We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shakyra Dunn a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shakyra , thanks for joining us today. Some of the most interesting parts of our journey emerge from areas where we believe something that most people in our industry do not – do you have something like that?

One thing that I’ve always stood for is proper representation being showcased in media. Growing up in a single parent household in Chicago, I was always a bit of a social outcast–the light-skinned Black girl that had a love for anime, video games, and fantasy stories. And when I turned fourteen, I decided to delve into voice work simply by chance, but didn’t pursue it as a passion for another ten years.

Something that I always noticed is that it wasn’t all too often that you could turn on your television and see cartoons that featured either a predominant person of color or even queer cast that also happened to feature a voice cast to match. For the longest time, there were usually only a handful of them and circled around some characters, but especially in anime, it was rare to catch a Black voice actor actually involved in the cast. As times began to shift, and more talent began to rise, so too did people like me, who grew up in the era where we could finally see and hear ourselves AS ourselves and far more. That we could be just as powerful in animation as any others.

But being in the voice acting industry, you come to discover that not a lot of people feel the same. That in a sphere where voice actors can thrive, and step into the shows of spontaneous characters and vibrant worlds, immersion is skin-deep.

More often than not, I see the argument that “voice actors don’t have their faces seen, therefore anyone should be able to voice any character.” And that couldn’t be further from the truth. The beauty of being a voice actor is being able to step into a new world, true, but I’ve always disbelieved that you will have authenticity if a white actor is voicing a Hispanic or Saudi Arabian character. If you wouldn’t see it on the big screen, why should it apply to voice work? And even further, the wonderful thing about how the industry has evolved, is that now there are more opportunities for people that interact in those worlds, and people of color are able to embrace more outside of their own race, such as through anime or animation, video games, commercials… and thrive. And those opportunities are more than deserved.

From my own experiences, I’ve grown up originally as a middle-ground without wanting it. I know my heritage. I grew up with my dark-skinned mother, who saw the world with bright eyes despite hardship at every turn, wanting the best for everyone in her path. And to become an actor myself, and see the world differently as it changes, some things never change, but you strive to see it better for yourself. There is magic in every part of the air, and you have to be willing to claim it. It’s why people create. And why those that were given less, deserve more.

Shakyra , 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?

Hello there! My name is Shakyra Dunn, I am a Black queer voice actor and I thrive on seeing the light in another’s eyes. I have provided voice work for several animations such as the upcoming “Defenders of Alodia” and “Broken Beat: Forth Bringers” as well as video games, audiobooks, and even anime such as “My Deer Friend Nokotan.”

In addition to my voice work, I am also a published fantasy author of a duology–a pair of books entitled “The Final Lesson” and “The Sage’s Reign” as well as an untitled upcoming novel. To this day, this is my greatest accomplishment, sharing my stories with a new audience.

I’ve always loved writing and seeing stories unfold in every degree, but voice acting was something that happened upon me as a teenager. I grew up playing loads of video games, one of the most important to me being a Japanese role-playing game called “Kingdom Hearts,” and it sparked my love of voice work and creating compelling characters to walk through many stages of life, offering guidance and support to anyone in need of it. If I can shape or inspire someone with my voice, then for me, it is a day well won.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I grew up in southside Chicago in a single-parent household, which is already a strife in itself–anything in the world can change, but crime exists in the most open of regions. Proper education feels scarce, and you find yourself clinging to whatever brings you comfort as you grow, and sometimes you even feel stuck keeping your head down.

But in the end, keeping your head down never prepares you enough for the real world.

My biggest challenges came right after turning eighteen, feeling as though I was on top of the world. I was an honor student, I had plans to attend the University of Houston, and I was planning on becoming a proper writer. All of it spun back on me when my mother suddenly passed away on August 5th, 2012, just ten days before I was going to officially start my life. I didn’t know how to tackle the world. I didn’t know how I was going to survive. And then, more than ever, I was left to realize that I was going to be completely alone. My father wasn’t the most stable person on his own, and my family, I found later in life, didn’t seem interested in keeping me sane enough to move forward.

Still, that day I was scheduled to leave, I ventured to Houston. I stayed in college for one semester only to realize while it was a good decision, it wasn’t one I was meant for, especially with all the harrowing strife in my life. I hadn’t been given the time to properly grieve. I was alone. My grades were slipping, and I couldn’t bring myself to really adjust to things.

It wasn’t until I got to my twenties that I really started to understand myself, and who I was going to become. It became further triggered when my father died a mere three years after my mother, and I realized that I needed to start figuring out the life I was meant for, and to be better for myself above all else if no one else was going to offer me the love and support I’d been desperately missing.

And so, from that day, I decided to make use of my voice. And I share my stories of my past, to help inspire others that may be going through the worst of times in their lives, that they too can survive and live their dreams. That even when there’s no support, there is always someone in your corner. If I can find ways to make it, I feel that anyone can with a helping hand.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal from the start of my adulthood, when everything unraveled, was the driving force to make my mother proud of me. She can never see what I’m doing physically, but so long as I’m moving forward, and getting to experience new places, new people, and do what I love, that’s more than enough to steadily feel like that aspiration is reality.

Sentiment aside, my other slightly selfish goal… I would love to be able to voice in a Japanese role-playing game. It is what got me my creative footing, and I would love the idea of it all coming full-circle.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www,shakyradunnva.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/seerofwords
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shakyradunn
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@seerofwords?si=yFV7kBYuVQ5F-DC4

Image Credits

Rod Con – Waterloo Photo Team (For Rod Con speaking image/promo picture)