Life & Work with Chandra Fleming

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Chandra Fleming.

Hi Chandra, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Born and raised in Detroit, I was heavily influenced by fashion, pop culture, creativity, and journalism in high school. I graduated from Renaissance High School and went to Michigan State University as an undergrad to study journalism.

There, I became a part of journalism organizations like the Michigan State Association of Black Journalists and became involved with The State News – a student-led newspaper and media company. During my time at Snews, I became even more obsessed with journalism by covering campus life, learning how to do videos, taking photos, and expanding my skills. That eventually led me to the Detroit Free Press as a breaking news intern after college, where I covered crime, features, attended events like fashion shows, business openings, and more.

While I was at MSU, I forced myself to create my own blog because I wanted an outlet to write whatever I wanted, create whatever I wanted, and have a portfolio to show future jobs or internships that I was passionate about my craft. Eventually, that turned into a lot more when I decided to start my journey as a fashion content creator. I wanted to take all the skills I learned in journalism like writing, videography, audio editing, graphics and photography and use them to build my brand, “Chandra Alilijah”.

Chandra Alilijah is the name of my fashion and lifestyle blog, where I give fashion tips and advice, talk about fashion or non-fashion events in Detroit, review movies, and create a space for me to express myself. I then express those topics visually by posting GRWM reels featuring fashion tips, reels, or photos of the businesses. I also created a podcast called “The Chandra Alilijah Show”, where I dig deeper into the topics for audio lovers.

The goal of Chandra Alilijah is to be a hub for fashion lovers like myself who don’t necessarily have a big following but love what they do and creativity. When I am not being a fashion content creator, I am the owner of 6:23 Detroit Shop, which is my baked goods and stationery business. I attend local pop-up shops around the metro Detroit area selling groovy and delicious baked goods like cupcakes, cookies, and brownies.

Then I feature my love for stationery through art designed by me on tote bags, stickers, notebooks, keychains, t-shirts and more. I created 6:23 Detroit Shop as an opportunity for me to express creativity, but I also have a dream of having my own brick-and-mortar store in Detroit.

Overall, I started my blog and small business because I just love creating and executing my ideas. I truly believe you have to be your biggest supporter, and you have to take chances whether you know the outcome or not. I refuse to be bored and not exercise the skills and talents that I’ve worked hard to learn and gain.

Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that nothing comes easy, and with everything comes challenges.

Becoming a content creator in Detroit, or Michigan overall, is not an easy thing to do, considering how small the content creator market is here. The lack of opportunities, brands wanting to connect can really suck when you follow other creators in different markets and see the opportunities they get. However, I’ve learned not to let that deter me but to keep going, connect with other local content creators, and just build from what we have and allow the market to come to us.

With my small business, it’s a road with a lot of struggles, from not understanding business laws to lack of funding and trying to find my place in the market. Overall, though, I move at a pace that’s suitable for me and allow everything to happen in due time.

Through all of this though, my mom is always my biggest supporter who keeps me together and on my feet. I call her my mommy manager sometimes because she really helps with keeping me grounded and thriving. My family and friends are also great supporters when I feel defeated.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
Chandra Alilijah is the name of my fashion and lifestyle blog, where I give fashion tips and advice, talk about fashion or non-fashion events in Detroit, review movies, and create a space for me to express myself.

I then express those topics visually by posting GRWM reels featuring fashion tips, reels, or photos of the businesses. I also created a podcast called “The Chandra Alilijah Show”, where I dig deeper into the topics for audio lovers. The goal of Chandra Alilijah is to be a hub for fashion lovers like myself who don’t necessarily have a big following but love what they do and creativity.

When I am not being a fashion content creator, I am the owner of 6:23 Detroit Shop, which is my baked goods and stationery business. I attend local pop-up shops around the metro Detroit area selling groovy and delicious baked goods like cupcakes, cookies, and brownies. Then I feature my love for stationery through art designed by me on tote bags, stickers, notebooks, keychains, T-shirts and more. I created 6:23 Detroit Shop as an opportunity for me to express creativity, but I also have a dream of having my own brick-and-mortar store in Detroit.

Overall, I started my blog and small business because I just love creating and executing my ideas. I truly believe you have to be your biggest supporter, and you have to take chances whether you know the outcome or not. I refuse to be bored and not exercise the skills and talents that I’ve worked hard to learn and gain.

Becoming a blogger is something I am most proud of because I know 16-year-old Chandra would be happy. I’ve been trying to create an actual blog for YEARS, so to see that come to fruition is just such a blessing and shocking. I designed it all by myself, took my own photos, and wrote my own articles, and I am just amazed at what I’ve accomplished with it so far. It’s one of my passion projects, and I am just so happy to say it’s all mine.

I am also proud of 6:23 Detroit Shop, becoming an entrepreneur is something I never thought I could do because of lack of knowledge but its another avenue that’s important to me because I feel I make my late father smile with it. My father had his own clothing shop on Woodward in Detroit, and I used to “go to work” with him sometimes. He would always say I would own his business eventually, but back then, I didn’t have any clue what he was even doing. Sometimes, I wish he could be here to help me with my business, but I know that he’s guiding me spiritually.

So with 6:23, I am just proud of myself for even starting it, it has a long way to go but I know its going to get to where I want it to be eventually.

I don’t typically like to act like I am different than anybody, I more so just do what makes me happy and that sometimes doesn’t look like what is deemed “right” for society. I create content that aligns with my morals, values, and experience without trying to get the approval of others.

It’s hard to answer what sets me apart from others because while I may say, “I am this or that,” someone else could say the same thing for themselves. However, I do believe that the principles I’ve set for myself to strive for are created through my own experiences, which sets me apart because they are my own personal experiences.

I can also say my ability to start my own trends, create the content I want and not fall into the line and fictitiousness of an algorithm sets me apart. I like to start from scratch with everything I do.

So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why.
Not losing my drive to create is one of the biggest things that matters to me because creativity keeps me alive.

During my freshman year of college, I took a creative thinking course with a professor named Karl Gude – he’s retired now, but one thing that always stuck with me is him talking about how over time we lose our creativity as we get older and it’s our job to find ways to keep it alive. Ever since that course and conversation, I made it my job to always do something creative, whether it was a DIY project, learning a new skill like crochet or sewing, something to keep me going and my mind thinking.

Being a good role model for my little cousins also matters because I always want to show them it’s completely okay to be themselves and create the life they want.

Plus, of course, I want to make sure my mom is proud of me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chandraalilijah.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diaryofchan/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chandralilijah
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoMvPyO5V1SCx1WU4Gg3PlA
• Other: https://623detroitshop.com/