“It's terrifying to think about all things that were awful for you. But for me, sharing all of them was so satisfying, because people read them and get to go, "Oh, okay, I don't have to feel so shitty about that," or maybe even, "Why was I feeling so shitty about that? I should own that and learn from that." Those are the sorts of stories I want to tell.” PeopleThinkingFeelingsOkay Author:Kelly Oxford
“My strength has always been my family and my friends who are like family. The business can chew you up and spit you out and if you don't have some calm in the storm, it's a very lonely journey. My family and friends love me whether I'm working or not and that makes all the difference.” JourneyLonelyMy FamilyCalmStormFamily And Friends Author:Melanie Nicholls-King
“There were many low points and times I doubted myself at work. I've heard no many more times than I've heard yes and there have been long periods in between jobs where money became very tight and I wondered how I was going to pay my bills. I've had to borrow money from friends and family to get by sometimes. That's the part of the 'overnight' success that people don't see. The struggle is real.” PeopleLongRealSometimesStruggleFamily And FriendsDoubted Author:Melanie Nicholls-King
“Create a life outside of acting work that fulfills you and feeds your soul. Nurture your relationships - family and friends. Stay ready and open for those opportunities that will come as a direct result of that readiness and openness. Only stay in it as long as it feeds your soul.” LongSoulOpportunityActingDirectYour SoulOpennessOur RelationshipNurtureFamily And Friends Author:Melanie Nicholls-King
“When there's more lows than highs and I'm not just talking financially, it may be time to see what else is out there for you. Even at this point, I am open to the possibility that there may be another chapter on the horizon and I trust that I'll know in my heart when it's time to close the chapter on this one. I am much more than just an actor. It is what I do now and I try not to get boxed in by the belief that that is all I have to offer the world as my work.” WorldTryingHeartBeliefPossibilityMy Heart Author:Melanie Nicholls-King
“I want to be remembered as an actor who was able to touch people with what I offered to the world. That a young person, especially a young black woman will look at me and see herself and know that she too can achieve whatever dream her heart creates.” PeopleWorldHeartDreamBlackAchieveLook At MeBlack Women Author:Melanie Nicholls-King
“I want to be remembered as kind and generous of spirit and someone who loved to laugh and that I never took my blessings or other people for granted. That the stories I chose to tell benefited the world in some way instead of taking away from it. When I am remembered, I want that person to have a smile on their face.” PeopleWorldKindSpiritLaughingBlessingGrantedGenerousMy Blessing Author:Melanie Nicholls-King
“It took a pretty drastic moment to shift my thinking towards visual arts. I got to a moment in my writing career when I wasn't trusting the language, I was really not trusting the written language, the English language. How do you work with a material that you don't have trust in? I had to step away from it and find another way of articulating and I had to do it without words.” ThinkingWritingArtMomentsLanguageEnglish LanguageVisual ArtDrasticNot Trusting Author:Truong Tran
“The politics of language and the politics of writing really got to me. I've heard this phrase more than once now: this idea of the poetry wars, or the idea that people within the space of writing are at odds with one another or manipulating language to further one's political stance, manipulating language in ways that really felt dirty to me. All of these things worked their way into and through language for me.” PeopleWritingWarPoliticalLanguageDirty Author:Truong Tran
“It is just so satisfying to create work that is beyond the framework of language. I think for me that when I make art, I allow myself the opportunity to think with my hands as well. The thing about writing is that you're constantly grappling with every word, because it is removed from the consideration of words in many ways, it can just allow you to move through the art. I discover things in the act of making.” ThinkingWritingArtMovingOpportunityLanguageConsideration Author:Truong Tran
