Meet Alexis Gonzales | Founder & CEO of White Elk Beauty

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexis Gonzales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexis, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
From birth, I have had to do nothing but survive, endure, adapt, & overcome. I grew up in a very tumultuous household, riddled with generational trauma, secrecy, and repeated cycles. It’s why I chose an Elk as the centerpiece of my company. In some indigenous cultures, the elk is a symbol of divine protection & a life-giving force. When you think of an elk- you think of strength, courage, beauty, fighting against the elements & laughing in the face of all odds. But there’s a sense of balancing the archetypes of grit & delicacy there too.

I think the most important factor behind my success was the pure spite that was keeping me & my dreams alive. When I exited my rehabilitation center in January of 2019- I had no job skills. I was practically still mentally 16 in every conceivable way- I was prone to irrational decisions & anger; I had trouble verbalizing & processing all I had seen & gone through in the two years I spent there.

I had to have a place lined up by May, & I knew in my bones I could prove everyone wrong. I was given a 3-month “prognosis” before I was deemed to fail. Every staff member, so-called “therapists” and supervisors included believed I was doomed to be a failure. I heard frequently I would be a cautionary tale or wind up dead. As much as some in my family may not admit it, I think they were doubting me & my abilities too if they were to be honest with themselves. But I wanted to prove it, prove all of them wrong.

While I was building my brand, I was finishing my undergrad in pre-law, I worked over 50 hours a week, and I was dealing with huge amounts of personal stress regarding relationships, on top of trying to balance everyone & everything. To move myself out of Little Dixie Missouri & back to my family’s homelands of Colorado for better opportunities took me 2 full-time jobs, with two side hustles to bring in extra income.

My ability to constantly adapt to hardship & everything that’s been thrown at me not only makes people feel seen & like their experiences aren’t just “crazy” or that they’re a “lost cause”, but also directly ties into what drives me to create & be successful. If I want something to be done there is not a thing that anyone on this whole damn planet to stop me. I never take anyone who’s tried to prey on my downfall seriously because of it.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My name is Alexis Gonzales- otherwise known as Celestial, Celeste, Celestial Chronic: CEO & Founder of White Elk Beauty. White Elk Beauty is an indigenous-owned & operated beauty brand- inspired by historic Rocky Mountain Culture. We pride ourselves on providing top-quality cosmetics not for the average consumer- with a slice of history & education alongside. Shade names harken back to events in regional Rocky Mountain History, place markers, phrases & slang terms. I attempt to see each collection I put out like a musician who puts out an album- I want it to reflect my experiences, where I’m at in my life, my emotions, conflicts, successes, tears & experiences. I aim to give a sense of wisdom, comfort, luxury, education & inspiration so those who wear my brands products feel connected to themselves, confidence in their decisions, & a sense of peace about themselves.

The prototype for White Elk Beauty began many years ago- as in childhood. From an early age, I knew I had never quite fit into the mold. My family was different, the way I perceived friendships was different, the way I interacted was very different from my peers, classmates & the people surrounding me. I had always wanted to do something with art & creativity- but I had never quite found my niche. I wanted & attempted to get into Savannah College of Art & Design- however, my parents & treatment facility as a teenager said it was too frivolous of a degree & discouraged it.

I first got into the creative world after previously giving all hope up for any sort of creative career when one of my friends posted a modeling call. I had done two beauty pageants as a young girl, a few plays here & there- but otherwise, I knew next to nothing about entertainment & the arts. Modeling opened up the door for me to meet other creatives & inspired me to take my first leap into making my passions my career.

I began to notice an uptick in interest within the general public surrounding folklore, history, dialects & culture in regional areas of the United States- such as Appalachia, the Deep South, the Northeast Coast, the Pacific Northwest region & Ozark region. However- I noticed little to no references to the Rocky Mountain region.
This perplexed me as I had been raised with a profound sense of pride & knowledge of regional history.
My parents & family always raised us to be deeply proud of our decades-old deep family ties to the Rockies, 150 years on my father’s side, and over 200 on my mother’s side. Unfortunately- Historic Rocky Mountain culture is dying. The unique 400-year-old dialect of Spanish spoken nowhere else in the world except the Southern Rockies is at risk of completely dying out in one to two generations. Homelessness in Denver is increasing (with the mass majority being generational or from the region), and Colorado is experiencing an extreme crisis of affordable housing & identity loss due to the massive cultural upheaval that occurred with the mass migration into the Rockies. Denver’s identity has shifted drastically- switching from Tudor-style homes with adornments to futuristic minimalist designs. Ditching locally owned bakeries to nonlocal coffee chains.

I am lucky enough to have been educated so immensely on my family’s roots. White Elk Beauty is really about making sure a beautiful & resilient culture lives on for many more generations to come, granting protection & confidence to those who feel unheard, & making our customers feel connected to themselves. It’s about gaining a membership to a group that aims to uplift & elevate those of all walks of life- leave your troubles at the door, there is no need to pick them back up when you leave. I learned lessons from the people I worked with & the members of my family who led Colorado-based businesses for years- such as Roy Sandblasting & Sugars International. I studied their skills, spoke to them, took notes religiously, & watched growing up how they conducted themselves, the way they spoke & how they always closed a deal.

I want the world to see the first Colorado-based cosmetics company- to appreciate how powerful, intelligent, beautiful & deep our history goes. I want the world to see how powerful one can be in the face of all odds, to see the first multimillionaire generational Rocky Mountain empire. I want the world to know what indigenous strength looks like & how it comes in all forms. I want the world to know that no matter what evil & foul circumstances you’re thrown- there’s always a path to redemption, success & creating something beautiful.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I think I’d take my friend Corbin by Santa Fe Arts District in Denver, I would do a good day of shopping at the Cherry Creek Mall on Millionaires Row, followed by a stroll in Cheesman Park. We would get our nails done by Jessica at Polish Nails off of Sheridan & Mississippi, but not without grabbing coffee at Stella’s Coffee Haus. For lunch, we’d grab some great food at Columbine Steakhouse (or Gaetano’s if they’re feeling Italian) followed by some wonderful lamb at the Buckhorn Exchange.

We would of course have to visit Ritualcravt for some good spiritual supplies, as well as going to The Church or Milk Bar for a good night of clubbing- but if they’re feeling more low-key I would hit Williams & Russel speakeasy. Of course, no trip would be quite complete if we didn’t head to Bonnie Brae for some of the best ice cream on the planet.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to thank my best friend in the world- Corvus Diaboli or Corbin for always making me laugh no matter what the situation is. You hung the moon Corbin- I was born the oldest child just so I could have enough space for you & Hayl to fill the hole in my heart.

I want to thank Moises Gonzales for guiding me back home to the Genizaro Nation of Colorado & New Mexico after over a decade of searching for my home. Thank you to my family- Angel, Zay, Sabrina, Vanessa, Miranda, Lexi, Caroline, Ashley, Uncle Tom & Aunt Melissa for being so supportive. Thank you to the relatives who have passed on, Nanny, Papa, Uncle Ron, Gregoria Sandoval, Grandma Roy, & Uncle Eric. I couldn’t list how many have passed on- but I know you all watch over me.

I want to extend my gratitude to Via Moscato for being my personal Dr. Dre. Words cannot express or pay back the keys to my castle that you’ve gifted me. Thank you to Will Wolfe from Blue Apple Photo, Justice, Nick from PinkHat Photography & AJ from Ashkar Photography for always capturing me & visualizing my ideas. Thank you to Ishara for always making sure I never leave an event busted. Thank you to my spiritual team & guides- names which I shall not say to protect their privacy,

And last but not least, thank you to my father. Words cannot possibly express the love, motivation & lessons you have taught me. I love you more than the suns everlasting light.

Website: www.truthhistoryandculture.com

Instagram: Personal: @celestialchronic Business: @whiteelkbeauty

Other: Tiktok: @whiteelkbeauty https://www.tiktok.com/@whiteelkbeauty?_t=8i8wYyrId7W&_r=1

Image Credits
Will Wolfe