We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sonia Jackson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sonia below.
Sonia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I initially pursued a path in the corporate world, serving as a human resources manager within diverse industries like banking, finance, research & development, and aerospace.
The turning point emerged when I sought to propel my career forward and enrolled in an empowering coaching program. Interestingly, nearly 90% of my fellow participants were from the entertainment industry, sparking engaging discussions on production, direction, acting, stand-up, and the creative process. It was exhilarating.
Reflecting back, like most children, I explored various activities to discover my interests. As a child the skeletal structure of my legs needed correction, so my parents enrolled me in dance classes at a young age—ballet, modern, and jazz became my passion.
This passion endured throughout my youth and into college, where, despite majoring in sociology, I spent more time immersed in the theater department than composing sociology papers. Curiously, the idea of a career in the creative arts never crossed my mind until that coaching program.
As I absorbed the tales and experiences of fellow participants in the entertainment realm, something clicked. I had always been a natural storyteller, entertaining friends and children with my narratives. That’s when I decided to dip my toes into stand-up comedy, and yay! – the audience responded with laughter. Frustrations in my business career due to unfair practices led me to pirouette, and since then, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this exciting artistic journey.
Looking back, I believe we should guide children not just by asking, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” but by inquiring about their interests and passions, and encouraging them to explore those areas further. It took me a while to ask myself those crucial questions and make the leap, but I eventually did, and I’ve never looked back.
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?
To be perfectly honest I didn’t actually have a career plan, except for my desire to teach, likely influenced by my father’s career in teaching and my mother’s prowess as a concert pianist. While my father wanted to teach music, he ended up teaching high school drivers ed due to limited positions. My mother, too, adapted by giving piano lessons. College didn’t provide a clear career path, leaving me feeling devoid of practical skills. An connection with a job placement expert changed my perspective. She emphasized that a single job doesn’t have to be for a lifetime; we can have multiple careers or facets within one career.
Though headed toward a corporate career, I pirouetted into stand-up comedy to build my resume. Yet, the late-night club scene clashed with my day job, so I shifting to acting, where I found joy in character work. Encouraged by a friend, I crafted my inaugural one-woman show, “I’m Gonna Fly,” recounting the inspiring tale of Bessie Coleman, the first licensed black Aviatrix in the 1920s. Her story of triumph over adversity fueled my ambition to empower others to pursue their dreams, transcending obstacles.
My journey is to continue creating edutainment projects that support the mission to empower women, in particular, women over 50 to recognize their brilliance and beauty. I am fueled by the impact they have on audiences—mothers altering their conversations with daughters, men gaining deeper understanding of women, and ultimately, stories that positively touch lives. My purpose lies in illuminating the inherent strength and beauty in every individual, making a lasting difference through storytelling.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
A major lesson I’ve had to unlearn revolved around not taking things personally. For years, my unwavering belief in a Higher Universal Energy shaped my spirituality. However, my career in the entertainment industry challenged it.
Having a strong foundation in self-belief, I unexpectedly stumbled after auditioning for a role in a dental hygiene program for children. The audition felt flawless; the room resonated with laughter and energy. Despite my confidence, I never received a call back. Doubt crept in, questioning my abilities and worth.
This self-doubt undermined other auditions without my awareness. A decade later, at a party, an unexpected revelation. A young woman remembered my audition saying, “You were great.” I responded with, “Yeah, I was so great they didn’t hire me.” She went on to say, “Yes, the director felt you were going to be working in feature films inside of six months and he didn’t want to hire you and have you quit.”
This revelation shook me — being “too good” had never crossed my mind. It forced me to realign with my spiritual beliefs and understand that I am more than enough. The crucial lesson was to detach my self-worth from external validation, not taking outcomes personally. It taught me to be myself and trust that who I am is enough, regardless of what others think. This realization continues to profoundly changed my path.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I’ve realized that resources are constantly evolving. Comparing the industry now to how it was 30, 20, or even 3 years ago, the changes are monumental. Just consider the evolution of communication, from landlines to cell phones to today’s global-connectivity apps.
Looking at my journey, there are two resources I wish I had embraced earlier. First, seeking out mentors with similar sensibilities could have been invaluable—a guide who understood and believed in me, someone I could turn to for advice and understanding.
Second, grasping the art of networking in a mutually beneficial manner would have been incredibly beneficial. Understanding how to build meaningful connections with others could have significantly shaped my path in a more positive direction. Early on, I had a misguided idea about having to do it all by myself, which I now know wasn’t necessary or beneficial. That’s another thing I unlearned.
The Girls Talkin’, one of Sonia’s signature shows explores the wise, whimsical wonders of women & their relationship with their breasts returns to the stage November 5th live and live streamed, then streams through November 19th, a part of the BFF Binge Fringe Festival of Free Theatre. Sonia’s gift to the community to kick-off GivingTuesday. For more information: https://
Contact Info:
- Website: https://visionsofpossibilities.org/
- Instagram: @SoniaJacksonVisions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoniaJacksonVisions
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/soniajacksonvisions
- Twitter: @SoniaVisions
- Other: Sonia Jackson/IMDb. – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0414052
Image Credits
Anna Kupershmidt, Wonder Woman Photography, Rosie De Candia (from video), SM Playhouse Stream Feed