of myself that were so skillfully concealed that you might not even notice them. I had cocooned myself in a shell of insecurities and mishaps. I am unforgiving, yet I lay myself at the altar of how I perceive myself and there were aspects of myself that I was just starting to know and accept.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I struggled between this question and the one asking, “When has there been a time someone actually listened?”. I ask myself is it too much to say that my greatest fear is when someone truly listens? The truth is, if they did, I would only encounter pity instead of solutions. “When life gives you lemons” lingo, you know. It’s as alarming as AI integrating into authenticity. Why wouldn’t you want to praise all the work done, and how to improve, but instead I’m told “that’s the best you can do,” and “others have to struggle to.” like I walked in their shoes. As if my boots aren’t tight enough, the stings are pulled. And my feet are numb.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I remember BFA. I remember wishing the best for people I was obligated to compete against. I never thought I was meant to feel anything unless it was through my art, that became a lottery of art school society acceptance. Honestly, I felt exiled; I lost parts of my self-identity because I was battling my artistic community and dealt with bullying, to be truthful. I hope she’s reading this so she knows I’m still kicking. I understand now that the best thing for both me and the industry is to leave each other alone. Art doesn’t need a degree. or a certification or a gold star of pride and reputation.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope they remember that I tried in every way I could. I’ve seen now that I am just a part of a larger narrative. I am finally accepting the need to create my own story. During the time when I was trying to figure out who I am, I hope people recognize how much effort I put into seeing myself through their eyes and their belief in what I could achieve. Now, I will create my own path.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/p/CbfOwiMuVeV/?next=%2Fle.asiaray%2F&img_index=1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leasia-posey-060294173
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leraymayphotography
Image Credits
Ca’Jon Martin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cajonmartin/) & Cain Sandoval (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cainsandoval/)
