[MUSIC PLAYING]
[APPLAUSE]
KHERIS ROGERS: Hi, I'm Kheris.
I'm the CEO of
Flexin' My Complexion,
and I'm the youngest designer
to ever showcase at New York
Fashion Week.
YEMISI HARRISON: Awesome.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
That's a brief way to say it.
[APPLAUSE]
YEMISI HARRISON:
That's a huge deal.
So I wanted to just
kind of get more
about how did you go about
starting Flexin' My complexion?
KHERIS ROGERS: Well, first, I
was bullied for my dark skin
complexion.
So I wanted to create something
that I know a lot of people
can relate to, and just to let
other people know that they
are beautiful no matter what.
YEMISI HARRISON: Awesome.
So if you don't mind,
I'm going to ask
you more questions
about bullying
and what you experienced.
When was the-- how did
it feel to be bullied?
And what were some of the
things that you experienced
while being bullied?
KHERIS ROGERS: How
it made me feel?
I felt uncomfortable.
It was just something
that I never knew that--
I really didn't know
it was a real thing.
I thought it was
something that we just
read in books or
something like that.
And then when I experienced
it, I was like, wow.
This is crazy.
And it started in
the first grade.
And I realized what
colorism was when
I was in the second grade,
because I was being bullied
from people in my own race.
So it just made me
feel uncomfortable.
It made me feel sad.
I just didn't feel
confident in myself anymore.
YEMISI HARRISON: Oh, I'm
so sorry to hear that.
You have such beautiful skin.
KHERIS ROGERS: Thanks.
YEMISI HARRISON: So it just
hurts that you experienced that
at such a young age.
So now I want to talk
about the turning point.
When was the turning
point of when you said,
I am dark skinned.
I'm going to own my
complexion, and I'm beautiful.
When was that turning
point for you?
KHERIS ROGERS: I
started to own my power
like around the 5th grade.
That's when I started
Flexin' My Complexion.
That's when I was like,
wow, my skin color
is beautiful, in that
it doesn't matter
what other people
think of you, only
what you think of yourself.
So you just have to take
your power and just own it.
YEMISI HARRISON: Awesome.
Awesome.
[APPLAUSE]
So then you started
Flexin' My Complexion.
What does that mean to you?
KHERIS ROGERS:
Flexin' My Complexion
means that you are smart.
You are creative.
You are special.
And you are just yourself.
Like you just have to
embrace who you are.
And just Flexin' My
Complexion, it is bold words.
So when you wear it,
you're like, yeah,
I'm flexin' my complexion.
OK?
[LAUGHTER]
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: Now, I'm
talking about your business.
You started your business.
What were some surprises
that you learned
to being an entrepreneur?
KHERIS ROGERS: That
it is hard times.
When you create a
clothing line, fun times
are going to be the hard times.
And it was just like,
wow, I'm doing this.
I started at 10.
And I was like, wow.
Why am I doing this?
And I was like,
but then I started
realizing that it doesn't
matter what age you are,
what race, what gender you are.
You could still do anything
that you put your mind to.
So I always wanted to
create a clothing line.
So I was like, I'm going
to do this one day.
But I didn't think I
was going to be 10.
YEMISI HARRISON:
Why not start now?
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: Did
you have support?
Who supported you to
start your business?
KHERIS ROGERS: Just my family,
like my immediate family,
my mom, my sister,
and my grandma.
They were just there for
me through everything
even when I was being bullied.
So they were always
there for me.
So they always encouraged
me just to go for my dreams,
just to go for it.
And it's better to
start at a young age.
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yeah.
Nice.
So Flexin' in My Complexion.
Where did that phrase come from?
KHERIS ROGERS:
Well, my grandmother
used to always tell us to
flex in our complexion.
And she's from Louisiana.
So they had these crazy sayings.
So I don't know where
she got it from.
But yeah.
And so one day I was
in this fashion show,
and my sister posted
a picture of me
on Twitter with the hashtag
#FlexininHerComplexion.
YEMISI HARRISON: About you.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
And it went viral.
And I was like, ooh.
Ooh, sis.
[LAUGHING]
Yeah.
So then we just
created it from there.
I was like, I just want
to create something
that was powerful,
that I knew had
a powerful meaning behind it.
YEMISI HARRISON:
That sounds good.
So you started
out with t-shirts.
Right?
But it looks like you've
had other products.
You had a backpack.
What other products do you have
for Flexin' in My Complexion?
KHERIS ROGERS: We have
sweatshirts, hoodies.
I just created a line with
Lupita Nyong'o for her new
book, "Sulwe."
So that was pretty exciting.
I was just excited.
I was like, wow, creating a
clothing line with Lupita?
That's crazy.
YEMISI HARRISON: That's awesome.
I'm so proud of you.
Congratulations.
KHERIS ROGERS: Thank you.
And now we're going
to be coming out
with a new line in
the summer maybe.
And then I'm coming out
with my new edge control.
It's called Edge Flex.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yes.
The edge has got to stay laid.
KHERIS ROGERS: Period.
YEMISI HARRISON: How does
it feel to see your brand?
Lupita has worn your shirt.
I've seen Lina Wave
has worn your shirt.
Whoopi Goldberg has one,
Flexin' in My Complexion.
I've seen a shout out from
Snoop Dogg, LeBron James even.
How did it feel when
the first celebrity that
mentioned your brand or your
name, how did that feel,
that moment feel?
KHERIS ROGERS: I was excited.
And I think the first person
was Alicia Keys or Snoop Dogg.
I think it was one of them.
And I was like, oh, wow.
Snoop Dogg?
He's like the main person in LA.
And that's where I come from.
I'm born and raised in South LA.
So I was like, wow, Snoop Dogg?
He knows my name.
That's crazy.
But I was just excited.
I was like, wow, I can
really make a change
in my whole community,
everywhere, even
across the world.
YEMISI HARRISON: And how old
were you when that occurred?
KHERIS ROGERS: I was 10.
I was 10.
YEMISI HARRISON: So a few
months into your business.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah, it was.
YEMISI HARRISON: Wow.
And how many sales
have you made so far?
KHERIS ROGERS: Over 100,000.
Yeah.
Over 100,000.
YEMISI HARRISON: Wow.
Congratulations.
KHERIS ROGERS: Thank you.
YEMISI HARRISON:
How does it feel
to be accomplished
at such a young age?
I've also seen you've done
a collaboration with Nike
and LeBron James,
and you've been
recognized as "Teen
Vogue"'s "21 Under 21."
How does it feel?
How does that
accomplishment feel for you?
KHERIS ROGERS: It was fun.
I mean, I was overwhelmed.
I was like, this is crazy to
be doing this at a young age.
And you really don't
see young people
that look like me
doing things like this.
And just for me to be
an influence for that,
just to let other people know
that they can do it as well,
it's just amazing.
It's just like I
have the platform
to let other people know, if
I can do it, you can do it.
YEMISI HARRISON: Absolutely.
So who inspires who?
KHERIS ROGERS: Who
inspires me is Lena Waithe,
because she is helping other
young African-American people
lead their voices out on the
big screens for something
that they've been
wanting to do for years.
And just for her to do
that is just overall,
like that's girl power.
For someone that can do
that, it's just amazing.
YEMISI HARRISON: What
words of encouragement
would you have for people
that want to pursue
a career in entrepreneurship?
How would you tell
them to go about it?
Any pain points from
your experience?
KHERIS ROGERS: I would just
tell them to go for it.
I mean, it doesn't
matter what age you are.
You just do it.
Just look up things.
Have resources.
Tell people that you know
who have done this before,
work in that business, and
just ask them questions.
Or just reach out to people,
like your influencers,
because I know a lot of them
will respond through emails,
stuff like that.
So just asking them
how they came about it.
And I mean, to me,
it was pretty easy.
I mean, it wasn't that hard.
You just have to get up
every day and be like, ooh,
I'm going to do this.
You just want to have
the mindset to do it.
YEMISI HARRISON: That's true.
So then in terms of getting
your first brand out,
your first t-shirt out, can
you walk me through the steps
that you did to actually
produce your first shirt?
KHERIS ROGERS: OK.
So first, we had this guy do the
shirts, cause my mom knew him.
So we didn't really know what
the business was or whatever.
So we just asked him.
We sent out 20
t-shirts on my website.
And they all sold out
in less than 15 minutes.
So I was like, oh, wow.
And so it was just
getting someone just
to manufacturer and get the
t-shirts from somewhere,
and just figuring out how
you want to feel the textures
and stuff like that.
That was like the first part,
like feeling the textures.
They want to make sure
it doesn't feel cheap.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yeah.
Good quality.
KHERIS ROGERS: Or something.
So you just want it so people
feel comfortable in it.
And just taking
a moment and just
going through it,
because everything
is not going to happen
in the blink of an eye.
It's always going to take time.
So you just want to go slow and
just ease your way in there.
YEMISI HARRISON: All right.
That makes sense.
And so now it's been
over three years of when
you launched your brand.
Has anything changed in
your production process
since the first time you
made your first t-shirt,
your first 20 orders till now?
KHERIS ROGERS: Oh, yes, baby.
Yes.
[LAUGHTER]
It's even more harder
because now you
get over 100 orders a day.
YEMISI HARRISON: Wow.
KHERIS ROGERS: It's
just like, oh, lord.
We're doing all of this.
And then plus, you don't
want to just use one thing.
You just don't want to be
known as, oh, I have t-shirts.
You want to branch
out to other things.
So now it's like, oh, lord?
I'm doing all of this?
Oh.
Yeah.
But it's fun.
I mean, it's something that
a lot of people can do.
I mean, everyone can do it,
and just going for your dreams
basically.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yeah.
So how do you get your
inspiration for the next thing
that you're going to present on
your website in your business?
KHERIS ROGERS:
Well, social media
does play a big
part in everything
nowadays, like going on
and seeing what's popular
and what people are wearing.
But then you want
to make it your own.
You just don't want
to make something
that, oh, this person
had it on their website.
Why can't I just
get it from there?
You want to make it
more outside of the box.
You want to make it more
comfortable for people.
Just making it
your own basically.
Just making it not better
than someone else's,
but making it the best
thing on your collection.
YEMISI HARRISON: So
differentiating yourself
from other websites that are
selling t-shirts, backpacks,
or hoodies.
That makes sense.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: So then in
terms of making it your own,
I just want to kind of
get into your head of,
how do you come up with
this is my next thing?
Is it just your wake up?
And you say, I got it.
This is my next design idea.
Or I know you
mentioned social media.
Is it based on just reviewing
what's popular in social media
and saying, this
is how I'm going
to branch out from my brand?
How does that work for you?
KHERIS ROGERS: I mean,
me and my sister,
we could easily
look at something
and be like, that's a good idea.
Like this morning I
was getting ready.
And I was like, let's do this.
It just came up in my head.
And everyone has that
one place in their home
where they can just come out
with the most random ideas.
And the bathroom is for me.
I get everything
from the bathroom.
So yeah.
[LAUGHTER]
So it's just thinking
of random things.
Like I could easily be in a
grocery store and be like,
that's a great idea.
Why hasn't someone
come up with that?
You could have a
crayon makeup line.
And that's something that
only one person has done.
And that's [INAUDIBLE]?
Yeah.
She's done that before.
And it's just creating
different things
that you don't see
other people doing.
So just making it your own.
YEMISI HARRISON: In terms of
what's next, so you mentioned
you have an Edge Flex line
that you're bringing out,
and then you have some
summer collections
that you're bringing out.
What else are you
working on for your brand
and for your company?
KHERIS ROGERS: Oh,
well, for my company
we just started
my own foundation.
It's called the Flexin'
My Complexion Foundation.
Well, we just did
our most recent event
was a back to school drive
where over 1,000 kids came.
But unfortunately
we only could give
500 kids who came something.
So we're just going to make it
bigger and better next year,
and just helping
my community out,
because I am from South LA.
So there isn't a lot of
fortunate kids in that area
where they easily can go to the
store and get school supplies.
So just for me to help
them out is just amazing.
So that's what we're working on
now is creating a foundation.
I just don't want to
do a clothing line.
I want to do more than that.
I want to branch
out to other things.
Just don't want to
stick to one thing.
That's what my family is.
We want to branch
out to everything.
Everything that we're
able to do, we will do it.
It doesn't matter how
long it will take.
We will do it.
YEMISI HARRISON: I
also wanted to know,
in terms of New
York Fashion Week,
I know you're the youngest
designer at New York Fashion
Week.
What was that like?
How did that feel in terms
of getting called to come
and showcase your
line at the event,
and then designing your
line for the event?
How was the whole
process like for you?
KHERIS ROGERS: So I
came home one day,
and my sister was like you're
going to New York Fashion Week.
She just said all nonchalant.
It was like, OK, whatever.
That's how she said it.
YEMISI HARRISON: Did she
get a call or something?
KHERIS ROGERS: An email.
YEMISI HARRISON: OK.
KHERIS ROGERS: So I really
wasn't thinking anything
about it til we got there.
And I was like, oh, wow.
This is happening now.
And then the next day
that's when I found out
I was the youngest designer
to ever showcase at New York
Fashion Week.
And for me to be a young
African-American girl,
it's paving the way
for other young women
behind me to let them know
that they can do it as well.
Yeah.
Just paving their
way, helping them out.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yes.
Absolutely.
So in terms of
designing the line
that you created for Fashion
Week, what did that look like?
KHERIS ROGERS: So my
favorite piece from that line
was we did a crop.
It was like shorts, and
it was like a crop hoodie.
It was a matching set kind of.
That was my favorite.
Yeah.
That was my favorite.
But everything was kind
of like everyday wear,
like something out of the box.
Everything wasn't
on the website.
We were just throwing
it out there like, oh.
Yeah.
We're going to do this.
We're going to do this.
We're going to do this.
It was just an overall
fun opportunity.
YEMISI HARRISON: Awesome.
And did you get to
model at Fashion Week?
KHERIS ROGERS: Yes, I did.
I got to walk my own line.
YEMISI HARRISON: What
did you get to wear?
Did you get to wear your crop?
KHERIS ROGERS: Mhm.
That was my favorite one, y'all.
I got to wear my crop hoodie.
[LAUGHING]
YEMISI HARRISON: Did anyone else
get to wear your crop outfit?
KHERIS ROGERS: Nope.
That was mine.
YEMISI HARRISON:
This is you only.
KHERIS ROGERS: That was mine.
[LAUGHING]
YEMISI HARRISON: As a designer.
Was that your first runway
walk at Fashion Week?
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah, it was.
YEMISI HARRISON: Oh, awesome.
And how long ago was that?
KHERIS ROGERS: I was
in the sixth grade.
So about two years ago.
YEMISI HARRISON: Wow.
She's done so much
at 13 years old.
[LAUGHING]
That's awesome.
And so then how many
girls got to model
your line at Fashion Week?
KHERIS ROGERS: About 10?
6?
10?
Yeah.
About 10.
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: OK.
That's awesome.
That's a pretty manageable size.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
It was exciting.
I was like, oh, my gosh.
I'm at New York Fashion Week.
All these big names are here.
I'm like, we about
to show off y'all.
[LAUGHING]
YEMISI HARRISON: So
you mentioned earlier
that your family likes to
get into as many things
as you can, whether
it's fashion,
establishing your foundation.
What other interests do
you have besides fashion
and the foundation?
KHERIS ROGERS: Well, modeling.
Well, I started off as a model.
I'm signing to ING now.
YEMISI HARRISON:
Congratulations.
KHERIS ROGERS: So
that's exciting.
Yes.
[APPLAUSE]
Yeah.
And I think I'm the youngest
black girl in there.
I'm going to be maybe.
YEMISI HARRISON: Wow.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
Cause with these big
modeling agencies,
you only see one or
two dark skinned girls.
Or they may be lighter than you.
And so I'm just excited
for that, cause then
I'm like, oh, yeah.
Another girl is going
to come in behind me.
And she's like, OK.
She has big hair.
She's doing this.
I could do that too.
YEMISI HARRISON: And
then so besides modeling,
other interests that
you're going into?
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
Well, I'm starting acting.
I have my own
Nickelodeon cartoon.
It's called "Middle
School Moguls."
YEMISI HARRISON: Wow.
I can't wait to watch it.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
It came out a few months ago.
So that was exciting.
So I branched out to that.
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: So you
do the voice for it.
What's your character name?
KHERIS ROGERS: It's myself.
I play myself.
YEMISI HARRISON: Oh, OK.
Aw, Kheris.
That's awesome.
So what's the show about?
KHERIS ROGERS: It's just
about fashion moguls
going to this big school.
And it's like sports.
It was like fashion,
music, and all that.
So yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: So
you mentioned earlier
about paving the way for others.
I wanted to get your thoughts.
Have you felt that anyone
has paved the way for you
to follow in their path?
And also, how do you feel
like you can open doors
for others coming behind you?
KHERIS ROGERS: Well,
people who paved the way
for me, Marsai paved
the way for a lot
of young African-American
girls for being
the youngest producer to produce
her own movie called "Little."
And that paved the way
for a lot of young girls.
And a lot of directors I saw--
I'm seeing more dark skinned
girls being on the big screens
now.
So she paved the way
for a lot of people.
Who else?
Who paved the way for me for my
hairline or my clothing line?
Shoot.
A lot of people have.
Like nowadays when you go
out to the beauty supply,
you're seeing more black brands
in these big beauty supplies
now.
So a lot of those
paved the way for me.
And how I feel like
I could pave the way
for a lot of younger girls
is by just speaking out
for something.
Because you don't always
see a lot of people
nowadays are speaking out of
their comfort zone and stuff
like that, things that
they've been through.
And then for me to do
that, to be young--
when I started I was 10.
So being young to do it
then, it was kind of crazy,
because I was pretty
nervous to do it,
because I didn't know
how people would think.
I just didn't know.
So now I'm kind of comfortable
to speak out about it.
So it's just amazing.
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON:
That's wonderful.
And then with regards to
your Edge Flex coming out,
any other hairline products
that we should be expecting?
KHERIS ROGERS: We're going
to branch out to bonnets,
like scarves.
So yeah.
That was supposed to come
out before the edge control.
But I was so excited about
the edge control, I was like,
why don't we just do it first?
Come on, people, like edge
control is in right now.
Everyone is using it,
like literally everyone.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yes.
It's needed.
KHERIS ROGERS: So
we're just making it.
We started off with
one little thing
where it just had the basic
name on it or whatever.
But then we were like, why
don't we just do something
more than that?
So then we held
it back a little.
And it's going to come out
next month I believe now.
Cause we wanted it
to be more creative.
We wanted it to be something
where it's not just a bottle.
Everyone just has a bottle.
So we wanted to make
it like bigger designs,
just more creative.
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: OK.
Well, I can't wait
to see it next month.
KHERIS ROGERS: Mhm.
YEMISI HARRISON: So
how did you come up
with formulating the
perfect edge control?
KHERIS ROGERS: Well, I
mean, it wasn't hard at all.
It wasn't.
YEMISI HARRISON: Experimenting?
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
Just experimenting, just
going out and like, oh, well,
this person did this, this.
Let me just make it more
natural, more basic.
Not basic, but it's just
more healthier for the hair.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yeah.
That's wonderful.
So how did you get the idea
of starting your edge control?
KHERIS ROGERS: I'm
obsessed with edge control.
I always use edge control.
Who doesn't use edge control?
[LAUGHING]
I mean, everyone
needs edge control.
I'm not going to walk out the
house with no edge control
on my edges.
So I mean, somebody needs it.
[LAUGHING]
YEMISI HARRISON: That is true.
So how did you come up
with the name Edge Flex?
KHERIS ROGERS: I mean, we wanted
to use Flexin' My Complexion.
So my sister was like, oh,
let's just do Edge Flex.
So she just said it,
and we were like, OK.
YEMISI HARRISON: It's fixed.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: It works.
KHERIS ROGERS: We
just went on with it.
That was the first
name actually.
We never even said
any other name.
It was just Edge Flex,
like that was it.
YEMISI HARRISON: One and done.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
One and done.
[LAUGHING]
YEMISI HARRISON: That's awesome.
So are you also considering
going into makeup?
KHERIS ROGERS: Oh, yes.
That's what we were
planning on now,
but you don't want
to say too much now.
I don't want anybody to
steal our little brain
ideas before we can--
YEMISI HARRISON: I understand.
Keep it secret til it's secure.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: OK.
That sounds good.
Awesome.
I also wanted to
ask, also just kind
of going back to
what you started out
talking about how you came
about starting Flexin' My
Complexion because
you were bullied
and because you
experienced colorism.
What would you
say to others that
are being bullied right now?
What words of advice
would you give to them?
KHERIS ROGERS: First, I would
tell them to do affirmations,
like in the mirror,
every day just saying
beautiful words about
yourself, like I am confident.
I am special.
I am creative.
I am me.
And it doesn't matter
what other people
think of you, like I said.
It matters what you
think of yourself.
YEMISI HARRISON: Absolutely.
KHERIS ROGERS: And yeah.
Just block all of them out.
People who mess with you
or are talking about,
that means that they have
something going on at home
with themselves as well.
So they're taking out
all their anger on you.
So what you want to do, you
want to talk to them if you feel
comfortable talking to them.
You want to talk to them
and tell them, oh, I don't
like that you're doing this.
And it makes me
feel uncomfortable.
But I want to help you out.
You want to help them out
come out with whatever
they're going through.
You just want to help
them and help yourself.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yeah.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
So in terms of the affirmations
that you mentioned,
I am confident, I'm
beautiful, I'm smart,
do you do that every day?
KHERIS ROGERS: Mhm.
Girl, that's how I get
myself up in the morning.
[LAUGHING]
Girl.
YEMISI HARRISON: I'm going
to start doing that too.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
You [INAUDIBLE] going
to walk out the house
with saying no affirmations.
Girl, it don't matter
where you going.
[LAUGHING]
YEMISI HARRISON: So
who gave you the idea
to start doing affirmations?
KHERIS ROGERS: My mom.
Yeah.
She did.
Yeah.
My mom.
YEMISI HARRISON: And that
was part of the turning point
to help you overcome that
bullying that you felt.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
Definitely.
YEMISI HARRISON:
That's wonderful.
So if you have any words
to your former bullies,
what would you say to them?
KHERIS ROGERS: I
would say, thank you,
because without them I
wouldn't be in this room today.
Because without
them, I would never
have the story that I can tell.
Just saying thank
you, because I mean,
a lot of people
would be like, why
do you want to say thank you?
Because without them,
what would I be doing now?
I would just be at
home, going to school,
going to regular school,
not even being homeschooled
and having all
these opportunities.
And just to say thank you,
because I'm here for them.
I mean, I'm here
to help them out,
because they're the ones
that were messing with me.
So I'm here to help them
know that it wasn't OK.
YEMISI HARRISON: And that's
a positive way to look at it.
So you mentioned
you're home schooled.
How do you balance
everything that's
going on with your education?
KHERIS ROGERS:
Well, now it's easy
because I'm doing
it at home, first.
And then when I'm traveling,
I could just easily
pull out my computer on the
plane and just do school.
I mean, it's boring.
I mean, it's not something
a kid will want to do,
even though the kid doesn't
want to go to school.
Then you just don't want
to be sitting at home.
So I mean, now
that I have friends
that are in the
industry now I can
just easily call them and be
like, what you doing, girl?
Let's hang out.
[LAUGHING]
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: But still
getting your education,
cause that's important.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
And I only have to do
two hours of school.
YEMISI HARRISON: Oh,
that's wonderful.
KHERIS ROGERS: But
I have more classes.
Not more classes,
but I have more work
to do then what you would
do in regular school.
YEMISI HARRISON: Well,
that makes sense, just
to keep up with the curriculum.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: So then
you're in the eighth grade now
I believe.
OK.
Awesome.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: So
that means you're
going to be homeschooled
throughout your high school.
Is that correct?
KHERIS ROGERS: I'm going to
high school freshman year.
But I'm going to go
to a private school.
So yeah.
More easier keeping it private.
Private school period.
I hope it's fun.
YEMISI HARRISON:
I'm sure it will be.
KHERIS ROGERS: I
hope high school
is like "High School
Musical," where you
get to sing in the hallways.
[LAUGHING]
Yeah.
But I'm pretty sure it's not.
But it's OK.
YEMISI HARRISON: I hate
to break it to you.
It's not going to be a musical.
[LAUGHING]
Unfortunately, there
won't be any singing
by Troy and Gabriella.
[LAUGHING]
OK.
So I'm guessing
"High School Musical"
is one of your favorite movies.
KHERIS ROGERS: No.
It's not.
[LAUGHTER]
It's not.
Not at all.
My favorite movie is
"Love and Basketball."
YEMISI HARRISON: Ooh, mine too.
Yes.
That's a classic.
Mine too.
KHERIS ROGERS: Mhm.
YEMISI HARRISON: That's awesome.
So in terms of balancing
school, education,
and your booming
entrepreneurship business
ideas, I'm sure you travel also.
Is that correct?
Because I know you
went to Fashion Week.
Do you travel?
How often do you travel
a week, or a month?
KHERIS ROGERS: I
mean, a few days ago
I just got back from Texas.
I mean, I travel
almost every week now.
It's kind of getting normal now.
I mean, this is like
a normal thing now.
It's like, oh, wait.
I'm going there this week.
Oh, I can't hang
out with you now.
Yeah.
We're getting used to it.
My sister doesn't like to fly.
And then she's just like, OK.
But yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: But she
accompanies you on your trips.
KHERIS ROGERS: Not really.
She's kind of just
about business.
Yeah, not everything
is business.
But it's just like not
making it your main focus
because I am a child.
So I do have to go out
sometimes with my friends.
I have a normal life sometimes.
YEMISI HARRISON: Absolutely.
KHERIS ROGERS: So yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yeah.
Well, that was actually
going to be my next question.
How do you balance all of that
with your friends, your family,
and just your personal
interests and hobbies?
KHERIS ROGERS: Well,
my family's from Texas.
So I don't always get to
see them all the time.
We probably get to see them
like twice a year maybe.
So I'm kind of used to it now.
Cause then my friends, I
could probably see them maybe
twice a month.
I mean, that's a lot
to see your friends,
besides seeing them everyday.
I'd rather see them twice a
month than every day in school.
But yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: OK.
And then hobbies.
What about hobbies
and interests that you
have, outside of
work, school, and just
hanging out with your friends?
KHERIS ROGERS: I
like to go skating.
I'm a skater, y'all.
I like to go skating.
YEMISI HARRISON: Skateboard?
KHERIS ROGERS: No.
Roller skating.
YEMISI HARRISON: Roller skating.
OK.
OK.
Nice.
That's fun.
What else do you like to do?
I know I think you
also like dancing.
Is that correct?
KHERIS ROGERS: Mhm.
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON:
Do you dance often?
KHERIS ROGERS: Mhm.
Every Monday I go
to dance class.
I didn't go this Monday
because I was out of town.
But I like to go dancing, just
hanging out with my friend,
just having a normal life now.
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: What
type of dance do you do?
KHERIS ROGERS: Hip hop.
YEMISI HARRISON: OK.
Nice.
Do you choreograph as well?
KHERIS ROGERS: No.
No.
No.
YEMISI HARRISON:
I'm just a dancer.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
Don't do all that now.
YEMISI HARRISON: OK.
KHERIS ROGERS: Don't
make that my next hobby.
Here she go.
What's this going to be like?
Oh, yeah.
You should do this.
Like, girl.
[LAUGHTER]
YEMISI HARRISON: Any other
hobbies or interesting things
about you?
KHERIS ROGERS:
Getting my nails done.
Is that a hobby?
YEMISI HARRISON:
Well, it's important.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
My sister's getting
into nails now.
So that's her little hobby.
So she does my nails every
once in a while I guess.
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: That's awesome.
I know for me, I've been
getting into braiding hair.
So I'm always practicing
on my mom's hair.
Any hair that I
can get, I'm like,
let me practice on your hair.
Let me braid your hair.
So it's always fun
to just get into--
KHERIS ROGERS: Want
to braid my hair?
YEMISI HARRISON: We'll see.
Maybe.
Maybe.
I'll fly out to LA and come meet
you, and practice on your head.
Nice.
So in terms of going back
to your business, Flexin'
in My Complexion, you've
done so much so far,
and you're planning
to expand it.
I know right now the
logo is stylized.
It's all caps.
Are you planning to change it?
KHERIS ROGERS: Yes, definitely.
YEMISI HARRISON: Are you
planning to rebrand it
for the new upcoming lines?
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
That's for the new
clothing line we're going
to have in different places.
It's going to be
a whole new thing.
You're going to be like,
oh, where'd this come from?
I didn't see this before.
But yeah.
Yeah.
It's going to be outside
of the box this time.
This time I'm excited,
cause this is something
that I've never really seen
anywhere wear like this.
So I'm just excited.
I don't want to say
too much cause then
I'm going to give it away.
You know I want to
keep you all surprised.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yes.
Keep us surprised.
Keep it secret until its secure.
That's my saying.
And then in terms of
your collaboration
with Nike and LeBron
James, how did that
feel to see your
face in a Nike ad?
I think that's pretty huge, just
to see your picture, modeling
for Nike.
How did that feel for you?
KHERIS ROGERS: It
was overwhelming.
I was like LeBron James
picked me his self?
Like oh, lord.
And then no, I went to New
York Fashion Week for the Nike
collaboration that they
did for his 16th shoe
where he picked 16 young
woman to represent his shoes.
So I sat across from him
at New York Fashion Week.
And I swear--
I swear he looked dead at
me and was talking about me
to his wife.
I know it for a fact.
I know it for a fact.
[LAUGHTER]
YEMISI HARRISON: Wow.
KHERIS ROGERS: A fact.
Yeah.
But then he DMed
me on Instagram.
So I was pretty cool after that.
YEMISI HARRISON:
What do you think he
was telling his wife about you?
KHERIS ROGERS: I
don't even know.
[LAUGHTER]
I don't even know.
YEMISI HARRISON: He's probably
like, that's the most beautiful
[INAUDIBLE] girl I've
ever seen doing things.
OK.
So what about the other 15
girls that modeled his shoes.
Do you keep in
contact with them?
KHERIS ROGERS: Well, one
of them, her name is Chloe.
She's a tapper.
Yeah.
She's one of the most--
she's very popular in the tap
community.
Everyone knows her name.
So I keep in contact
with her sometimes.
Serena Williams was in it.
She doesn't know me probably.
YEMISI HARRISON:
I'm sure she does.
KHERIS ROGERS: But yeah.
She did it.
And a lot of other young
African-American girls did too.
Yeah.
AUDIENCE: So Kheris, what has
been your favorite thing so far
about all of it, the
fame, the following,
launching your brand?
What's been the most meaningful
piece of all of it for you?
KHERIS ROGERS: The most
meaningful piece of it
all for me was just to
give other people courage
to love themselves.
It wasn't even about the
followers or anything, the fame
or anything, because I really
wasn't used to all that,
even though I love attention.
But it wasn't even
about all of that.
It was just making other people
feel comfortable in themselves.
You know?
So yeah.
Just making people feel
comfortable in themselves.
That was probably the
most exciting part for me.
YEMISI HARRISON: So Kheris,
starting a business at 10,
what did you find to be
the most challenging piece?
What's been the
biggest learnings
you had and the biggest kind
of challenges and frustrations
along this journey?
KHERIS ROGERS: Well, some
of the frustrations--
AUDIENCE: Frustrations.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
Frustrations.
It wasn't just with
the clothing line.
It was just things
outside of it,
because when you do get
popular on social media stuff,
some of your friends
will change up on you.
You will have
those difficulties,
especially being young.
So that was very
difficult because you
are losing a lot of
your close friends,
and just not hanging out
with them all the time.
So that was pretty
difficult for me.
But now it's kind of just like,
everyone isn't your friend.
Everyone that you
associated with before
or after, everyone
is still-- you
just have to keep your friends
close but your enemies closer.
So that was kind of
the hardest part.
The hard part wasn't
even the clothing line.
It was just the friends, like
losing all of your friends.
But now I'm kind of cool.
Like given my small, little
group is fine with me.
Yeah.
Just keeping everyone closer
now, just looking out.
Yeah.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yeah.
That's wonderful.
KHERIS ROGERS: Hi.
AUDIENCE: You are amazing.
And your edges are laid.
KHERIS ROGERS: Period.
AUDIENCE: Period, girl.
So you have accomplished so
much already in your life,
which is incredible.
What do you think
about when people
ask you what do you want
to be when you grow up?
KHERIS ROGERS: I mean, I just
tell them what I'm doing now.
I don't even know.
What else can you be
doing besides this?
Like what's bigger
than this probably?
Tell me.
Cause I just want to
stick to this right now.
Like now I really don't
know what I want to do.
And I'm going to go to college.
I know I'm going to
get a master's degree.
My family's on my sister.
And they're probably
going to be on me.
So just doing that.
I really don't know.
Right now it's just
doing what I'm doing now.
So yeah.
AUDIENCE: Amazing.
KHERIS ROGERS: Thank you.
AUDIENCE: Mine isn't
really a question.
It's more like a comment.
I'm just very proud
to hear you talking.
And I just feel like everything
that you showcased today is
like what I wish I was at 13.
I'm 20 now.
But yeah.
I'm just very proud, like you're
a little sister or something.
It's so adorable.
And you're very
beautiful, articulate.
And it's just encouraging
to keep going.
KHERIS ROGERS: Thank you.
Thank you.
AUDIENCE: OK.
I have a fun one for you.
Your brand has such a
beautiful ring to it, Flexin'
in My Complexion.
If you could pick any musical
artist to create a song just
for you and your brand,
who would it be and why?
KHERIS ROGERS: Beyonce.
I mean, there's not
even a why to that.
I mean, it's Beyonce.
Y'all, she sent me her
new Ivy Park Collection.
And I was like, yo, Beyonce.
And they said,
Beyonce handpicked us.
So I was like, oh, my gosh.
And then she put
me on her website.
And I was like, oh, my god.
What if she puts me in a song?
Like who you know?
YEMISI HARRISON:
Flexin' Like Kheris.
[LAUGHTER]
AUDIENCE: That's
a perfect answer.
Thank you.
YEMISI HARRISON: Yes.
AUDIENCE: What's been one
of your favorite times,
like when you've been
on the road traveling?
Or what's a really
funny experience
you can share with us too?
KHERIS ROGERS: Ooh.
I mean, it's so many.
I mean, my mom and my sister,
we all travel together.
I mean, that's not
normal now, cause we
all don't travel together
because my mom is working.
But when we are all
together, it's just jokes.
Like yesterday I don't even know
what we were laughing about,
but I was on the
phone with my mom.
We just randomly started
laughing about something.
I don't know if it was
about Taylor, my sister,
or was it about me.
Oh, because she was
messing with me.
Cause my mom had got sick.
She has bronchitis.
She got it from my sister.
So I was like, mom
has bronchitis.
And she was like, why are you
so excited to tell me that?
She started messing with me
the whole time we were walking.
She just kept repeating it.
I was like, girl,
it's over with.
Yeah.
That was pretty funny.
I mean, it's like an
inside joke I guess.
But it was funny.
AUDIENCE: And then
if you could pick
one designer to work with to
collaborate on a new line,
who would it be?
KHERIS ROGERS: One designer.
One designer.
Shoot.
I mean, I would say all,
but that's kind of crazy.
But there's this one designer.
His name is like
Keith something.
But he spoke at this "Vogue"
event that I went to.
I cannot think of his name.
AUDIENCE: Pierre Moss.
KHERIS ROGERS: Yeah.
Pierre Moss.
Yeah.
Pierre Moss.
Yeah.
I want to work
with them one day.
It was pretty cool.
I liked him.
He was amazing.
I learned a lot from him
when he was speaking.
So yeah.
Sorry I said the wrong name.
But that's what his
Instagram name starts with.
So I was like, oh, Keith.
Yeah.
But Pierre Moss.
YEMISI HARRISON: Hm.
And what would you
design with him?
KHERIS ROGERS: I mean,
adult collection.
Like maybe a shoe
line or something.
I mean, who knows.
You never know what
comes out in the future.
You never know.
AUDIENCE: So I guess I'll stand.
So I'm really inspired
by you, of course.
So what advice would
you give to parents
who have little ones who want to
be entrepreneurs like yourself
or want to venture into some
sort of startup or industry?
KHERIS ROGERS: What I
would tell a parent is,
just let your kid do his thing.
I mean, you're not going
to hold your kid back
from doing something
that they have,
something that they want to do.
I've been seeing that lately.
A lot of parents are not really
understanding where their kids
are coming from nowadays.
But us kids have big voices.
You don't know what we can do.
I've seen more kids nowadays
speak out than adults.
And now it's bigger stories.
You're like, wow.
I didn't know a kid
can think that way.
Just letting your kid just
go on and do their thing,
like just helping them out,
and just not sitting there
in the back and just watching.
Like no.
Help them out.
Do your research.
It shouldn't just be
them doing the research,
even though they want to do it.
But you should just
go on and help them.
You know?
AUDIENCE: I can tell that you're
super humble and grounded, even
though you've
accomplished so much.
And what do you think helps
you stay down to Earth
amidst all of the fame?
KHERIS ROGERS: Staying
down to Earth is something.
Just knowing that
everything can be taken away
in the blink of an eye.
So you just want to
humble yourself sometime,
because you never know when God
can take something so little.
And he could make it so big.
And he could take
it away from you.
So just owning it now, because
you don't know how long you're
going to have it.
Just owning it.
You know?
And just being humble.
And don't make it be like,
oh, I did this, this, this.
No, girl.
Calm down.
No.
It's not about you all the time.
But yeah.
AUDIENCE: Thank you.
YEMISI HARRISON: You're welcome.
Well, thank you.
Thank you, everyone.
Thank you, Kheris.
[APPLAUSE]
KHERIS ROGERS: You can
find Flexin' My Complexion
at www.flexininmycomplexion.com.
And you can follow me on all
my social medias @KherisPoppin.
