We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Diana Atai. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Diana below.

Hi Diana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my web series Alicia & Jerome. I am creative but I also have a 9 to 5 to support myself daily. Writing Alicia & Jerome was my way of expressing my frustration with working in Corporate America as a black woman while also trying to shape my identity at the time. It allowed me to write and share a story specific to my situation. With the second season, I focused more on self-love & self-worth. We also had a bigger budget to work with. We are doing well with film festivals this season because it is relatable but also pretty honest in the most simple way. To date, we’ve won three awards! I wrote, produced, and directed this second season which wasn’t easy but it was very fulfilling. I’m glad I pushed through.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I got my start as a kid. I loved to sing and perform back then. I was super shy so I preferred singing in choirs. I performed mostly in church and school musicals. As I became more confident in my twenties I returned to the arts through acting mostly. However, I also enjoy the writing process as well as directing. I have been considering taking on writing and directing for other actors/creatives. If that interests anyone, feel free to reach out to me through my site: www.dianaatai.com.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think it’s so important to support other artists and creatives. You can support the community by attending plays, buying tickets to shows, donating to project fundraisers, liking/sharing/subscribing on social media…and if you’re in an acting class – stay until the last person finishes their scene. Even if it’s 2 a.m. It goes a long way.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Resilience. When I moved to Los Angeles, I consistently received feedback that I wasn’t a leading lady or even castable. Hollywood in 2010 was very different. It wasn’t common to see a black female lead in anything. Things have changed now to where we have more successful black actresses in this industry than ever before. For me, it’s even more inspiring to see my African sisters doing so well. I’m glad that I stuck around even after being told I’d never accomplish anything in Hollywood or be seen as castable. I’ve since been in The Rookie on ABC and in Sitting in Bars with Cake (starring Yara Shahidi). This was the result of hearing several no’s and writing scenes for my reel that eventually led to the right opportunities. As they say, never say never.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dianaatai.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dianaatai/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diana.la.emuge
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dianaatai7782