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

TyKaia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

This is a hard question to answer. Every project I’ve worked on has carried meaning to me, however, I would say the one I’m developing right now is the most personal. It’s a story based on the true events of another person’s life, but I deeply resonate with it and I hope others do too. I can’t say much, but I look forward to sharing it with the world, particularly for Black girls and women. This story is for them—us.

I encourage readers to listen to my audio drama ‘Dorothy & Marilyn.’ It’s a little sneak peek into what’s coming next.

TyKaia, 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?

I am a writer/director and producer whose work centers on journeying through Blackness, queerness, and womanhood. I’ve been a storyteller since I was a child, putting on plays and writing short stories, but I didn’t start working professionally until a couple of years ago.

I’ve written and directed several projects, from PSAs and commercials to short films and documentaries. The first project I ever produced was my audio drama, and it taught me so much about the role of a producer. It was incredibly rewarding to see something that I had overseen from start to finish being received so positively. I’m very excited about the future of my film career. One day, I’d like to branch out into playwriting as well.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I saw Beyoncé last August. I’ve always known she was superwoman; some of my earliest memories are of my mom listening to Bey, and even as a kid, I understood how good she made Black women feel about themselves. Now being older and an artist myself, I’m a lot more receptive to Beyoncé’s work in a way that I wasn’t before. I understand the vulnerability of an artist. I could see and feel the story she was telling through the way she arranged the setlist. I could tell when a particular song or verse touched a soft spot. Everything was intentional. I left the venue feeling something so beautiful and surreal, it was my aurora borealis.

Falling in love with and completely surrendering to the art of someone else is the most rewarding experience, both as an artist and a human being.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @tykaiariley
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/tykaiariley/
• Youtube: @tykaiariley

Image Credits
Shane Hall