Let’s catch up.
When I was an infant, my mom went to a church revival. An evangelist came up to my mother, who was holding me tightly in her arms. The powerful and prophetic woman of God said to my mom, “Take care of that child, because you have a powerful seed.” Now, I don’t remember this because I was a newborn, so you’ll have to take my mom’s word for it like I have.
Growing up, I was a military kid and moved around a lot. Seventh grade, I moved to Houston, Texas. This is where I claim home, as this is the place that shaped most of my adolescence and passion for storytelling. Everything before that were building blocks to fully realizing my gift. Everything I went through in high school and college provided a necessary conditioning for the industry I am actively pursuing as a young adult now.
My gift shall make room for me.
I guess I was always a quiet, smart, sensitive, and introverted child. Even though I had performed in a few talent shows here and there, I hadn’t yet discovered acting. Seventh grade provided me that opportunity. One day I stumbled into a drama club meeting after school, and the Drama teacher told us that we were to partner up and do some improv. I basically did a scene that blew my teacher away (I did a similar dramatic version of “I Ate The Divorce Papers”). Sequentially, my Drama teacher said I could never leave her club, and she expected to see me here every week. I had this one performance my last year of middle school during Black History Month. It was my first real dramatic show, and I had to perform in front of my whole grade. After the show, I had many of my peers come up to me and say I did an amazing job. One girl in particular came up to me crying (a girl I didn’t think would ever come up to me besides asking for answers). She told me how I completely transformed into an enslaved woman who recounted her child being taken away from her, and how moved by my performance she was.
And then something clicked for me that day. I knew that this is what I’m supposed to do. I knew that this would be my ticket out of poverty. Now, why the heck was a 13 year old child thinking this way about something she fell in love with? I’d be lying to you if I told you that that didn’t play a part in what fueled my passion. Knowing this gift I had could help me and my family if I stuck with it long enough was motivation to continue. No matter how long it took, I would find a way to make a living out of this dream. I come from a working class family with highly educated parents. However, my parents struggled with finances tremendously for decades. Acting provided me with a therapeutic outlet to channel everything I was going through and use the words of the script to speak my truth, and the truth of the people in my life who have shaped and molded me to be great. It’s freaking liberating to feel so exposed, seen, and heard!
We love a good underdog story.
I made it into Varsity Theatre when I got to high school. I am so grateful for the experiences I had in that theatre troupe. Speaking for myself, I knew that acting is something I am pursuing seriously. Therefore, my logic at the time (and even now) is that I am a successful working actor. I don’t have to wait till I book my first professional gig, get my big check, or have my face plastered on a billboard to consider myself that. All those things will be checked off the list in due time, okay? But for real, I didn’t have the privilege of having the resources to go to castings as a kid or get an agent or whatever. I was participating in a underfunded public high school theater department, which I recognize is still a privilege to some extent. That was the point I was at in my career. I truly believe that by framing my way of thinking in that manner, it set me apart from my peers in a way that made me very intentional about the type of artist I wanted to be. My future is bright, and I was looking straight ahead!
I went on to become the most distinguished member in my troupe’s history. In 2017, I won the Tommy Tune Award for Best Supporting Actress, and nominated again in 2018. The Tommy Tune Awards are like the Tony’s for high schools participating in musical theater. From 2017-2018, I won BEST ACTRESS SIX TIMES competing in 6A-Division Texas UIL: One-Act Play competitions, including carrying my cast to State for the first time. I won Best Actress at State during my senior year, even though my school was DISQUALIFIED. Something like that has NEVER happened in UIL history, and the committee made that very clear. Also, considering we were the only All-Black cast in a predominately White space: ranging from the judges, stage managers, audience, and competing schools. The fact that I rose above all of that is something I carry with me to this day. It was truly a moment. To me, it was more than just winning and boosting the morale of the troupe. It was about being seen for who I am when my spirit was regularly crushed by authority figures who I was supposed to trust. Although I was consistently put in supporting or ensemble roles with very little opportunity to be seen as anything beyond that, the judges at different competitions all over Texas acknowledged something greater in me, in an unbiased way, that encouraged me to keep going and just keep performing. It was the “yes” I needed in my daily rejection. I look back now and wouldn’t have changed anything. My resilience and faith in God would be the foundation I would currently be reminded of in my life right now.
Empire State of Mind.
The light that was shining on me then continues to shine on me now. In spite of the institutional and unremitting financial hardships I suffered as a low-income student at New York University, I will say I’ve found a home away from home-with people who are talented, beautiful, inspiring and kind. I have so much love and support from my community of like-minded individuals. Building ensembles, collaborating on new works, and bringing fresh faces to iconic roles made my time at NYU enjoyable. I cannot wait to see what’s in store for me next!!
WHAT’S UP WITH ME NOW?
Check me out on American Sports Story: Gladiator on HULU 9/17. I’m in the finale episode. You don’t want to miss it :)
I’m writing a play dedicated to the youth and a screenplay dedicated to my Nana.