Inside the World of Plenty of Fish Live! with @Kehia

When the pandemic surged in March and in-person dating was put on pause, the Plenty of Fish team launched our new feature, Live!, to keep singles connected from afar via livestreaming video. We’ve noticed throughout the past ten months that Live! has become a community where our members are sharing and showing off interesting things about themselves from music, to artwork, to advice and much, much more! I had the pleasure of chatting with @Kehia, one of our top streamers who shares how livestreaming has given her a new outlet during the pandemic and how she’s made friends along the way, in a time where in-person connections are few and far between.

Where are you based?

I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois.

When did you join Plenty of Fish and when did you start using Plenty of Fish Live!?

I joined POF four or five years ago now, and started streaming in March when Live! was introduced. 

What made you try live streaming? 

Quarantine drove me back to Plenty of Fish and I discovered the new Live! feature. I didn’t start right away because I was getting used to the feature, meeting people, and learning how to send gifts. I did not start streaming seriously until April, a few weeks after my father’s passing. It was an outlet for me and a way to communicate with people like myself in similar situations and who had lost family members to Covid-19. I began to immerse myself into the livestreaming culture.

What do you love most about live streaming? 

I love having a way to communicate with a broad audience of people while being myself and entertaining at the same time. It was important for me as a streamer to be authentic, and over time I learned to express different facets of myself and play into an alter ego. 

Because I am a teacher by day and streamer by night, it was nice to be able to reach a different audience. There are a lot of talented people on POF who I love connecting with – people who perform, sing, dance etc. I feel that, though I may not have that obvious talent, streaming is something that I do well, it is my other niche, besides being an educator. You have to be able to control a room, much like a classroom. For me, my friends (viewers, gifters) are my audience. If I can capture their attention for however long, I am happy with that. That is what I enjoy the most.

If someone pops into your livestream, what will they see or hear about?

My live streams vary for sure, but I would say that my Live! can get into some great debates that may even get a little spicy from time to time. It’s a place to gain knowledge as well – I host informationals for single parents on Sundays as well as have various streamers come to my stream and we have workshops where we discuss financial literacy, credit, Forex etc. We also touch on entertainment, love, sex and any other topics that people are feeling most passionate about. I try to stay less political, but those topics do come up and I am always happy to discuss anything amongst friends.

Are there any certain streams that you enjoy watching?

I really enjoy Top Badge Merc8des Live!, Top Badge BOP’s live, and Top Badge Gang Gang’s Live. I love the commitment that these streamers showcase and the way in which they operate their Live! They represent a part of the Plenty of Fish community that I aspire to be – a positive representation of African American men and women who set the standard for POF streamers and the immaculate job they do with their content is inspiring.  

In your opinion, is Live! a good addition to the Plenty of Fish experience?

It’s great! To be able to put a name to a face and actually communicate via video with people who you may be interested in dating is what I like about it. It’s just another outlet to meet new people, and showcase your talents and hobbies or even pursue your dreams.

Have you met any friends or dates on Live!? 

I have made a ton of connections on Live! I have met some wonderful women whom I admire and I have met a few men whom I have dated but decided not to pursue a relationship with. We’re still great friends!

What’s your best advice for someone who is new to livestreaming or trying out the Live! for the first time?

The best advice I can give is to stay persistent, become a gifter, spend time on your Live! and engage with conversation starters.  Make sure you are consistent as well and stream in your breaks or downtime. 

Mikehia Alexander is a 32-year-old Chicago native and current Chicago Public School teacher. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and participating in various cultural and artistic activities around her hometown. Her hobbies include traveling, volunteering in her community, and streaming.