Every time I host a workshop or present to a group of people – I am always called upon to introduce myself. There is nothing I find more nerve wracking than talking about myself. I can easily speak about my passion with the confidence of a lion, however talking about my journey always makes me choke.
You see, my passion and current pay cheque was not a destination I arrived at willingly. Yes! I loved legal television shows; the dramatic appeal of the court room always caught my eyes. As an 80’s baby, LA. Law was my definition of what I expected the legal profession to be; swanky suits, a jury, and people arguing till the end. What was there not to love?
Nevertheless, creativity always ran through my veins. I drew, sketched and wrote poems. Creative writing was my favourite subject because I have a vivid imagination. For me, my destination was already predetermined in my mind. I would be an artist. Sounds simple enough, Right!
“Do you intend to be a struggling artist? That career would not make you any money.” were the sobering words I heard from my father. I distinctly remember it as if it were yesterday when he brought a family friend who was an artist to the house to speak with me about pursuing art as a career.
I believed this was the moment my artist spirit died a little, as I recalled the gentleman asking me to bring my sketches for him to review. I was eager to show my work to a fellow artist and I quickly retrieved my sketch pad beaming with excitement. He reviewed my work and complimented my natural talent…. then that life altering moment happened.
My heart broke as I listened to my father’s friend relay his struggles and disappointments as an artist. I was 15 at the time listening to a grown man tell me how my passion, had failed him, left him jaded and subjected to a regular 9 – 5 job to make a living.
After that conversation my father concluded that spending money on the tools, I needed to pursue art was not the best financial decision. With the artist rug now pulled from under me, all I had left that made me truly happy was literature, it was where I could lose myself in fantasy and a world of mystery. I concluded at this point that I would someday write; I was good at it, after all. I always had a way with words, and the ability to combine them to engross the reader into my experience.
In my mind I believed I had a fool proof plan to my alternative career. My mind was settled and a field in communications would be my destination. This plan came to a screeching halt before it even took flight. My father was reluctant to send me off to Jamaica to pursue Mass Communications. Finances mixed with fear was the foundation for his decision. He said to me, “Akilah find something else to study.” There I was yet again trying to find a plan B where I had only conceived a plan A.
I settled on doing a law degree. My mind flashed back to the court room antics of LA Law and the actors’ theatrics. I decided to settle for this as my career and diverted to another destination. However, being the stubborn unconventional person, I am, I succeeded in partially making my dream a reality and I became a journalist. The way I accomplished it; I would certainly leave for another article.
Journalism was the best days of my life. Writing fulfilled me, I enjoyed relaying people’s stories. I especially enjoyed entertainment writing. Those articles were the ones I savoured the most as I saw myself in the eyes of the creatives I wrote about. Every time I relayed their stories each word was well crafted and intentional. In my mind, this was my way of being part of their journey and helping another creative to be successful.
I was a journalist full-time and a law student full-time. I juggled the demands of being a student and working by applying the work ethic of a solider to fulfill my mission. Upon entering law school, I tried desperately to continue writing. It was the only ounce of connection I had to creativity.
I found law school to be challenging, not because of the work but because of the rigidity it brought into my life. I saw the world in colour and the law operated in three colours black and white with a sprinkle of grey in between.
Midway through my first year of law school I told my parents I was not going back. I hated it! I felt as if the law was a jealous mistress trying to overtake my life by depriving me of my creative time, forcing me to choose between writing and law.
How was I here? Yet AGAIN! Sigh. I gave up writing. But I made a vow to myself that if I was going to give this lawyering thing a real chance, I would do something that made me happy. Ah Ha! I would become an Entertainment Attorney.
I recalled telling my classmates that I would practice entertainment law. I saw the quizzical look on their faces as they asked me if that was a real area of practice. Honestly, when I decided that was what I would do, I didn’t even know if it was a developed area of practice. However, I was determined not to have another part of me ripped away.
So…. here I am. I encountered many bumps along the road to get to this point of my career path. But I eventually found a way to turn my passion into a pay cheque. I found a way to help others CREATE & CONQUER.
