artist statement.

The core of my work is driven by representation.

Absolutely, from a race perspective. But also from an emotional and intellectual perspective as well. 

When I was kid, I would often turn to media to process my feelings. I still do now. I make emotional sense of the most difficult situations through films, music and images. I seek characters who are placed in similar circumstances and see how they navigate. What they are thinking. Where they go. How they do it. Where they end up on the other side of a devastating situation. I see where they intersect with my life.

People go to the theatre to escape. Not all. But some do. I do it for them. I had a wonderful teacher at the National Theatre School tell me “Someone needs to hear the story you’re telling. They’ve shown up tonight just to hear this story. They needed an escape from their own life, and now they’re here”. I will never forget that statement. I remind myself for every project that I collaborate on; someone needs to hear the story being told. If I am able to fuel and captivate a world that relieves someone from their everyday life; I am deeply grateful for the work my collective is curating. 

Making someone feel heard, recognized and empowered is the bedrock to my artistry.