We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Akia Takara a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Akia, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
My generosity comes from my granny without a doubt. I called her G-Money! She was the sweetest, most generous, fiercest woman and if you’ve ever encountered her, you would agree. She was beyond considerate and would give the clothes off her back. Years after years I saw how much she would give, never asking for anything in return. Don’t get me wrong, my granny would slap you upside yo head too, but what stuck with me was how generous she was, even when she was mad. She taught me to love and be kind to strangers. I learned being kind is easy and why not, but as always, protect yourself. What you put out into the world, comes back to you. Now, because of her, I am definitely someone who keeps an extra blanket in my car in case someone needs it.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I was born and raised in Toledo, OH, the city and state that a lot of writers have a fascination with. Literally, the more shows I watch, the more Ohio references I see and hear. I come from a huge amazing family that I miss dearly. I went to The Ohio State University where I got my degree in theatre with a minor in disability studies. O-H! (my peeps will know what to do) I focused on learning Deaf culture and American Sign Language (ASL).
I have an artistic career that is broadening day by day and I love it. I am an actor who models. I work across vast platforms from TV/film, commercials, and print. I’ve had the opportunity to work on many productions and many different sets. Thus my favorites have been working on Netflix’s “Floor Is Lava.” I love that I was able to compete with my actual dad and brother and have the best time. Catch us on Season 3 Episode 1 as The Family Campers! Another favorite of mine was working on the film “All About Araya” written and directed by the talented Craijece Danielle, which you can find on Amazon Prime or Tubi. This film holds dear to my heart as I met Craijece at OSU and she is now a sister. To watch and be a part of such a project has been a blessing and a wonderful experience. Prayer and manifestation are real. When I was at OSU, I discovered Deaf West Theatre and thought to myself, one day I will work with them. They focused on bridging the gap between the Deaf and hearing worlds through art. Fast forward to 7 years later and I have a role in a production of “Oedipus” by Deaf West. I got to perform with Broadway stars at The Getty Villa amphitheater. Dreams do come true. I currently have expanded my horizons and working on new adventures that include writing and directing. I can’t wait to see what comes of it. I have future projects that will be airing later this year, so keep up on my IMDb. I’m so excited about what the future holds!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I’d say the top 3 that were most impactful were 1.—knowing when to stop talking and listen. I know firsthand that I can be a chatty Patty sometimes, but you have to know when to close it up and absorb what is being said. 2. I think it’s crucial that you should know how to small talk, I know, it’s the worst; but that small talk leads to big talk, which leads to your name in rooms you aren’t in yet, but you want to be. Networking pays off! You know when you hear: meet someone and that person knows someone and that person knows someone else and so forth, believe it, it’s true. Small talk can lead you to future projects, it’s happened to me. 3. Don’t be afraid to do the “ugly work”. Whether you may consider that being background work or taking acting classes, or doing TFP, you have to invest time and effort into yourself, as you are your brand. Yes, investing in yourself is expensive, but it’s worth it. You’re worth it! Spend the money, it will come back.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
My biggest area of growth has been saying yes to things that matter. As I said before, I am very kind, and I noticed myself always saying yes. That could’ve been going out to eat, picking someone up, sending money, or even for a particular role. I quickly realized that limits my strength and energy and that I shouldn’t feel bad when declining. I never wanted to be considered selfish but I learned sometimes you need to be selfish and sometimes it is good to put yourself first. Within this past year, I have grown tremendously in doing that.
Contact Info:
- Website: akiatakara.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/akiatakara/
- Other: IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10113488/
Image Credits
Scott Rosenthal, Netflix, INC., Patsy Dunn, Gregor Lopes, Megan Mcewen
