As we are interconnected with the universe, our gifts are always with us. Finding a ripe moment to illuminate its presence in this realm. We are multifaceted beings after all. Fluctuating our WHY’s for doing what we do as we evolve and become grounded in the inner standing that our gifts are bigger than us. That the experiences we endure, embrace, and live through are meant to be shared. That this energy is never lost or destroyed but merely transferred. For Tdjiri Yakini, her gifts first arrived in the form of dance and before she knew it, her world expanded to all things creative. Becoming more rooted in the intent to uplift, women, black women, educate the masses, transform minds, and annihilate the narratives told for us in place of creating our own.
The first flicker of light happened at the tender age of three in the form of Dance. Her mother ignited this passion when she started her West African Drum and Dance troupe, Raét, in Detroit Michigan. They would perform across the country for several events and a colorful array of people. They have won awards, curated parties, and danced in parades. And on her thirteenth birthday, Tdjiri received another download when her mother took her to a Hit The Floor dance concert. There the rhythmic genre of tap dance shuffled its way into her heart. And in 2007, Tdjiri auditioned for the Detroit School of the Fine and Performing Arts (DSA).
During her four years at DSA Tdjiri fell into the heartbeat of dancing. Performing in concerts, a plethora of musicals, such as 42 nd Street, The Wiz, and Dreamgirls. Tdjiri participated in workshops both in Michigan and across the country being exposed to so much raw talent, so many stories, but most of all opportunities. It was enlightening, exhilarating, and taxing. Soon her love for dance began to feel more like a chore and her passion for it, complicated. In 2010 at the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD) summit in Los Angeles, CA, Tdjiri decided that she no longer wanted to dance professionally. And Theatre took the spotlight when Tdjiri acted in her very first stage play, “The Breaking Point” that same year.
In 2011 Tdjiri graduated from DSA and went on to study Theatre at Texas Southern University before transferring back home to the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Being an actress was introduced to her spirit the moment she saw Eve’s Bayou, and in the words of Kasi Lemmons it had been “imprinted indelibly on the brain”. The rest, as they say, was history. Acting was a new exploration, something that as we become more attuned with ourselves becomes more authentic; truthful. Studying theatre at Michigan was a mere taste on her quest to fall in love again. She was introduced to so many American classics, Woyzeck, The Glass Menagerie, Lysistrata. Yes, Dancing was her soulmate, forever, but acting had become her life partner.
Tdjiri graduated from Michigan in 2016 and continued her studies at American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) that fall in New York, NY. This chapter uncovered so much for her as she navigated this gift with curiosity and an open heart. It forced her to trust her instincts, her scene partner, and the words. At AMDA, as she peeled back the layers of “acting” she became more intentional about the narratives she chose to perform when given the opportunity. This led her to find more black female playwrights whose stories mirrored her own.
In 2017 she saw Lynn Nottage’s Sweat on Broadway and it stretched the scope of what she thought was possible as an artist. Later that year she transferred to AMDA’s Los Angeles campus and was granted the opportunity to perform in the school’s “Spotlight” showcase, which highlights some of the best performances at the school. Tdjiri graduated in 2018 and went on to perform in a few short films and series before the year 2020.
For many 2020 was a challenging year. Pushing mental boundaries, opening spiritual portals, or offering an opportunity to act on the downloads being delivered. For Tdjiri, it was screenwriting. And with little resistance she obliged. In April 2020 Tdjiri wrote the first screenplay that landed her a spot in the Artistic Standard’s Bear the Torch Writing and Directing Mentorship program. Through that program, she learned the tools to write a captivating logline, a concise Beat sheet, a conscientious outline, and a compelling story. She explored the depths of her characters, learned the fundamentals of directing, and the business of being a producer, but mostly she found her voice and honed it. At the end of the program, Tdjiri had a film she wrote, associate produced, and starred in.
It’s said that if your dreams don’t scare you, you’re not dreaming big enough. Tdjiri’s gifts came in many forms transmuting with the seasons along the way. But as she defined and redefined her WHY, stories began to unfold leaving a trail of hope, courage, and lessons for another being navigating their way towards self-discovery. It is scary, but as your presence has a purpose, she invites you to do it anyway.
