Meet Lekeith Williams-Jones

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lekeith Williams-Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lekeith below.

Hi Lekeith, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I don’t think I found my purpose; my purpose found me. Hopefully that doesn’t sound corny. I grew up an unorthodox kid, with interests that didn’t exactly match what was considered ‘normal’ in my community. I was a black boy obsessed with soap operas and white teen dramas lol – that was my world.

While at my grandparents house after elementary school, I use to watch the “stories” with my granny after she got her home from work. We call it that in the black community but everyone else knows it as ABC’s daytime soap operas: “All My Children” and “One Life To Live”. As a kid, I had no business being that invested in Erica Kane’s rich white woman problems… but I there, eating it up every day. Eventually, I gravitated toward teen dramas, their stories felt more personal because the characters were closer to my age and experiences.

Back in middle school, I loved the shows so much that I begin writing spec episodes of them. Eventually while writing, I realized this was an outlet for me to be vulnerable and the art form was therapeutic for me. In my community, black boys are disparaged for expressing their emotions so they suppress them. I used to hide pieces of my truth inside the characters I wrote for existing shows. But eventually, I realized it was time to stop borrowing worlds and start building my own — ones rooted in my community and my generation.

After the release of my first short film, I was contacted by friends and peers who told me how much it moved them. I didn’t think the film was good lol, but that taught me that if I kept putting in the work and I could make something great that’ll could really impact my community.

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?

I’m a Los Angeles-based writer and filmmaker, originally from Aurora, Illinois. I create films that hold a mirror up to society, often told through the lens of the Black experience. My work explores identity, survival, and the quiet, internal battles we carry — the ones that rarely get spoken about, but shape everything we are. What excites me most are stories that feel raw and honest, that don’t shy away from the uncomfortable. I’m intentional about weaving my culture into every layer of my work — from the language, music, and fashion to the emotional truths and community dynamics that are often overlooked. My goal is to tell stories that not only reflect who we are, but celebrate where we come from, and challenge how we’re seen.

I’m truly excited about our third film, SCAMMERS. It’s a story that means a lot to me and my team. We’ve faced a few hurdles along the way, but we’re currently crowdfunding to bring it to life. Securing funding is tough in general, but telling stories centered on Black experiences adds another layer of difficulty. The project is significant especially in our current climate it’s about capitalism, systemic equality, and labor exploitation. The story is innovative and hasn’t been told through the black experience – it’s fresh, bold, and I truly believe it’ll blow people away.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think leadership, patience, and being collaborative. When it comes to leadership, you gotta know how to guide a tram through the process of bringing a story to life. Leadership means having a clear vision and being able to communicate that vision in a way that inspires others. It’s about setting the tone on set, making tough creative decisions under pressure, and being someone the cast and crew can trust. A great leader creates a safe, focused environment where everyone feels empowered to do their best work.

When it comes to patience, writing and directing are both long games. Creatives spend years developing and making the shows and films you see today. Also you’re rewriting drafts, developing characters, waiting on funding, coordinating shoot days — it takes time, and things rarely go as planned. I learned that you can rush through the decisions or the process because it may weaken the final result. The quality of patience keeps you open and grounded.

Film is not a solo sport. As a writer, you might begin alone — but as a director, you step into a world of cinematographers, production designers, actors, editors, and more. I never approach storytelling like I have all the answers — sometimes a collaborator brings in an idea that shifts everything for the better.

For anybody early in their journey, I would say hone in on those qualities and I believe it’ll take you far. There’s no blueprint for success, and everyone’s path looks different.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Funding to be honest. I think majority of filmmakers of color can relate to that. Getting a project off the ground — especially one that centers Black characters and critiques systems like capitalism and inequality — is an uphill battle. Traditional funding sources often overlook stories like ‘Scammers’ because they’re seen as “too specific” or “too risky,” even though they reflect the very real world we live in. But I know that God got us. Project will come to light regardless.

I also believe that black filmmakers are pigeonholed when it comes to the storytelling. There’s a constant pressure for our stories to be rooted in social justice or portray us in a strictly positive light. But in doing so, we lose the freedom to explore our full complexity as people. That narrative lane is limiting and to be honest it’s repetitive.

I’m aiming to tell stories that stick to your bones and that aren’t easily digestible, but deeply felt. I’m interested in the kind of art that risks discomfort for the sake of truth. And that’s me lol. I can’t wait to show you what I have next.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dashawnj_/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lekeith-williams-jones/
• Twitter: https://x.com/_DashawnJ_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DreamingInColorProd