Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Djennie Laguerre. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Djennie, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I was born resilient. I Had no CHOICE. It was explained to me very young by the world and my mother that everything was going to be harder for me. I am black, I am a woman, I am a dark skin black woman. Everything seemed painted grim at first but as the years went on, I realized that all that was to keep me down, made me special, beautiful, strong, and smarter than most because I am an artist. I LEARNED MY HISTORY AND MY HERSTORY. I learned to love myself slowly, forgive my mistakes, and turn them into success. Also, I watched my mom living in fear and hardship never giving up and creating her dreams, and giving my sister and me the best.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am an actor-director who has turned into a playwright with a unique point of view. I write not only to entertain but I am in the healing movement. I have the talent for reinventing myself and when one part of the industry says no, I do not stay to convince anyone I go to find the part of the industry and people that will say yes and celebrate my talent, celebrate my craft.
If I had not begun writing one-woman plays for myself and translating them from French to English when the francophones were closing the doors to me, I would not have the great bilingual career I have today. I spent part of my year teaching the other part acting on stage and TV and writing while having time to be a supportive soccer mom. I go from French to English and meet amazing artists and mentors who are making my art better. I have developed a main career in acting, playwriting, and teaching, I also have a budding new career as a traditional Storyteller from the Caribbean and Africa. I perform in School but mostly in STORYTELLING FESTIVAL. Being a single mother, I have developed a superpower that I didn’t see coming but that my agent and one of my aunts told me about. It’s that superpower of wasting no time and focus. Concentrating on bettering my craft to provide a better life for myself and my daughter. I have also begun attracting like-minded people and opening doors that I didn’t even know existed and enjoying every minute of it.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Never Give up and be ready to learn from your mistakes. God knows I have made plenty of mistakes, I have been discouraged by them, and I have been depressed by them until I started learning from them. I have learned to better believe in myself and if I do not, I FAKE IT TILL I MAKE IT. I will try again until I get better. I do not waste an opportunity. If I feel fear, I go for it anyway. I also acknowledge and I am thankful for all my mentors and all the help I’ve Had along the way. Be ready for hard times followed by great successful years. Be ready to shift your expectations. Be ready to be great and to learn to love yourself. And remember your accomplishments big or small are your accomplishments.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
FINDING BALANCE BALANCING Family life and my career. My daughter needs me more than ever, and I need to work more than ever to support us. But we are all in this together figuring out how to balance our lives and making REST part of work. I am facing so many fears and learning to trust people and myself again to know what is best. I am at a time in my career where I must continue to make the smart choice of being more financially oriented and smart, But the dreamer in me needs to be alive and keep dreaming.
Contact Info:
- Website: djennielaguerre.com
- Instagram: @djennielaguerre
- Facebook: Djennie Laguerre
- Linkedin: Djennie Laguerre
- Other:French plays published by Prise de Parole, titled; Manman la mer and Rendezvous lakay please email me for booking at [email protected] for hosting and storytelling
Image Credits
Marla @Rebelhowl for the HeadShot picture Djennie Laguerre for personal picture Storytelling Headshot
