Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jenina Kibuka. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jenina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

On a macro level, I think success is something you have to define for yourself. Particularly in an industry that’s as highly competitive as this one. Learning to find as much value in every rejection as you do with each win is vital to not only a fulfilling career, but to your tenacity as a creative being. Setbacks in this industry are inevitable. But learning from them and turning them into lessons that will further hone and evolve your writing is key to defining success on your own terms.

On a more granular level, I think it ultimately boils down to talent, a thick skin, perseverance, and luck. Working as a television writer requires a great deal of self-discipline. And there are many pathways that can lead you to becoming one – working as an assistant, networking or even crossing over from another industry. The great thing about television writing is that it’s never too late to start or break-in. But the most important tool to have in your arsenal is a great pilot script. No matter what your path looks like, a great pilot is key to best positioning yourself to landing a writing job. And if it’s an amazing one, it may be the only thing you actually need to do to get a job.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

While I’m originally from Houston, Texas, I’m a first-generation American of Ugandan and Nigerian descent. My mother is a Ugandan Catholic and my late father was a Nigerian Muslim. And because I grew up in a home where cultural and religious celebrations of holidays/feast days representative of both my parents’ respective religions and cultures were celebrated, my draw to storytelling has always been rooted in the complexity of identity.

Growing up, I was always an avid reader of the kinds of literature that reflected how I felt.. not quite Ugandan or Nigerian enough and rarely like a ‘typical’ American.. but more like an ‘other.’ Whether it was about creatures betwixt as the sum of other cultures or awkward misfits treated as outliers of society, I reveled in these stories because I felt seen. And I now realize honing my tooth for literature from Chinua Achebe, C.S. Lewis, Katherine Patterson & Camara Laye is what served as the basis for my interest in storytelling. Specifically, genre-bending stories centered around culturally specific narratives rooted in the promise of hope, redemption and survival.

I further cultivated that interest at Syracuse University, where I studied screenwriting and African-American studies. And after graduating with a B.S. in Television, Radio & Film, I moved to Los Angeles with the intent of becoming a TV writer. However, I quickly learned that I had better odds of become a professional baseball player than becoming a TV writer. So after about a dozen informational interviews with Syracuse Alums (forever thankful for our alumni network), I discovered my best bet at even standing a shot at becoming a television writer was to try to work my way up as an assistant. And thus began my seven year tenure as an entertainment assistant.

I began my career in the entertainment industry as an assistant at Creative Artists Agency in the television department. From there, I went on to work as an assistant at a television production company, a showrunner’s assistant and finally as a TV writers’ assistant before I finally had the opportunity to interview for a spot in a writers’ room.

Thanks to a writer I previously worked for, I’d been highly recommended to the showrunner, and after she read my script, she ended up hiring me as a staff writer. I went on to work on other shows and my credits include “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”, “For All Mankind”, “P-Valley” and “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.”

Reflecting back on these past few years, I’m very proud of the work I’ve done and the people I’ve met and have been mentored by along the way – particularly those who encouraged me to keep writing. Early on, there were many times when money was tight and I worried if this career path would pan out for me. So I’m incredibly grateful to have had a support system that encouraged me to dig down deep and persevere long enough to finally get a both literal and figurative seat at the table.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think what I’m most proud of is that people have connected with what I have to say. Whether that’s been shows that I’ve written on or my own projects, the ability to connect with people on a deep, emotional level is an incredibly transformative experience and is what I truly love the most about this profession.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

As a first-generation American, the power of perspective in storytelling has always been of interest to me. Particularly, exploring this notion of how we view ourselves in relation to how others view us.

And because I’ve grappled with the complexities of my identity, I’ve always been enthralled at how stories have the power to influence identity, shape stereotypes and build pathways to empathy. As I’ve come of age, I’ve come to realize that by navigating different cultures, my ability to see the world through more than one lens is, in a way, an emotional superpower.

All of which, is what motivates me to tell genre-bending stories that enable audiences to look at one another more clearly with compassion and courage. It’s my hope that by telling stories centered around culturally-specific narratives, they provide a gateway to truth-telling, as well as bridge chasms, connecting us in our common experiences as they reflect that more often than not, we have more in common than that which divides us.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @jenina_anike
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenina.kibuka
• Twitter: @jskibuka