For The Adventurous Spirit

Influential & Inspiring People

The IIP Series, also known as the Influential and Inspiring People Series, was created to showcase the many talented, hardworking, and innovative individuals I have had the privilege of knowing. I want to be able to share their stories while inspiring others to build their own paths along the way. My goal is to interview and photograph a list of (so-called “ordinary”) individuals who, in my eyes, are extraordinary. Many of them are making an impact in this world through their passions, and I want their stories to be heard. This one is FOR THE ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT.

Kadi Lee

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For those of you that don’t know, Kadi was my RA during my first year of college. She left me with a life-changing message that I still live by, and that is to go somewhere new at least once a month, even if it’s only 10 minutes away. Since then, she continues to play an important role in my life, constantly reminding me of my older sister. Kadi graduated from California Institute of the Arts with a BFA in Photography and Media and a Minor in Creative Writing. As a native Hawaiian, originally from Kailua, Kadi’s love for surfing, hiking, and the outdoors is constantly inspiring her. One of the most memorable art pieces she has done was the “Kadi Lee Eating Food in Prom Dresses,” series. Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like. Kadi posed in twelve photos with twelve different locations within Hawaii and California eating twelve different types of food all while wearing a variety of prom dresses. The foods consisted of chicken, potato chips, pizza, and a churro to name a few. As a grand supporter of this series, I was over the moon when she gifted me a twelve-month calendar with all her photos in it. Kadi works as a Camera Assistant/ DIT on different reality t.v. shows such as Catfish. When she’s not working on set, or traveling with the production, you can find her surfing the waves, snowshoeing through the snow, hiking scenic mountains, or just about anywhere outdoorsy you can think of.

1) If you didn’t grow up in Kailua, do you think you would still have the same love for nature and the outdoors?

If I was exposed to it through someone else, I think I would still love it. There’s a type of calmness it brings me and I think it’s just very nice to just stare at stuff. It’s kind of like the idea of watching paint dry while being outside. I don’t know if I would have surfed necessarily. I like to think that maybe I would have been more of a mountain girl. Not all my friends surf, but because I got exposed to it through my dad it really opened the door to really seeing things. I love surfing.

2) What is it about surfing that keeps you wanting to return to the water, even on the toughest days?

For me, surfing is the freedom to play. It’s like dancing on water. Right now I am learning how to walk the nose on a longboard, and it has given me the freedom to have fun and relearn “surf.” I think my style is not the traditional aggressive type of style. Mine is more relaxing… the feeling… the energy. It feels like there is just always a lot of play. It’s basically hanging ten on the nose. I am close and happy about it, but its definitely taking me a long time because I mostly shortboard. For the most part, I do like shortboard better because it’s less board and there’s more to control. Longboard: There’s just so much board, it’s so heavy, and it’s just a pill to get it out of my apartment because I live on the second floor.

3) How did your interest in photography start? What was it that inspired you?

I tore my ACL through soccer, in my junior year of high school. I needed a way to express myself and I found photography! I probably would have played soccer in college. I am happy that it happened, in retrospect, because I think I probably would have studied business and I probably wouldn't have gone to art school. I never shot film until I went to CalArts. People kept saying that my work looked very '“commercial,” and I always took it as negative feedback, when in reality it’s just the style of art. I kind of struggled a lot with that. One of my teachers at CalArts said, “art should be breathing. It should come out organically.” Going back to “Kadi Lee in Prom Dresses,” I had so much fun playing with that, but once it really became an object and people started giving me feedback and criticism, it took me a long time to process everything. Another side thought… My therapist asked me, “what is one job you would love to do for the rest of your life.” I just want to make art. That’s all I want to do. I don’t care what it is. I just want to create something.

4) What is your definition of success?

I just want to be happy. I hate the fact that I’m somewhat money-driven, so I do care a lot about money… because I want to live a certain lifestyle. But I think it really comes down to happiness and feeling free to pursue anything that you want to do, and not feel the pressure or criticism or judgment from other people.

5) What shifted your interest from photography to film/video work?

I’ve always been interested in film and video, but I’ve always been kind of intimidated by it. Part of me gets very overwhelmed with new things. I think about them for a long time before I act upon it. I think that’s just my habit and it’s the fear of failure and rejection. I took film classes at CalArts and I saw that there was more community in it.

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6) What does spending time outdoors mean for you and your mental health?

It allows me to reduce a lot of endorphins. Most of the things I do outside are all activity-based. Either it’s hiking or surfing… I wish I could get into other things too… like rock climbing, mountain biking, rafting down the river. It calms me down being outside, but I will say I love being at home, at the same time. I also see a therapist for my mental health. I feel like there is a stigma about therapy in medicine. I grew up with the stigma of medicine being bad for you. Everyone has issues and trauma in their lives and we need help finding closure. My therapist today was like, “even therapists need therapy.” It’s the idea of talking through things and problems with other people. I love my mom, but if I don’t catch her in the right mindset, it’s hard to get the best advice from her.

7) What kind of actions do you take to reduce your carbon footprint and help our environment?

I’ve been trying to use more eco-friendly home products. I use bamboo toothbrushes. One of my goals is that I want to start to try composting. I’ve been feeding my plants eggs shells. I’ve been trying to get more into home fertilizers. I try to pick up litter when I’m at the beach.

8) What are you currently passionate about?

I’m passionate about women growing in the industry. There aren’t enough women in the outdoors. I will say with surfing, it is very male-dominated. I don’t see a lot of females and I don’t see a lot of black people surfing. Sometimes I feel like I have to prove myself a bit more because I’m a female. That’s how I also feel about work.

9) For someone who cultivates their happiness in nature, what advice do you have for the adventurous spirit?

Take baby steps. Don’t overwhelm yourself. I’m always overwhelming myself and then I never pursue those things. For example backpacking… I’ve always really wanted to go backpacking. I bought all the gear for it, but I still have not gone. I still really want to. I want to go with people, I don’t want to go by myself. I feel like maybe I’m not with the right people who also want to do it. I think their energy won’t match my energy. I think that’s why I have a hard time traveling with certain people. They might have a different agenda for what I want to do.