Meet Rashad J

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rashad J.

Rashad, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I was a kid who was pretty quiet in school and didn’t have any friends. Due to an accident when I was five years old, some of the nerves in my left eye were damaged and I was left with a severely lazy eye. It was something I was extremely insecure about and something that kids picked on me for. My Dad ended up paying for me to have corrective eye surgery when I was nine years old. By age 12, my eye began to shift back to being lazy — just not as much. So I felt like it was something I would forever be stuck with. I didn’t care to make eye contact or take photos because I could notice it. My eye would stick out like a sore thumb.

Right out of high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to go to college but I was lost on how to do so without the help of my parents. I truly had to get out into the world and figure things out for myself. I made mistakes and had to learn from them all the hard way. I worked dead-end call center jobs and somehow had surrounded myself with people who truly didn’t have the same vision I had. I didn’t feel like I had to proper direction to know what path to take in my early adulthood.

In 2016, I attempted suicide. I was depressed and the main reason being that I felt like the life I was living did not reflect who I wanted to be. I felt like I had messed up like I was behind when I compared myself to others and had nothing to offer myself or the world at that point. Now I’m an advocate for suicide prevention and awareness. Before I was almost a victim, I was not as aware of how suicide and suicidal thoughts can affect people. No one around me knew that I had gotten to that point. I displayed all the signs but everyone was so used to me being the go-to guy, the guy who was always resourceful, and the guy who was always bubbly and energetic. I felt like I was everyone’s “Super Man” but no one understood that Super Man gets tired at times too.

I attended therapy for a year after the attempt and I learned so much about myself.
1. I learned how comparing myself to other people was the thief of joy. I couldn’t compare myself to anyone else’s success as my journey was just that —mines.
2. I learned to practice more self-care. I learned how important it is to say NO sometimes. I learned what it truly means when people say, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” I have to take care of ME too!

That’s actually when I realized that life was short and that I wanted to go for everything I wanted in my life. I always knew I wanted to get into TV and film.

It has been anything but an easy road. I quit my job in 2016 and began by attending networking mixers and met a few people who introduced me to background acting and stand-in work. Financially, it was really hard at first to pay rent and have the time to follow my dreams. Anything worth having though is worth sacrificing for. I began cutting back, learning to live on less so I could shift my focus towards tv and film.

**Fun fact: I met Lee Daniels on the set of Star (on Fox) and he taught me a trick when it came to me being more comfortable with my lazy eye in the camera.

I truly lived the struggling artist life. In 2017, I began the year by auditioning for an airline commercial. I didn’t get it and got my first taste of what it’s like to truly be an artist and face rejection. But I picked up and kept going. I began to be booked everyday on the set of Star on Fox as a background actor and from there I went on to being a Stand-In (second team behind the scenes) Later in that year — I got robbed at gunpoint in Downtown Atlanta and then a few weeks later I was attacked and got my nose broken. All things that should’ve shaken me to my core. I decided to not let my circumstances get to me. I decided to not give up and keep it moving. My motto, to this day, is no matter what, keep moving.

Still, on my journey, I have gone on to work as a production assistant on a few productions and learned that the production side of things is where my heart lies. I have been focusing my energy on creating my own content — a YouTube or podcast (still haven’t decided). I’ve honestly let fear stop me a few times over the last few years but now I’ve finally conquered that fear and am ready to embark on that journey. I’m a recurring host on a podcast for now and my own YouTube or podcast will be launching before the end of the year. I have so much of my personality that I want to share with the world but

Lately, I’ve been working a “9-5” in property management to finance the dream and working as a program director of a non profit and working as a production assistant for different productions, In this coming January, I’ll be shifting gears a little so I can focus on finishing my degree at Clark Atlanta which the new semester begins in the Spring while working my 9-5.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been anything BUT a smooth road. I quit my job in 2016 and began by attending networking mixers and met a few people who introduced me to background acting and stand-in work. Financially, it was really hard at first to pay rent and have the time to follow my dreams. Struggling to pay my bills, go on auditions, and all the other components of being an artist, my finances began to crumble and due to me just having a poor foundation when it came to financial literacy — I had to file for bankruptcy. But of course, I didn’t let that stop me. Anything worth having though is worth sacrificing for. I began cutting back, learning to live on less so I could shift my focus towards tv and film… From there a responsible adult was born!

What else should our readers know?
While I don’t have my business legally registered in the state, I LOVE to cook. I could see myself opening up a food truck and then a restaurant and lounge later in life.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I feel like my resilience is most important to my success.

“No matter what, keep going.”

No matter what has ever come my way, I overcome it. I know that nothing is too big for God, and I also know that no matter what –everything will be okay because there is power in your thoughts. So I always think positive. Life will always come with obstacles. Its all in how we view them and how we respond to them. For me, I truly believe that great things will be and so they are!

Trust God, believe in yourself, believe in your own strength and do whatever it takes to come out on top! Make sure you recognize the lesson that will come from your obstacles as that is what, I feel, truly builds a strong person.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @therashad.j

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