How I Spent 2023
(inspired by Derek Sivers)
Other Years
Click here to learn what I accomplished in 2021
Click here to learn what I accomplished in 2022
What’s Happening Now
Click here to learn what I am doing now
Here’s how I spent 2023, listed alphabetically I focused on: creating an anthology and documentary, coaching, humor, improv, professional development, speaking, and teaching.
Focus: Anthology and Documentary
Executive Producing Black Anthology Project (B.A.P.), an anthology and documentary of the history of Black Improv. This project was supported in part by the Frank-Ratchye Fund For Art @ the Frontier Grant #2022-040 and the Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry at Carnegie Mellon University.
Awarded $5,000 from the Regional Arts and Culture Council for the Arts3C grant to bring B.A.P. to Portland, OR in October 2023 in partnership with Kickstand Comedy.
Focus: Coaching
Hired by Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise (PACE) as a certified BIPOC Executive and Life Coach to support BIPOC Nonprofit Executives and Next-Generation Leaders in the Pittsburgh region in strengthening their leadership, organizational, and personal growth.
FOCUS: HUMOR
Completed the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) Humor Academy Level III in April and became a Certified Humor Professional (CHP).
Focus: Improv
Performed in recurring show, Dropped Notes: An Outrageous Musical Revue, first Saturday of every month at 9:30 p.m. at Curious Comedy Theater.
Performed at From Another Mother Improv Festival (F.A.M. Fest) in Baltimore, MD, an improv showcase designed to explicitly center and uplift Black improvisers and comedians by creatively showcasing the expansive Black experience and exposing the art of improv to Black communities through networking, community building, and education.
FOCUS: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Improv has become my avenue for professional development. Classes both increase my skillset as a performer and support me off-stage with my communication. In 2023 I took the following:
Exploring the Elements with Ronnie Adrian (The Big Team) in February 2023
The Power of Play with Betsaida LeBron in June 2023
Blow the Whistle: The Art of Short Form with “It’s Improv Baby!” Classic Kryzzie in June 2023
Focus: Self-Care
Balancing work-life with an out-of-town trip when I can. This year: New York City, NY (January), Pittsburgh, PA (February), Los Angeles, CA (March), Mesa, AZ (April), Baltimore, MD (June), Atlanta, GA (August), San Diego, CA (September).
Focus: Speaking
Presented “Communication for Multicultural Teams” for Graphisoft International Team Event
Hosted the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) annual banquet and awards ceremony in Mesa, AZ.
Focus: Teaching
Hired by Kickstand Comedy to join their teaching staff to teach Intro to BIPOC Improv Comedy as part of their BIPOC Programming. This 8-week course is exclusive to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students.