Writer
Writing became my first love at a very early age. As an avid reader and lover of Hip Hop, I became enthralled with words and their endless power of self-expression. At thirteen, I started writing poems and rhymes, and later, that expanded into short stories and a few attempts at a novel during my early adult years. In 1994, while attending the University of Memphis, the Black Student Association presented a production of Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf. It was here that I fell in love with theatre. After supporting local Black theatre through the Memphis Black Repertory Theatre, Bluff City Tri-Art Theatre Company and Hattiloo Repertory Theatre as a patron, stage manager, and extra, I was able to find my artistic voice as a playwright. By reading and studying published plays, I learned the structure of developing a script and in November 2010, my first stage play, FOUR WOMEN, had a successful debut at the Evergreen Theater. In May 2013, my second stage play, The Man Store, debuted at TheatreWorks Memphis for two successful weekends and again, in November 2013 for one encore weekend. My mission as a playwright is to continue to expand on the present legacy of Black theatre while creating a space for my artistic message of diverse, multifaceted Black characters and stories. In the very near future, I will release a novel or two as well as embark in the indie film industry to continue this mission. My brand of activism is combined with my artistic vision. Through my work, I am hoping to generate dialogue and spark some individual action. Also, I am developing projects that will meet the underserved needs of the Black community as a whole. I am particularly interested in advancing the social, economic, and cultural development of the African Diaspora.
Entrepreneur
During my time working in corporate environments, my dream of being an entrepreneur stayed with me. It was never my intention to retire from a corporate position at all, but rather, build a company that can be passed on to future generations. I knew at the tender age of sixteen that I wasn't cut out to be an employee, but rather a free spirit that initiates and manages several business ventures at once. My mother kept a subscription to Black Enterprise magazine because of me. I read each copy from cover to cover, with the intention of gracing the cover myself, one day. With over seventeen years of experience, I consider myself quite capable at doing several things because I made a point to learn as I worked within various positions. For instance, I can develop innovative public relations concepts and programs that will help organizations, clients, and other artists achieve their objectives of reaching niche markets. My areas of expertise include Traditional & Social Media Marketing, Public Relations, Professional Writing, Project Management, Program and Concept Design, and Events Planning. I hold a Bachelor in Business Administration in Marketing Management and a Master of Science in Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Memphis.
Currently, I am the Founder and CEO of Harkins House Productions, a company that combines my love for art and business. Harkins House Productions is a for-profit arts-related company that specializes in original stage plays, cultural events, and community service.
Educator
So, yeah, remember that Master of Science degree I mentioned earlier in this bio? Well, that was acquired through the College of Education with a concentration in Leadership. I am a strong advocate for educational overhaul, I mean, reform. Throughout my research and community work, I have found that there's specific groups of children, primarily Black and Latino, who are trailing behind in educational achievement. In addition, their unique needs doesn't seem to factor into the equation when it comes to developing curriculum standards and testing measures. To that end, I am working on a few programs that will serve as supplemental/support for existing curricula. My work in Education is largely in a consulting capacity, working directly with other educators, administrators, parents, and students to improve educational outcomes. There's more information about those services on this website.
So, now you know a bit more about me. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me here.
Writing became my first love at a very early age. As an avid reader and lover of Hip Hop, I became enthralled with words and their endless power of self-expression. At thirteen, I started writing poems and rhymes, and later, that expanded into short stories and a few attempts at a novel during my early adult years. In 1994, while attending the University of Memphis, the Black Student Association presented a production of Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf. It was here that I fell in love with theatre. After supporting local Black theatre through the Memphis Black Repertory Theatre, Bluff City Tri-Art Theatre Company and Hattiloo Repertory Theatre as a patron, stage manager, and extra, I was able to find my artistic voice as a playwright. By reading and studying published plays, I learned the structure of developing a script and in November 2010, my first stage play, FOUR WOMEN, had a successful debut at the Evergreen Theater. In May 2013, my second stage play, The Man Store, debuted at TheatreWorks Memphis for two successful weekends and again, in November 2013 for one encore weekend. My mission as a playwright is to continue to expand on the present legacy of Black theatre while creating a space for my artistic message of diverse, multifaceted Black characters and stories. In the very near future, I will release a novel or two as well as embark in the indie film industry to continue this mission. My brand of activism is combined with my artistic vision. Through my work, I am hoping to generate dialogue and spark some individual action. Also, I am developing projects that will meet the underserved needs of the Black community as a whole. I am particularly interested in advancing the social, economic, and cultural development of the African Diaspora.
Entrepreneur
During my time working in corporate environments, my dream of being an entrepreneur stayed with me. It was never my intention to retire from a corporate position at all, but rather, build a company that can be passed on to future generations. I knew at the tender age of sixteen that I wasn't cut out to be an employee, but rather a free spirit that initiates and manages several business ventures at once. My mother kept a subscription to Black Enterprise magazine because of me. I read each copy from cover to cover, with the intention of gracing the cover myself, one day. With over seventeen years of experience, I consider myself quite capable at doing several things because I made a point to learn as I worked within various positions. For instance, I can develop innovative public relations concepts and programs that will help organizations, clients, and other artists achieve their objectives of reaching niche markets. My areas of expertise include Traditional & Social Media Marketing, Public Relations, Professional Writing, Project Management, Program and Concept Design, and Events Planning. I hold a Bachelor in Business Administration in Marketing Management and a Master of Science in Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Memphis.
Currently, I am the Founder and CEO of Harkins House Productions, a company that combines my love for art and business. Harkins House Productions is a for-profit arts-related company that specializes in original stage plays, cultural events, and community service.
Educator
So, yeah, remember that Master of Science degree I mentioned earlier in this bio? Well, that was acquired through the College of Education with a concentration in Leadership. I am a strong advocate for educational overhaul, I mean, reform. Throughout my research and community work, I have found that there's specific groups of children, primarily Black and Latino, who are trailing behind in educational achievement. In addition, their unique needs doesn't seem to factor into the equation when it comes to developing curriculum standards and testing measures. To that end, I am working on a few programs that will serve as supplemental/support for existing curricula. My work in Education is largely in a consulting capacity, working directly with other educators, administrators, parents, and students to improve educational outcomes. There's more information about those services on this website.
So, now you know a bit more about me. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me here.