Sparks flew between the two when they met at a Teen Vogue party in 2015. They quickly became friends before getting into a relationship after connecting more via Instagram. “I realized I was in love when I knew my life would be extremely affected in a negative way if Ryan wasn’t in it,” Powers told WeTheUrban in 2019 about when he knew he was supposed to be with Destiny. “I also felt myself growing as a person when Ryan came into my life, especially mentally. And I realized that I’m ready to deal with anything I have to deal with alongside Ryan. Once I felt that, I knew.”
Powers also spoke about how their relationship being public was great for people to see. “It is so important for our people to see healthy Black love,” he explained. “Whether it’s a relationship, marriage or even friendships. Black love gives us hope. When you see Black love flourish, it’s powerful.”
Destiny, meanwhile, spoke about her own reasoning for trying to keep their relationship under wraps. “For a minute, we tried to hide it for numerous reasons, but as human beings sometimes you want to just shout to the world ‘I love this person and I’m happy!'” she said. “We try to find a balance. I’m already a private person and very career driven so reminding people that I am my own person is important.”