Today we’d like to introduce you to Zainab Okeowo.
Hi Zainab, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up I knew I wanted to be a performer so I was always involved in the arts and anything that was performance-based whether that was dance, martial arts, theater, poetry, musical theater (even though I can’t sing to save my life) but anything that was creative based, I was always down to be apart of it. But growing up as a dark-skinned black woman, it didn’t take long for me to realize I experienced the world differently than those who didn’t necessarily look like me. This started a fire in me to become more interested in social justice. The best way I thought of bringing those two worlds together was through the theater. After studying famous black playwrights like James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, Langston Hughes, and August Wilson I found the best way to spark change was through the performance art that I loved so much. After that, I decided to attend a performing arts college where I sharpened my skills while finding the voice that distinguished me not only from my peers but more so from my professors who could not understand my experiences. It made me realize the way the world viewed people, especially women, that looked like me and how much those views lacked variety. So now. I’m an actor, writer, poet, influencer and storyteller, but you can just call me and artist for short, lol.
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?
Absolutely not, and I say that with the most grateful spirit toward my experiences. I think had I had an easy path, I would have settled for mediocrity long ago. My struggles ranged throughout the course of my journey. I struggled with my success counselors in high school who urged me and my classmates to go to community college because we would be unable to afford anything else, which made me feel like moving to LA for school may be a dumb decision but with an empty wallet and a full heart, I refused to listen. Then, there were the struggles that arose while attending a predominately white institution, where passive racism ran amuck. I dealt with professors who only saw me as a black girl, unable to portray a range of emotions beyond anger, which prohibited me from getting a variety of roles with actual range. I dealt with students who saw me as their token black classmate and treated me as such (luckily they soon found out that I was far from that.) Up to now, as I’m modeling and working as an influencer while I await theatrical work, I find the colorism in the industry is ridiculous, it stops me from being paid my worth, acquiring partnerships & brand deals where I have the same qualifications as my counterparts. But, though the awareness of this is frustrating, it only fuels me to go harder and to definitely work smarter.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
So I’m an actor first. I’ve been doing more modeling than anything else right now, but I want to make that distinction so there’s no confusion lol. With that being said, as of right now, you can find me in some of your favorite artist’s music videos, just looking gorgeous and having a good time or modeling for some of your favorite brands. Although I love doing all these things, I specialize in dramaaaaa honey! It’s definitely my favorite acting style to partake in because there’s no end to where you can go and I love that. But I’m most proud of what I’ve built on my social platforms. I made the decision that I was going to force the people in power to see me by creating the content and material that best represents me instead of waiting on someone to see me. And by doing that I went from 7,000 supporters in February to 37,000 supporters as of December, and I’m so proud of that because it’s a reminder that anything I believe I can accomplish, which leads me to what sets me apart. My work ethic is the thing that has always set me apart from others. I work extremely hard and there aren’t many things in this world that I let move me when I’m set on getting something done. If there was ever anything I’ve said that I wanted to accomplish, it’s been done or is in the process of being done. There are no limits to what I’m capable of because of how much work I’m willing to put in for the things I want out of this life.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Honestly, the people closest to me could tell you that it’s one of the most influential parts of my journey. It’s truly 50/50 with me because I have some of the worst luck known to man but it always leads to something amazing, so I can’t even label it as bad or good luck, it’s just a consistent door closing in my face so that 6 more can open somewhere else, and I’ve finally reached a point where I’ve made peace with that. It makes my journey a little harder but very worthwhile.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zainab.okeowo/
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@zainabokeowo
Image Credits
Vince Boussamba @vincebouss_ Mahaneela @manhaneela.jpg Jada Harrison @flashalook Richard Brooks @picturesinthemail Vinny @mpvinny300 Jamal Peters @jamal.peters Ondre @ondrethankhan2.0 Oyinda @oyindaaaaaaaa
