Today we’d like to introduce you to Chere’ Turner.
Chere’, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
From being a little girl watching Victor Newman on the soap operas to watching Oprah and Ricki Lake, I knew I wanted to be an actress and talk show host. It was definitely a journey, but I got my start that day that I stopped being scared. I stopped questioning myself, “What if?” and decided to go for it! I enrolled in acting classes and later started going out on auditions. I was told “NO” many times but that made me more determined to keep going for the “Yes.” Soon I began to do plays that took me on tour and extra roles on television series and movies.
As I continued to pursue acting, I was casted as a Co-Host for a Talk Show with five other women. Though that show fell apart before we could even be pitched, I took in so much from all the traveling, interviews, research and filming. Around that same time, I was signed with an Agent and my auditions were now for Lead and Supporting roles. Unfortunately, I did not book not one role that whole year and was dropped from agent! I never gave up, a few years later, I booked my 1st role on a major network WITHOUT an agent. I began to meet new people, starting having different conversations and saw that it was nothing but fear holding me back. I made a decision to go harder. I started writing the treatment for my talk show and within two months, we started the production for Say Something w/Chere’.
Over the next few years, my personal life felt like it had been hit by a tornado and it made me look back at all the other things I had overcome, which gave me the strength to keep going. As I continued to write episodes and interview guests, I saw that being transparent was the best form of healing. With the help of a publicist, I began to get bookings to host red carpets, moderate panels, emcee and speak at empowerment events as well as high schools. The following year I signed with a Manager and before that year closed out, I had signed with a new Agent… ain’t God faithful!!!! As of today having gone through domestic violence, single parenting, divorce, jailed, homelessness and the death of two siblings and mentally ill mother, I am still standing. Today I am a Media Maven, Co-Author, Producer, and the President of a Domestic Violence Organization. I have appearances on six major television series, an Award-winning independent movie and a beautiful daughter completing her Junior year in college.
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?
Nothing about this journey was smooth. I experienced some highs and lows business-wise and personally. I went through homelessness, domestic violence, single parenting, divorce, jail, no bookings coming in, my rent was late, my car note was late, no medical insurance and my daughter’s senior year/graduation had arrived and college fees were calling my name. I was on my way to being broke! And then… I was broke. I kept pushing my business and found myself in deep prayer many times, asking God for his help.
While those things set me back in many ways, it was nothing like the set back that came from fear, worry and doubt. My goodness, fear and doubt had me questioning the belief I had in myself! I worried if what I was doing was right if it would be received well. I had fear of both failing and succeeding. And you see, while I was in a panic, God was assigning my name to contracts and sending them to my inbox. So, that was the struggle when things got bad. But do you know that you can still struggle even when things are going good? Keep reading. Of all the struggles that I mentioned earlier, none were enough to keep me down. The only struggle that almost counted me out was ME. If I can be real and downright transparent with you, there has been seasons where the spirit of procrastination fell heavy on me!
Especially on that high ride of the roller coaster, where everything was going good. It was a struggle to get out of bed sometimes because “I didn’t have to.” I slept late, spent more money, had all kinds of excuses why I didn’t see progress. I refused to adapt to this whole new marketing, networking and supportive platform called SocialMedia. In addition to all this, I lacked accountability. YES, it’s okay to have someone hold you accountable to your vision and goals; you don’t have to do it alone sis and bro. We sometimes need to get out of our own way.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am known for my dopeness as a Media Maven. A woman who professionally and successfully dominates areas of the entertainment industry. As an actress, it is liberating to be able to tap into different characters and live through the eyes of other people or circumstances, which has allowed me to be relatable and not judgmental. This career has also opened me up to people that reach out to me to share their stories or simply tell me how my journey has inspired them in one way or another. However, many times after speaking with them, I’m the one left inspired or wondering how I can help that that person that is going through a particular difficulty.
While I may not be able to fix/heal the world, as the Producer and Host for Say Something! w/Chere’, there is something I can say and do to help. I use this platform highlight everyday people doing great things, despite what they’ve been through. So while I could be focusing on another celebrity and what they ate today or what they wore, I choose to focus on people who might have other otherwise given up on life considering their circumstance. I focus on encouraging others to do that which they were called to do so that they might save another life. It doesn’t matter how many followers you have, or if what you do looks like the next person. SAY SOMETHING = DOING SOMETHING; it’s the only way to truly live on purpose and it is that very thing that sets me apart from others.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood would have to be the days that all of my family would gather for Sunday dinners. It was such a joy to be amongst all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings and close friends.
We would always end up racing in the middle of the street against each other barefoot. Even the small arguments that would come up between certain aunts and uncles (cause you know it’s bound to happen), was out of love and more funny as a child to hear how they would argue. My family was very entertaining and our house hosted many dinners and gatherings. If I had to sum it all up, I would say, “I remember the good ole days.”
Contact Info:
- Phone: 470-222-3568
- Email: chere4sure@gmail.com
- Instagram: chereturner
- Facebook: Chere Turner
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
