Today we’d like to introduce you to Chantrell Lewis.
Hi Chantrell, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I explored many different avenues in search of what my career would be. I’m a performer, I’ve been performing in plays, operas, and musicals since I was eight years old. Due to the demands of the performing arts industry, e.g., working with others, creating art, and cultural competency, I have been able to experience a highly developed sense of individuality and social and emotional awareness. I wanted to share this with others, so I became a Teaching Artist. Teaching Artists are professional artists who are also educators. In my Teaching Artist career, I have worked for programs across the country for a variety of demographics. In addition to this, I founded a Non-Profit called The Jar of Sunshine Inc.
I began Non-Profit work a few years ago. In this particular time in my life, I had just graduated from Kent State University with an undergraduate degree and was planning to begin Graduate school and relocate to Southern California. Because of this, I became more aware of the distinct privileges I was experiencing and wondered why there couldn’t be an abundance of these privileges within my community. For example, access to higher education, relocation, the safety of a college campus, exposure to the arts, increased social awareness and opportunities to focus on health and wellness.
I started The Jar of Sunshine Inc. as a way to increase accessibility to the arts, wellness and literacy in low-resourced communities, with an emphasis on assisting Black women and children. We do this by creating and promoting programs that support our three targets. We began small and are still building, but now run programs and volunteer in multiple states.
In an attempt to raise money for The Jar of Sunshine Inc. I published a small poetry book. House of Sage and Sun, to sell for profit. It worked and from that seedling, I discovered how deeply I loved writing and since have published three additional books: Black Girl’s Guide to Ladyhood, There Was a Movement Yesterday and Dessert Dreams, all of which can be found in classrooms, museums and curriculums across the country.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Building my career hasn’t been a smooth road, it has taken years of discipline to practice to develop my skillset as an artist and educator. Building The Jar of Sunshine Inc. hasn’t been the smoothest road either due to simply, being new to this line of business. We have struggled with promotion and have found challenges for in-person programming due to different pandemic restrictions that have been in place. Becoming a published author had it’s challenges and still does, I’m always writing, reviewing and revising.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in acting, singing as well as teaching those two subjects to others. I’m especially known for my voice. I began with classical voice training and that has served as an incredible foundation for my career. To put it simply, there are a lot of people who love to hear me sing. I am so grateful to have been blessed with my voice.
I am set apart from others due to my extensive training combined with my life experience and desire to give back. I’m a Black woman, I always say, “Blackness and Womanhood in art don’t conform to conventional expectation, they exceed it.”
What matters most to you? Why?
The things that matter the most to me are family, health and empowering my community in every way possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Chantrelllewis.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejarofsunshine/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJarofSunshineInc
Image Credits
Loreaux Photography Arizsia Staton UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts
