Meet Joel Boyd

 

We recently connected with Joel Boyd and have shared our conversation below.

Joel, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

To be completely honest I think my resilience comes from feeling like I never fit in. I always felt odd, left out—like other people had a “cool” I couldn’t access. I could never keep up. So at a certain point I stopped trying to be cool and just let myself be nerdy and awkward. As a result, I realized the charm of that. It allowed other people that felt out of place or awkward, or alone to feel it less. I learned to make room for myself, which in turn made room for other people.

During the months leading up to my (accidental) indie comedy special, I was working on material that dug into a part of my psyche of things I was scared to talk about. My father’s death, not being allowed to express ourselves as black men, questioning how I identify sexually. It was a dark process that I am still truly going through. But the night I stepped onstage to film the special, I remember going outside and around the corner to a parking lot in West Hollywood right before I went onstage. Just to breathe by myself. Look at the stars. I have a lot of social anxieties I don’t talk about too much, but I just wanted to be alone and away from the crowd for a while. A friend of mine was late to the show. He walked up and said hi to me on his way in. And after that, I knew in less than 10 minutes I would be onstage, exposing myself. The real, usually hidden parts of me.

I prayed in that moment. And somehow I knew that I couldn’t back down. I couldn’t “half-say” the truth, I couldn’t waver. I had to stand in it, and it was terrifying. I mean, to stand there and know what I was about to say on tape in front of my friends and fans, was an out-of-body experience. But I knew if I didn’t say it, I would be holding other people back from being able to be themselves, and acknowledge their truths too. That entire special was an out-of-body experience. I felt like each joke was a leap into unknown territory. But after the show, I remember several people, coming up to me and saying they needed that. Hearing the way I talked about myself, my father, my fears. They felt less alone. So I guess it wasn’t for nought.

I think my willingness to keep going comes from the understanding that if I don’t be my real self onstage, on camera, or even in my personal life—what I’m actually doing is choosing to hold myself back. Stifling my own growth. Which will in turn cause a slow death inside. And because of the influence I have as a person with a microphone, or who writes scripts—those who don’t have the luxury of being in my position as a comedian or filmmaker, won’t be able to grow within themselves either. Me not living my destiny keeps other people back from living theirs. I have to live as a pubic servant for the people who don’t do what I do. I have to know that in some way, God and the Universe will have my back. And somehow, it’s all going to work out.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

More often than not I am a television writer, producer, and actor. I just received my first Emmy nomination for a docuseries special with LeBron James’ company, SpringHill—entitled “Recipe For Change: Celebrating Black Men”. It’s available on YouTube so give it a watch. Many of the themes I talk about in my comedy special we actually worked into the ever-evolving conversation on Recipe For Change with the featured celebrity guests. Dissecting the things black men go through. I am very proud of the project and how it turned out. It’s funny, it’s daring, it’s eye-opening. I’ve also got some big stand-up appearances coming up soon, such as in my hometown Milwaukee on August 16th opening up for rising hip-hop & jazz musician, Emmitt James at the Big Band BBQ.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The three most important qualities to me I’d say are curiosity, determination, and proximity. For anyone who is trying to do anything worth doing, you need these. Curiosity helped me because I always wonder “how does this work?” So I ask questions, and I read a lot. I read almost every day. Determination is important because there are going to be lots of times when you’re alone. When you thought people would be there with you, but somehow it’s just you standing there looking at a goal you had. But that’s not always a bad thing. You’re learning how to be a leader. Sometimes when you’re alone, it’s just because you’re first or you’re early. It may take people a while to catch up to you, and that’s okay. And lastly, proximity is essential. When you think about it, you have to put yourself physically near people who are living their dreams, in order for you to live yours. You need that energy. Seek out people who are doing the thing you want to do, and go where they are. Watch them, talk to them. That energy will rub off on you. You have to be in proximity to them.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I just did some work for a non-profit to raise awareness on tobacco use in the black community. We created a series of comedy videos that will be out very soon. I am interested in collaborating more with companies that engage in social causes. Finding how comedy and entertainment can create social dialogue with much needed conversations that can get information to the masses in fun, inventive ways. If any non-profits or companies need visual, interactive, or comedic programming, I would love to figure out how to have that conversation. The contact form on my site or my Instagram is a great way to reach out.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Will Thomas, Sarah Larson, Adam Holmgren, Joy Boyd, Ralph LaGuerre

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?

Almost everything is multisided – including the occurrences that give us pain. So, we asked

Highlighter Series
What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?

Every industry has its myths—stories insiders repeat until they sound like truth. But behind the

Highlighter Series
What fear has held you back the most in your life?

Fear is something we all carry, though it shows up differently for each of us.