Check Out Trishtan Williams’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trishtan Williams.

Hi Trishtan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Compton on November 17th, 1986, and raised in Los Angeles, California. I grew up in South Central off of 110th between Figueroa and Denver… Growing up in South Central in terms of gang affiliation and territory, I grew up in Denver Lane Bloods. I was a young girl with a bright smile and a big personality. I always felt special, something like a diamond in the rough. Growing up in my community, I saw many things that aren’t great for adolescents. I walked to Figueroa Street Elementary, where men tried to pick me up like the streetwalkers. I saw them standing on the corners, morning noon, and night waiting for their dates. Seeing that motivated me every day to be who I am today. I never wanted that life for myself. I wanted more. However, I never felt like or had that woe is me identity. I was very proud of where I grew up. I had the best childhood growing up with my mother and four sisters. My father passed when I was six months old, so my mother in my eyes was my EVERYTHING. With little money and knowing my mother was a typical American citizen only capable of paying her mortgage month-to-month, I always felt rich. My mother loved me and gave me the foundation and roots to encourage me to work hard, knowing that was the key to my success.

I always had a great imagination, and now that I look at it, it makes sense why I’m a television producer. I grew up dancing. My first introduction to trained dancing, I was a lead performing with the Nigerian Talking Drum Ensemble. I met the Awe’s, Mr. and Mrs. Awe at Figueroa. Mr. Awe would teach us how to play the drums, and Mrs. Awe would teach us the native dance style. We learned the langue. Performing all over Los Angeles with them. I knew I loved the world of entertainment and production. Seeing behind the scenes and I would attend shows like Disney on Ice with my mom. I was always intrigued by how the shows were brought together. I was hooked.

Once I graduated from Figueroa Elementary, I attended Audubon Middle School, where I took up modern, jazz, and ballet with the late Ms. Steverson. She taught me all I knew in terms of being a trained dancer. I joined the drill team and the yearbook committee. Again all creative spaces taping into the creative I am today. That territory, 30’s 40’s, and BPS…

I went on to attend Crenshaw high school. You get it? (A True LA Girl). I’ve loved every second of being on that campus. I followed in my sister’s footsteps, who attended Crenshaw High. That school and community have been embedded in my DNA since birth. My first oldest sister graduated in 1992, and I was born in 1986; tell me how long my mother had me in her arms on that campus with my sisters. With my second oldest sister graduating in ’94, my third oldest graduating in ’97 and my fourth oldest graduating in ’99, I was happy to continue our legacy. And that I did. I was a cheerleader, Student body secretary my Junior year Student Body President my senior year, and overall a great human. I knew all my classmates by their first and last names. I spoke to everyone. I guess back to that personality I talked about earlier. Again, now attending school on the west side, I knew another side of the city. That affiliation was 60’s crip.

I mention these affiliations because society would like us to think that living in these communities means you can’t make anything of yourself and you can, and I did and so have so many others. I remember being at Crenshaw and bad things would happen around the school’s surrounding areas, but the media would report these things as if they happened on campus… I used to think, “The media is a lie” And we need to control our image; however, I hadn’t developed that skill set yet. I just knew I didn’t like how they would portray us as a community, and I remember feeling like we would buy into what they would tell us we were like.

After High school, I attended San Francisco State University. I knew then I needed to be in Entertainment. Initially, my major was biology, but my personality pushed me to entertain. I changed my major to Broadcast communications and Dance. Once I went back home to Los Angeles in 2007, I found my way to explore different avenues of entertainment. I tried to be a San Diego Charger Girl, and that’s when I learned I was pregnant with my son. I was 21, but I wasn’t afraid to have him. Songhai is his name; I knew I was supposed to have him. I didn’t care what anyone would have to say about me or to me; I was keeping my child. Fast-forward after being a stay home mom, my son was 18 months old and yearning to be around other kids. So once I put him into school I said to myself, “I have to do something” I was chatting with my friend Tatiana about going to work. At the time, she was working in the office for America’s Next Top Model. She said I should apply and I did. After speaking with them, they had a PA position available, and I was so stoked.

You have to crawl before you walk. And That I did, but I crawled fast. I was only a PA in the business for five months. Two months with Top Model following meeting the casting director who took me under her wing and had me as the casting PA for two months on a show called Suicide Girls. I remember being traveled as a PA, but before I could leave New York on that job, I received a call from Top Model offering me to interview for the following season for the AP (Associate Producer) position. I was shocked, but I was ready. I went on to AP (Associate Producer); the rest is history. You work hard and when you truly know what you’re doing people recognize your true talent. I went on to produce the NBA Summer Dreams for CBS, The Amazing Race for CBS, BET Awards, Executive Produced Indie Nation for Forbes, Warriors of Liberty City For Starz, American Race for TNT, Cartel Crew for VH1, 12 Dates of Christmas for HBOMax; Love is Blind for Netflix, Showrunner, and Director for Supa Girlz, and my latest show to Air August 21st, 2023 Why Not Us – Howard Golf for ESPN+ as the first African American Woman to Direct and Showrun a golf docuseries.

I’ve created my production company called Songhai’s World, named after my son.

And that’s how I started.

To bring my story full circle, me navigating all areas of LA and being told what we couldn’t do as a community, I’ve done it and more. I’m now known as #YourFavoriteProducer.

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?
Navigating this industry has not been smooth in so many aspects. Being an African American woman who’s traveled in spaces where white men are not ready and willing to have a Black woman in an authoritative position. For example, I was In Austria, filming and one of my camera operators refused to acknowledge that I was his producer and deliberately asked my AP another white man, if he approved the shot. My AP said, “No you have to ask her; she’s the producer” The Camera operator said, “This looks great” And at that moment I changed the entire shot. Not because it wasn’t beautiful but simply because that man would respect me and my voice. Not that I needed to have one or prove anything, but simply because he refused to respect me in my position. And he only didn’t want to respect me because I’m a black woman as I’ve seen him respect my equal colleagues.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a Director, Showrunner. I specialize in dealing with my talent, being able to pull the most intimate moments from them, allowing them to forget there are other people in the room while talking to me. I specialize in marring a budget to my creative. Making lemonade out of oranges. I specialize in stories. I absolutely love storytelling. I specialize in going into communities and gaining their trust to know I’m going to tell their stories honestly and with integrity.

I’m known for being #YourFavoriteProducer I’m known for moving fast and efficiently with a smile, keeping most people around me happy, and loving their jobs while working with me.

I’m most proud of being a mother. I feel like being a mom is the most challenging job out of any show I’ve produced. But being a mother brings me so much joy. I am truly fulfilled. I love seeing my son smile. I love watching him play basketball I have peace while sitting in the stands watching him do what he loves. I love cooking for him. One of our love languages is sending each other food for me to cook. And most times, he doesn’t mind being my sue chef. I’m most proud of his grades, and I love that he loves to read. Looking at him, I’m reassured that I’ve done something right in my life.

When I think about navigating this business, I always look at myself and say, “WOW – you’ve done all this with your son” That’s what sets me apart—not having excuses for why I can’t do something. I truly make a way, and I don’t get discouraged by the word no, or not right now. I know that I was at the wrong door for that answer.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think it’s really important to take risks and not be afraid. You can’t wait for the perfect scenario to do something, you have to build and master your craft while you’re building or you will never get anything done looking for perfection.

I have taken so many risks; my risk is putting my own money behind me. Most successful business people will tell you not to do that and always look for funding or investors to back you. I also understand that philosophy; however, I don’t have time to wait on people. And in my opinion, most people can’t see your vision, or you have to go through so many people to see your vision. So because I don’t like waiting on people, I do what I need to do for me first, and most time I think people see you’re willing to invest in yourself, which makes companies want to get behind you.

I believe in myself so much that I would bet on myself any day. I would risk it all because I know I can go back and get it all again.

Contact Info:

• Website: trishtanwilliams.com
• Instagram: @Trishtanw
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trishtanw?mibextid=LQQJ4d