Meet Keturah Walker

Today we’d like to introduce you to Keturah Walker.

So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Girl, take off my shoes ‘fore you break your damn neck.” As a kid, it was apparent that I enjoyed acting. Scurrying to the mirror in somebody’s too big shoes and clothes, I did not realize how aligned I was with performing. Playing dress-up, mimicking Beyoncé videos, claiming that I was a particular character in a movie, and choreographing dances at family get-togethers may have made it crystal clear to others that performing was my destiny.

When I discovered that performance was something that I was interested in pursuing, I was in the car and heard those cattle casting calls that were usually located on Roswell Road. My mom was quick to tell me that her gas wasn’t going to be wasted traveling there. Not that she didn’t support me or my interest, but she had to make it to work to put food on the table, and I understood. That, along with the representation on screen, made me think that performing was not considered a feasible career for someone with my background-Black, low-class, woman, and worse, all 3.

I graduated with the first class of The Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (SHOUT OUT CSK) and we didn’t have a stable drama department, back then. There wasn’t a theater class until my senior year, and I had to leave from that class early because of the full-tuition scholarship that required me to meet weekly. The S.T.E.M focused school discouraged me from pursuing an acting career. I heard so many “you should be a (insert S.T.E.M profession here).” It started to penetrate my thought process. I was smart, so why would I be an actor? Why would I waste a full-tuition scholarship going to school to be a performer?

So, I attempted to succumb to other people’s expectations of me as a bright young woman and major in computer science for a more stable life at Brandeis University. Confucius said, “choose a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Well, studying computer science felt more like three full-time jobs and a side hustle. I remember asking myself, “How long can you sustain this lie of a life. Where’s the truth in this?” Shortly afterward, I auditioned for Death of The Last Black Man in the Entire World. My first audition and the first show I landed a lead role in. (SHOUT OUT SUSAN LORI PARKS).

After that, I decided to kick CoSI to the curb and find new love. At that moment, however, being the only Black theater major, and a 19-year-old made it difficult for me to actually appreciate learning the craft at my fullest potential. I didn’t see theater for what it could be, I didn’t understand why we did the exercises in class, and I didn’t appreciate the training because I didn’t realize what it was. I never thought to be curious about the audition process outside of college, how to get an agent, headshots or preparing myself for the life of a professional actor- until my senior year.

My senior year is when I wrote, directed, and acted in an autobiographical thesis project about my theatrical journey, critiqued my university on preparing me for life outside of college as “a broke Black actress from Brandeis”, the lack of tenured Black professors in the department and the lack of diversity within the curriculum, specifically Black women playwrights.

So I graduated in 2018 and was like….. “um so now what?” I had 0 clue. I didn’t know the city that I was raised in or the places I needed to be to succeed in the industry. I didn’t know what a professional headshot looked like, correct formatting of a resume, and here I was, with a whole theater degree, training and all that, still clueless. I started to spiral. I then remembered that when there’s a will, there’s a way. Be persistent. I didn’t have a job or a working vehicle, but I had ambition, drive, passion, and love. That’s ALL I NEEDED. I developed relationships with people who helped me to understand all of the things that I was worried about, headshots, resumes, extra work versus other work, being a black actress, etc. As a result, within one year, I directed two pieces, acted in four short films and one theatrical production. I also applied to go to graduate school and traveled to San Francisco to audition for several acting programs and did not get accepted to the schools of my choice. I did, however, develop more professionalism, understand “rejection”, and what my audition routine is. It was such an experience that showed me the level at which an actor should carry themselves. I was also one of the youngest people in the room.

I say all of this to share my journey. The journey is never-ending. Some may say, “Wow, you did all of that in one year? That’s a lot!” …and it is. To me, acting is about truth, learning, loving, and learning to love. Recognizing that, however, I STILL wasn’t kind enough to myself, demanding more, comparing myself, and rejecting the BEAUTY in my journey.

A few months ago, I decided to let go and appreciate myself, my unique journey and my story because what I know now is that Keturah Walker’s journey is unique and beautiful. It is also my duty to be kind to myself, and while demanding more is not a negative thing, it is also very important to check-in, be loving & kind and recognize the growth within myself by protecting my energy and taking everything one step at a time.

Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth? What is smooth? Journeys are filled with obstacles. I feel that acting can be an elitist industry. In that, it can be really hard to get the materials needed to succeed at a professional quality if you don’t have the financial means to do so. Working hard and saving can alleviate that stress. Also, because there is not a singular path to pursue acting, comparing success can be easy to do. Additionally, balancing a non-flexible, stable 9-5 job while trying to be in the industry can be tough. Luckily, some of my employers have been forgiving with policies and allowed flexibility because I have been candid with communicating my long-term goals, but I know that isn’t always the case. I’m glad that it doesn’t come easy. It makes the little successes, similar to computer science, worth all of the hard work. The journey isn’t over, but to answer your question directly, hell yeah, it’s been a bumpy road.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a Creative and Explorer. I write, direct, act, dance, choreograph, model, and theorize. I love to make art surrounding and illuminating the beauty that comes from “disadvantaged” neighborhoods, specifically those untold stories regarding Black women (Can you tell I’m a Black feminist, yet?). The immense amount of creativity, resourcefulness, grit, love, understanding, and perseverance that arises from neighborhoods, like mine in the S.W.A.T.S, is amazing. I work to create art that is accessible to everyone. By accessible, I mean affordable, understandable, and still entertaining. I think that we get caught up on the capitalistic side of entertainment because, yes, our art is worth a lot, and we all want to “get to the bag”, but at the end of the day I love to ask the question, “Who is your audience?”. I aim to uncover the stories that people love to say are interesting and compelling but don’t care about showing. I use my art, specifically my written art, as a means of therapy and exploration.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Wow. What a question. I see the theater/film industry booming! Everyone loves a good show! I think that if we aren’t careful, it can become more elitist, which can discourage people from participating and doing what they love. By elitist, I refer to prices rising and consumers only being those who can afford to indulge. With that, prices for services for actors may increase and people are forced to struggle to do what they love. I am hopeful, however, that we will be intentional with elitism and that it won’t continue. I am also hopeful that this industry will diversify. I speak from a Black women perspective, but also adding more “real people” on stage, film commercials, cartoons (that includes Asian people, trans people, etc.). I am hopeful that the industry will normalize the world’s diversity rather than congratulating itself for including people into shows and movies that should already be there. I am inspired by the industry’s efforts and hopefully, within the next 5-10 years, my hopes will become a reality.