An Interview with Grai Kelley

As a kid, she had a love for theater–more specifically, tech. She adored creating the magic that helped the plays and musicals come to life: putting makeup on people, creating the sets, etc. 

She believes that it’s really important to put yourself out there. Tell someone that you like their shirt, or their bag, or their shoes. You never know who you’ll make a friend out of. If you feel the pull to go have a conversation with somebody, do it–because the worst they can say is no.  Her morals are a big part of her life. Being kind is her biggest one; she never wants to give off negative or rude energy right off the bat when meeting someone. She grew up on this philosophy and believes that if nobody is impacting your life or it doesn’t concern you, then let them be. 

Her favorite thing about the Chattanooga community is that everyone does a good job of embodying the live-and-let-live philosophy. Wherever she goes, she always sees people who truly celebrate each other just for who they are; it could be the hair salon, the grocery store, or even the park. This is very important to her, especially since we live in a world where there is so much hatred. 

She wants others to know that even though she may dress conservatively or look a certain way, she is not what you may think. For example, her tattoos do not define her as a person; some may think that all tattoos have negative connotations, but in reality, she has fun tattoos that are nature-themed. Just because she may look a certain way does not mean that she acts like it. 

Grai is a great example of a citizen of Chattanooga. She expresses her creativity, love, and passion, which symbolize Chattanooga substantially.