We were lucky to catch up with Sermontee Brown recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sermontee, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

They understood their generational traumas were not my fault and that it’s unfair to expose me to a toxic home environment especially since they’re the reason why I’m here and I didn’t ask them to give birth to me. They also made sure to keep me in a child’s place, meaning they just wanted me to enjoy my childhood, and keep my innocence by letting me be a kid and not have to witness or be involved in adult situations. They have always supported my dreams. I knew my parents and my household were different because when I was growing up I would go visiting at my friend’s house and how the atmosphere would be different in my friend’s home. I would see how other kids were being treated and how their parents acted with them. In my group of friends, I’m the only one whose parents are still happily married after 30 years. Don’t get me wrong, my parents aren’t perfect. We had tough times but they made sure I was their number one priority. Anything that didn’t pertain to me directly, they kept away from me unless I definitely needed to know what was happening. Everyone knows someone who’s a parent but doesn’t take care of their child or children. I learned very quickly the difference between loving supportive parents and parents who treat their child or children like they’re an inconvenient imposition in their life. My parents have been and are STILL there for me no matter what. That’s the way it should be. But unfortunately a lot of people don’t act like that with their kid(s). They expect that after a certain age, the kid(s) can take care of themselves and the parents too.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a local performer in Columbus, Ohio. I’m a multitalented artist, from singing and acting to drag. I’ve been performing my whole life. I started at the age of 3 and now it’s the thing that feeds my soul. As a black woman, I automatically stand out. And it’s not just because I’m black, but I’m a plus size black woman. So that adds an extra layer of awareness. So, when I step into a room, automatically I have to prove that I can even be in the room. But thankfully, I’m confident and bold enough to bring my talents to the stage and not let anyone sway me into believing I’m not supposed to be present. The industry I work in requires you to be willing to fight and to show what you can do while also keeping in mind that every opportunity to perform isn’t meant for you. Honestly, that’s the hardest part, not getting too wrapped up in your feelings to where you start to believe that you don’t belong. One thing to remember about me is that I’ll ALWAYS give you a show. If I’m on stage you WILL be entertained no matter what I’m doing.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

For years, I worked at a local theater. I did a lot of work there from kitchen work, to admin work, to performance work. However, the performance part was never truly able to be fully developed. I was always doing small roles in shows. And even though I always gave my best when performing, I was never really given a chance to show my full potential as a performer. The casting manager always chose their favorite performer to be in the major/starring roles in the productions and never gave the “young ones” a chance to develop and display their talents. Because of that, I started to doubt myself and wonder if I’m even good enough to be in the industry. But after I parted ways with that theater and I was given the opportunity to work with other local companies, I started to see that the problem wasn’t me. It was just how I was being treated at the place I was working at. That place didn’t truly value me as a person and as a performer.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Honestly, being a decent human being. I tend to be kind and respectful of others. I’ve been told I’m very nice, very professional. I’m very serious when it comes to my artistry and the work that I do. I try to always bring good energy and positive vibes because that’s what I require in my life. The world can be insane, dark, crazy and dangerous at times. The least I can do is bring peace into my part of the world. Along with that, people have seen the hard work I put in and the passion that I have behind my artistry which I believe has and will continue to take me a long way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/sabrown96?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZEVa2FPXBSus-bYDcWLlOxzSLy1QSbRpNpBmYeiDCyvefR02V0oRuU_7U_aem_Z17_ufmiE4k5SzFk9SVSJg
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartofsab_?igsh=MTlnazQ5dmo3YjFnbQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr