Meet Alana Raquel Bowers

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alana Raquel Bowers a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Alana with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

I get my work ethic from the women in my family. Hands down. No questions asked. I come from a line of strong, talented, confident and capable Black women who had/have the capacity to take over the world, if I am being honest. I come from giants. I come from geniuses. But these incredible women–Virginia, Marjorie, Gwendolyn, Elizabeth, Clara, Bonnie, Karen, Susan, Kim, Judy, Arita, Ariel, and the one from whence I came, Rita, were not born this way. They were built to be the the super novas that created the solar system of my upbringing. Both of my grandmothers, my great-aunts (surrogate grands), my aunt, my godmothers, my cousin, my sister, and my mother all taught me, each in their own unique way, that this life is what you make of it. In order to reap a good harvest, you have to sew deeply, religiously, and with purpose. You must put the work in in order to attain the kind of life we all have the potential to have. They taught me that because I am Black, because I am a woman, my intelligence would be my greatest weapon. Society will try to eliminate my relevance, and sometimes, even my entire existence. but with their guidance and wisdom, I was able to craft my own endurance and develop a rhythm of exercising consistent curiosity. The desire to learn came naturally. That, I was born with. But these women I named helped me build that into a superpower of dutiful work-ethic.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Hello! My name is Alana Raquel Bowers and I am an actor, both stage and screen, based in New York City. I have a heavy dance background and my movement training is a huge piece of my overall artistic foundation. My acting work feels most fulfilling when I am working to develop a new piece of theatre. I have been blessed to have been in the room for many budding projects, some of which I have been able to see through all the way to the Broadway stage. I prefer works in development because I love getting in on the ground floor of something. I love knowing I had a hand in making something function. It’s so gratifying when you get to throw your thoughts to the wall and see if they stick! My movement background informs how I engage with each character I come across. That is where my research begins–the body. We, as humans, obviously have many things that keep us separate, but I am more interested in the parts we share. Knowing what makes us similar is my best way into a character’s mind I know nothing about. And one of the things all human beings have in common is the body. We all have one! So it is always so much fun using what I know about body movement and manipulation to find my way into someone’s else’s rhythm. It is also a good reminder that us humans have a lot more in common than we think.

I also have a passion for curating spaces for community building and hope to continue to be a beacon of light and connection for emerging artists of color. Currently I am part of the Artistic Advisory Council at Playwrights Horizons where I, and other notable artists from different spheres, come together to discuss how to make theater more accessible and ultimately, how to ensure the stories being chosen are ones that mirror the community. I am also on the board for an exciting creative project called “(Story)teller Portrait Series: Amplifying Black and Brown Voices”. This project focuses on utilizing storytelling as a tool for expanding access to community and connections for emerging BIPOC professionals in creative fields and entrepreneurial pursuits. I hope to continue to be at the helm of this kind of work, both artistically and administratively.

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?
Quality One: I have always been a keen observer. I was the youngest in a lot of the spaces I grew up in so I was underestimated a great deal. People were not that interested in what I had to say because they assumed I didn’t have much to contribute. This allowed me to sit back and listen. I taught myself how to research other people, which boded well for my acting training, but it also was a great lesson in understanding how different types of people operate. You can learn a lot by observation. Both what to do and what NOT to do.

Quality Two: My never-ending well of curiosity. I have always wanted to know the “why” behind a final verdict. As a child, I didn’t mind getting punished, as long as I could understand why I was getting punished!. My parents were not fond of that quality used in that way most of the time, but I can say my desire to know why allows for specificity and clarity in my professional and personal relationships.

Quality Three: One of my favorite teachers of all time once told me that compassion is one of the necessary pillars to the sustainability of humanity (the other two being empathy and forgiveness), and that without having it for ourselves or each other, we will eventually cease to exist. That teacher’s name is Donald Hicken, and I couldn’t agree more.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Right now, the main challenge I am facing is keeping myself financially afloat amidst being in a profession that ebbs and flows at the drop of a hat. Money can control your whole life, if you let it. I am trying to find other fulfilling ways to retain solid income so that decision-making for future artistic work is based in genuine desire, not desperation.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Whitney Browne Photography (4-8 extra images)

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