Rising Stars: Meet Shakira White of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shakira White.

Hi Shakira, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
After losing my mother at the young age of 4 years old I needed a way to relieve the grief and pain that’s when I found acting as my creative outlet. My sister and I was raised by my now late beloved grandparents after the death of our mother. I used to love The Cosby Show growing up and my favorite character was “Rudy” (Keisha Knight Pulliam) I envisioned myself playing her role. I idolized Rudy (Keisha Knight Pulliam) because I saw so many similarities with her character and me which truly inspired me. I started writing short skits for me and my cousin’s and we would perform them in the backyard in front of family and friends. I find so much joy and happiness in acting. I love helping to tell stories through relatable characters and also inspiring others through the arts. In 2007 I started my theatrical career performing in several stage plays. Then as the years went by Covid hit and I found myself in a pandemic with lots of extra time on my hands. I started writing, producing, directing, and acting in my own short films. After the death of my grandmother in 2020 whom was like my best friend I was really finding myself in a very sad dark place that’s when I landed a role in a television pilot titled “End of the Line” which kept me occupied and my mind temporarily clear from the grief. In 2022 when I finally started to somewhat feel like myself again I produced, directed and starred in as the lead actress an award winning short film titled “Cum Laude” which is now streaming on Fawesome. The film has won several awards including me receiving a trophy for “Best Drama Short”. Before filming Cum Laude I faced a major setback and had to reschedule the original date that was set to film it due to a devastating diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer. I used the pain and sickness that I was experiencing to embody the character I was playing in the film. After the movie was completed I decided to publish my very own coloring book “Queen Vibes” with positive quotes on each page which can be found on Amazon. I needed to keep myself busy by doing something positive with my time which kept me from falling into depression. I also wanted to uplift other women going through chemotherapy treatments to give them something to do while in treatment. I now have my second published book out on Amazon it’s a children’s book titled “Kenzi and the Cookie Jar” that’s dedicated to my beautiful cutie pie 3 year old great niece Kenzi she’s the main character in the book. She inspires me and has so much love to give. Kenzi loves to cook and has been cooking since she was a baby. I sometimes call myself the “crazy creative” because I do so many things and I do it all with love and passion. Giving up is not an option so no matter how hard the road gets I just keep pushing to achieve my goals and dreams. I believe that my journey and life has made me the woman I am today after enduring so much from childhood up until adulthood. I take that pain and do positive things with it. I believe that having all these outlets is what keeps me going and truly happy. I love being an inspiration to others.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has not been smooth I’ve hit many detours, and roadblocks along my journey. There’s a lot of rejection in this entertainment industry. I’ve had many struggles and setbacks from major health issues, to also losing so many family members back to back, financial struggles with trying to fund my own projects and wearing so many hats without the extra support.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a creative professional with a diverse skill set. My background is in acting, where I’ve honed my communication and performance skills. This passion for the arts naturally compliments my work as a Financial Services Representative for the past 8 years where I help families navigate complex financial situations and secure their futures through debt solutions and life insurance planning. Currently, I’m also developing a digital marketing business focused on creating and selling valuable digital products, such as ebooks. Through my digital marketing business entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to earn while they learn with done for you digital products with master resell rights. Not only am I extremly proud of my first published children’s book “Kenzi and the Cookie Jar”, but I’m also proud of my ability to connect with people on a personal level. Whether I’m captivating an audience or building trust with clients to improve their financial well-being it brings me joy. My unique blend of artistic sensibility and business insight sets me apart, allowing me to approach challenges with creativity and strategic thinking. I am known for being a multi-talented Jill of all trades. My ability to overcome adversities and to always strive for the best is the perfectionist in me. I am known for being very resourceful and an inspiration to others. I love to solve problems, give great advice and helping others to find their light.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was always the life of the party. I kept everyone laughing and entertained with funny made up stories and jokes at all the family cookouts. Due to my sense of humor I wasn’t allowed to miss any family functions because everyone was always looking to have a good laugh. I was sweet, kindhearted, funny and very nuturing. I was the kind of child that would give the shirt off of my back. I loved playing school and pretending to be a teacher or student. I enjoyed watching some of my favorite sitcoms like The Cosby Show, Family Matters, Full House, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, & The Twilight Zone. I also loved writing my own educational skits, rehearse them with my cousin’s and friends then we would perform them in the backyard. From childhood I have always been a storyteller and had a great imagination dating up to now I have written and produced my own award winning short films. My very first short film “The Package” can be found on YouTube.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/officialshakirawhite
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialshakirawhite
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialshakirawhite