We recently connected with Sherice Dugan and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sherice, 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?
How did I find my purpose? Great question.
As a sci-fi and horror fan, until my grandfather introduced me to Star Trek, I didn’t see much of myself in the characters onscreen. Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura was a revelation. So was Eartha Kitt. I loved the classic Batman series. It was so zany and colorful and Eartha Kitt was the perfect Catwoman. But as I grew older, I noticed a great disparity in terms of who was given the limelight and who wasn’t. At that time, I didn’t know what could be done to make things more equal. I certainly wasn’t aware of creative executives or what they did until I relocated to Los Angeles and temped at numerous studios. Eventually I landed a job as an executive assistant in current television and was made aware of their function.
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 grew up in Tucson, Arizona, where many westerns are filmed. which is probably why I love “Tombstone” and “Young Guns” . “Posse” was also filmed in my home town back in the 90s. Unfortunately, it would be awhile before another western with Black leads would be made even though statistically as many as one in four cowboys in the old west were Black. Anyway, I mentioned Nichelle Nichols earlier. I’m a Trekkie. But not only do I love Star Trek and sci-fi, I pretty much love all things horror. Vincent Price, Christopher Lee. Universal and their classic monsters. I can’t get enough of it. So, in a nutshell, genre is my jam. I digest a high volume of sci-fi, horror and action. I’d like to think doing so is priming to develop an epic vampire, western.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I love working in entertainment but it’s a very fickle industry. You never know what’s gonna be a hit or what will fail. So, I’m going to use this popular quote from Bruce Lee. He’s one of my favorite teachers. “Be like water, my friend.” Be adaptable and versatile. Be fluid and go with the flow. Patience is also very important because it may take time to get the position you want. Lastly, BE KIND.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Self care is important. I’m pretty good at taking a break. A good workout is a fantastic way to destress. Or a visit to a museum. A walk around the block helps to clear my head too.
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