Some people say you can’t do everything, but Khalilah Cage decided to ignore that advice. She continued to do everything she could, overcoming all kinds of obstacles.
Cage is well known to many in Reno and is involved in various activities from co-owning four bars, being a performer and working as a marketing professional to podcasting and being a mother of two children. Her approach to life has made her a force to be reckoned with.
Cage said she strives to be an inspiration to the community as well as her family and lives by a strong message.
“I’ve learned to lead with love, not fear, as a way of tapping into my life’s purpose,” she said. “I am grateful for every opportunity to talk about these lessons I’ve learned, reach out and provide support to others.”
Having survived a suicide attempt in her late 20s, Cage has been pushing forward in as many different areas as there are. She recently placed third in “Fab Over 40” and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
In addition to her professional life, she started a podcast, “I Am Her,” in 2018 and will continue that particular journey with a new podcast alongside her children. “Let the Kids Speak” will present Cage and her two children, a 12-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter, to explore and share life’s challenges through the eyes of a younger generation.
“I want to show them that we can overcome our fears and learn to strengthen ourselves even as we remain vulnerable,” Cage said. “We need to stay in touch with all our feelings. It’s acceptable to acknowledge bad days or difficult times. We need to learn how we can take care of ourselves in the space where we are at this moment.”
When discussing challenges, I asked Cage what her biggest challenge is right now. She responded, “The challenge for me is to balance doing all the things that we do and also being a mom that’s present and aware, really being there for my kids.”
“It gets hard to do that with the kind of business we have, working at a speakeasy in a bar. But we really do have to find the balance of taking time off, going on vacation and going out into nature,” Cage said. “Having had to deal with being home, shut down, and them not being able to see their friends, I think that’s what we’re dealing with right now. I think we’re all dealing with that right now.”
After graduating from Churchill County High School in Fallon, Cage studied at the University of Nevada, Reno. She then worked in marketing and sales positions in the Reno area. She also stayed at home with her children while they were young, and transitioned back into a full-time professional career where we see her now.
Cage, who some may also recognize from the city and Artown’s pandemic anthem “Heartbeat to Heartbeat, Eye to Eye,” has been busy with performances over the past few weeks. She was at Shim’s Surplus, the speakeasy she co-owns, in late November. On Dec. 7 she’ll perform as part of the city’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony which starts at 5 p.m. at City Plaza.
