Meet Kennisa Ragland

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kennisa Ragland.

Kennisa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve loved writing since I was in the 4th grade. I gradually grew to love reading. By the time I was a junior in high school, I was certain I’d go into the arts. I wrote poetry and read a lot of books so I thought maybe I’d be in a novelist/ poet. I also liked journalism ideally, got an internship with the town paper so I thought I could do that. But then I realized my senior year I wanted to direct my writing towards tv and film. I majored in Sociology and minored in English to give me an idiosyncratic mix of critically analyzing the social aspect of folks’ character and doing the same but through the narratives I read and wrote.

While there, I crafted my own screenwriting “program” by reading and watching what I could from online and writing (and re-writing) as much as I could. I came to know about Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts my junior year of undergrad. Things moved rapidly in terms of me wanting to go, preparing myself for the application, further preparing for the interview and getting accepted a month before I graduated from St. John’s University. While at SJU, I had poetry published in the school’s journal, contributed to the school paper, served in organizations ranging from NAACP to TV&Film Club. I also had internships at Fox Business News and American Documentary’s POV.

Now I’m an MFA student in FSU’s film school, studying writing for the screen. I hope to graduate with a portfolio of a short film, about ten varying writing samples and the wherewithal to be not only the writer alumni and others in the industry want to work with but a pretty well-rounded filmmaker. Oh, and once I master the writing I have plans of getting into a lot of other artistic endeavors (a Donald Glover of sorts.)

Has it been a smooth road?
The road has not been smooth, but I couldn’t be more grateful. In high school my little sister was diagnosed with cancer at 13, had to leave school, undergo chemo, had a seizure problem for a while and was just in a lot of pain holistically. After growing up in the church and having a pretty serious relationship with God I discovered that same year that I was queer and wrestled with rectifying that part of my identity. I also began self- harming that same year (it lasted for about a year and half until I graduated high school). Depression is common in my family and I also happen to struggle with anxiety. Both have been terribly hard to deal with in regards to two communities (the church and the black community)I come from that don’t always deal with mental illness head on.

I’m also an incredibly empathetic person and a lot of friends and family have just gone through some unspeakable things that I haven’t always been able to help them through. I honestly also feel the pain of the world/ humanity. But as I went through college, things shifted…not in what was happening to/ around me but how I viewed/ responded to it all. I began to realize my limits of control, the triggers for my anxiety, bad habits that had to be cut out and how to navigate and approach the world/ life with love. It has made me a better student, friend, sister, creative and child of the most high. I still struggle with anxiety/ depression, I have a lot to be stressed about but I’m more sure now of who I am, I’ve begun to recognize life’s patterns and lessons and am grateful to be so driven for an abundance of life for me and all I love that the bad days and situations do not control me. Love rules everything around me.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I’m an artist with a distinct voice and, I believe, a vessel for revealing truth, in all the ways that truth manifests itself. My main love/ career will be screenwriting. I haven’t yet been paid for it but I hesitate to put aspiring in front of the title “screenwriter”, advised by Shonda Rhimes to be unapologetic in identifying your life’s passion/ work, regardless of whether you’re at a certain level in the game.

Like I said, once I can master screenwriting (a destination that has more to follow it), I have so many other mediums I’d like to really honker down on and master, including but not limited to: (in film&tv), directing, producing, show-running, songwriting, poetry (performance and recording), art direction, fashion, live art, photography. The people who know me know I’m trying to use all the mediums I can to speak; to effuse truth and love and light. That’s what I hope to do and that’s what I’m feel folks come to know me for.

But personally I’m most proud that I’ve overcome to so many things that threatened my existence/ or will to live life abundantly and unapologetically. Also, because it feels weird for others to say it to me and because I don’t say it often; I will say, I’m proud that I’m one of 8 people to get into the screenwriting program of FSU’s film school, in the top 13 film schools in the country.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I mean, like I said, I grew up all around the city in like every town since we moved so much (Lithonia, Snellville, McDonough, Forest Park, Jonesboro and Covington). But we came to the city enough to feel like I can still claim Atlanta. And I’ve been back there more than anything once in college.

I’d say I love the history of the city most. The ancestors whose spirits hover over us and say hi through the statues, landmarks and street names that abound. I’m not with the gentrification I can see happening in/ around the city…I have plans to never have too much money in my bank account when I make it: I want it funneled out to re-building and improving the city for everyone but especially for the folks who have been historically pushed out, stereotyped or neglected.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: _kennise
• Twitter: imherpoet

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