We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rojonna Luv Handy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Rojonna Luv, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I feel blessed that I was given the responsibility to be a creative. As an actress, Dancer, and Filmmaker, it gives me great pleasure to be able to express myself creatively. To turn my feelings and my thoughts into a visual representation gives me an adrenaline that I cannot describe. To be surrounded by other creatives and be inspired by their works gives me an adrenaline that I cannot describe. So, it ABSOLUTELY gives me pure joy to be a creative. Yet, as much joy as it brings me, it is one of the most hardest titles to pursue. The term “starving Artist” is all the way real. Consistency is not always something that happens as a creative and stability is hard to come by . You are constantly on the prowl looking for the next opportunity. During tough times, I tend to wonder how much easier it would’ve been to have pursued something more stable. I was a Special Ed Teacher Assistant for 11 years of my life and as it was great to have consistency financially, it failed me with consistently fulfilling me within. Do I go for financial stability or fulfilling stability? Do I pursue my passions or my pockets? Do I live in faith or do I live in fear? I chose and continue to choose to FULFILL my PASSIONS in FAITH. And although it gets hard and I find myself in some tough situations I can honestly say I have joy in chaos and peace that makes no sense. Cheers to us Creatives!!!!

Rojonna Luv, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born and raised in the small town of New Haven, CT. My artistry started in Dance at the age of one. I’ve studied Ballet, Pointe, Jazz, Modern, Tap, Hip Hop, West African, and Musical Theater. By the age of 14, I started my career teaching Dance. My first experience teaching, I taught Ballet and Jazz to a city-funded after school program for low income students which gave me an appreciation for community. Throughout my formative years, I attended Art schools and Theater camps, that developed my love for ACTING, WRITING and ENTERTAINING. In 2018, I started taking classes at New York Film and Television school learning on camera etiquette. The following year I decided to fully go after my dreams as an Actress, Dancer, Filmmaker and Entertainer, and I relocated to Los Angeles, California. I studied at Richard Lawson studios learning Auditioning & Acting skills as well as filmmaking, making it a business for myself. I recently graduated from an online course at NYU|TISCH Film & TV program, developing my Writing, Directing, Marketing & Distributing, Film & TV skills.

My dream is to own a Major Film Studio (Luv Studios) that will also serve as a Performing Arts Center, as well as an Arts program for children with Autism. I am here as a servant available and ready to help in any way I can. I want to create a space where people feel comfortable and safe within themselves and their experiences, not letting what you’ve been through define YOU but YOU define it.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My drive is my Raison D’etre (reason for existence) which I realized after moving to Los Angeles. My purpose is to make a huge impact in the world. I am a vessel being used to tell my stories (testimonies) and share my gifts to encourage and set souls free. God has given me stories to tell the world through film. Nothing in this world moves without a story and I never understood or accepted the stories of my life until I realized they were given to me for my purpose/mission. God has directed me on how to turn my trials into my treasures and that has made me an Artivist. My work will bring about change individually and collectively, socially and politically. My goal is to help others who have gone through similar adversities as I have and create spaces for them through funding from my art. I don’t create solely for my pleasure but to get messages out that will elevate and inspire souls in hopes to make the world a better place.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

To shift to turn to revolve. Isn’t life a constant pivot? Indeed, we are constantly pivoting. In life there is always an obstacle that will require one to have a turning point. I see pivoting as a fortuity to realign, relearn and evolve. You learn your strengths and weaknesses every time the opportunity presents itself to shift. In order to go from glory to glory I’ve learned to accept the pivot.
Winter of 2021, I interviewed for a Studio Assistant position for a major film studio owned by a very popular and successful Actor. This opportunity would be a life changer for me and two months later I got hired for the job! I was ecstatic, yet, being that it was a brand new studio I had to wait until Spring of 2022 to officially start. I’ve been trying to manifest a Film Studio position since 2019 and I finally got it. I’ve waited this long so I didn’t mind waiting a couple more months. This was a huge break and I was grateful to FINALLY “get in the room” and grow in the industry. Spring came and went, now it is July and I end up finding out that the studio had to close down indefinitely. WHAT!!!! HOW??? This was my break, this was my manifestation, this was MINE. I waited years for this, I finally got it, waited months to start and the door was shut in my face. I stopped applying to jobs, I didn’t take any other opportunities because, well, why would I? So, what now? It was time to pivot. I’m currently still pivoting but in the midst of it I’m learning so much about my strengths and capabilities. It has been a tough tilt but I’ve realized how much drive and passion I have for what I want. I suggest to those who are in a pivot to first give yourself grace, second keep an open mind about where your shift is leading you to and third free yourself from any expectations and disappointments so that you can surrender to your new path. You never know where your pivot will grow (go).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rojonnahandy.wixsite.com/my-site
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jonnaluv
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rojonna.handy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rojonnaluvhandy/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jonnaluv1357

Image Credits
Mark Murphy