We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful LaRaisha Dionne. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with LaRaisha below.
LaRaisha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
In 2019, my husband and I endured the heartbreak of a miscarriage. Our first. We were in jobs we were good at but didn’t love and in a house that was falling apart—a life that was falling apart. There was a moment right after the surgery to help my body continue its natural process of miscarrying that a lightning bolt like energy struck my body. In that moment, I knew that I had to leave my salaried, government job with benefits and retirement to pursue my Masters in Performance. My husband agreed and placed his full confidence and support in me. It was the scariest risk I’ve taken to date. Our little baby that was lost came to me in a post-anesthetic dream and said “Momma, you have to pursue your passions and dreams with a fire unlike any you’ve had before.” So I followed that spirit of fire and applied to graduate school. We landed in Detroit and two years later we own our first home, a beautiful historic property. I have one more year of graduate school. Successful voiceover career and my husband was just promoted. I have found that oftentimes, we are made uncomfortable in our current lives because the promise of something better is waiting for us to transform and exit the cocoon so we can fly to that better version of our life and ourself.
LaRaisha, 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?
Of course! I am an MFA candidate in the Theatre & Dance department at Wayne State University. A professional actress, singer, writer, and former arts administrator from Wilmington, North Carolina; I graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Musical Theater in 2008.
I was selected the 2022 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Irene Ryan Acting Award Winner for the Midwest Region and recently was awarded the Mark Twain 1st place prize for Comic Performance at the National Level. I have won 2 best actress awards and 1 best supporting actress award for her work. I am a national Voiceover Actress, I’m repped by DDO Artists Agency in New York, Chicago, and LA, repped for audiobook narration by Deyan Audio in Los Angeles, CA, and an Actor’s Equity Union Member and SAG/AFTRA eligible. National campaigns include Sephora, DoorDash, LabCorp, Tidal Music, Pepsi, MarketerHire, Staples, and ILM Airport.
From 2015-2020, I served as the Director of Operations of the Wilson Center for the Performing Arts at Cape Fear Community College and served as Secretary for the Commission on African American History for the City of Wilmington in Wilmington, NC.
In addition to being an actress, director, and Pilates instructor—I am the CEO of Believe in Play Productions founded in Detroit that has produced voiceover content, filmed and theatrical productions in its short 2 year history. I was recently name one of 10 semi-finalists for the Obsidian Theatre Festival in Detroit for my original play and will have a nationally aired reading in June 2022 and world premiere in Detroit in November 2022.
I utilize my interdisciplinary artistic skills to create a variety of content and services for Fortune500 companies and local businesses. My primary focus is my voiceover work, as both an actress and producer. I recently produced several radio spots and B2B voiceover products for an International Airport in North Carolina.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
The arts industry has one of the highest GDPs in the United States. Even during a Global pandemic, the arts play a huge role in our Nation’s economy. It’s often overlooked as a financially viable market beyond Hollywood but it contributes significantly in all mediums and boosts local economies. The best way to support the arts is to vote in every election for candidates that understand the economic and societal importance of a democracy that rallies behind its artists and arts organizations with funding, legislation, and support on a National scale. We provide a mirror and context that is vital to understanding our existence and purpose on this planet and in this life. Look around your home, your apartment, your office, your favorite places to go and imagine those places without the paintings, furniture, decorations, tv, movies, music, books…your life is surrounded by art and the work of artists. If it creates value in your life, then it should be treated as such and supported by policies that help artists and arts organizations continue their hard work.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding moments come when a person says they saw themselves or their life experience in my work. I recently did a show called Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and two moments occurred that affirmed my journey as an artist. A young mixed race woman told me that it was her first time seeing a play and seeing someone that looked like her onstage made her feel deeply seen as a human being. Imagine being able to impact someone else’s life by simply existing and taking up space? Another moment during a talkback for that same show came when an elderly man asked me what the solution to racism was. I told him I didn’t have a solution but that we must treat racism as the disease that it is and he was moved to tears because he said he hadn’t thought of it in that way before. As an artist, my job is explore the depths of our humanity. The joy. The pain. The ugly bits no one talks about. I can live just outside of lines of polite behavior and be a mirror so others can see themselves more clearly. That is so rewarding to me because I feel like I can help move us forward into a better future by showing us who we are and where we come from.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @laraishadionne
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/feroshamama
Image Credits
LaRaisha Dionne Taylor Craft