Today we’d like to introduce you to Cierra Watkins.
Hi Cierra, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I grew up in Los Angeles, California in the Mount Moriah Baptist Church. The music in church was always something that I related to and found my spirituality within. I loved singing in the church choir; however, I noticed that my voice wasn’t like everyone else’s. My voice was strong but much softer. When I was younger, I always had an appreciation for Theatre and the Arts. So, when I was 10 years old, my mother took me to see my first Broadway show, Wicked at the Pantages Theatre. I noticed that their voices were a lot like mine, soft and strong, and they used spectacle and performance to tell a story. This forever changed the trajectory of my life. From then on, I knew that I had to have Theatre in my life and that it was my passion. It wasn’t until I was in high school and received my first lead role that I knew that Theatre was going to be more than a passion for me, but a profession. When I took a tour of San Diego State University and I stepped onto the Don Powell Theatre Stage, I knew that it was going to be the place where I was going to learn, excel, and grow as an artist. One thing I did notice when I got to San Diego State was there weren’t a lot of people on campus that looked like me, especially within the drama department. So, in August of 2020, my two friends and I started the Black Renaissance Theatre Group at SDSU. We wanted to create a safe space for Black artists to showcase their excellence and talent on the campus of San Diego State University. Ever since our founding we have been making new innovations and providing students with a new space of opportunity and collaboration. We performed our first in-person show, Detroit 67′ by Dominique Morisseau in November of 2021, of which I directed and received the SDSU McKenzie Award for Directing. We also performed Single Black Female by Lisa B. Thompson in which the other Co-Founder, Leilani Snow also received the SDSU McKenzie Award for Directing. We’ve also had a Black Musical Showcase and the very first Black Film Festival at San Diego State University. This year we are doing our very first student-written play written by myself and Nandi Kiana. Attending San Diego State University and following my passion has given me so many opportunities within the school: creating Black Renaissance, being a member of the Nu Upsilon Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, being elected into the National Pan-Hellenic Council as the First Vice President, a staff member of the SDSU Black Resource Center, and a member of the SDSU Diamonds Majorette Team. SDSU has also broadened my horizons to venture into new opportunities outside of SDSU such as performing in Teatro San Diego’s Production of The Wiz as Dorothy!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My biggest challenge I would say is that I am always busy, which means sometimes I can’t do a lot of things. In the end, it’s all worth it because of the progress that I’ve made within my chosen profession. These are all of the building blocks to a hardworking and determined future!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an actor, singer, dancer, writer, and director!
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is the representation of Black artists. I think that it’s extremely important to highlight and celebrate Black artists in all aspects of the Arts: Theatre, Film, Song, and Dance. Our talents deserve to be showcased, and our stories need to be heard. I say this because artists depict the past, the present, and the future. We need to see this within the Black community to keep our history strong and stories alive.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @thecierrareign
Image Credits
Jesslynn Williams
Cierra Bush
