We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ulato Sam. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ulato below.
Hi Ulato, thank you for joining us today and sharing your experiences and acquired wisdom with us. Burnout is a huge topic these days and so we’d love to kick things off by discussing your thoughts on overcoming or avoiding burnout
Through finding the joy in missing out, I learned to walk away. In some instances it meant taking a break from participating or reducing the quantity of tasks I took on, and on occasion leaving all together. Within Creative Industries when you produce a particular quality of work if there aren’t structures in place to properly compensate, care for and nourish the creative giving rise to the art, the industry/business will exploit as much out of the individual as possible. I had to learn through experience that the smiling faces and “I love you”s are often used to distract from the business; and without proper compensation are empty. It has become a point of mine to find spaces that love my art and value my rest, wellness and personhood equally. The spaces that are meant for me will provide for me as best they can while adequately caring for me with the resources available. I can always make exceptions if I believe in the mission or the piece, but I do not have to accept the minimum while being asked to deliver maximum output. As an Actor and Creative Artist I’m pursuing opportunities to share my talents through the telling of amazing stories, and to do this at the highest level possible I must realize and honour the value of my work. These opportunities come to me because I’ve been refining my skills and investing in my craft. The more grounded I am in this fact empowers me pivot or say ‘no thank you’ when it’s not right for me.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m an Actor based in Los Angeles, California. I specialize in Theatre, Film & Television with experience in a number of international markets. I started my career hosting live events and outside broadcasts, then expanded to producing a national television news program which I also starred in. From there I refocused on scripted work and through rigorous training and extensive auditioning completed a Masters Degree in Theater with a focus in Acting. My repertoire comprises classical and contemporary works performed with the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, The Warsaw Stage Society and the SITI Company, live productions with Oprah Winfrey, Tony Robbins and Jay Shetty, and features in programs on Netflix and MAX. I also have experience as a dancer having been featured in music videos for award winning artists such as Londrelle. MY collaborations with brands include Toasted Life, Meta’s Black @ Meta, Google’s Black Google Network, and grassroots organizations such as the Central Alabama Caribbean American Organization, the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Bandleaders Association and Integrity Children’s Fund.
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?
Patience taught me to do more than just enjoy the moment, and to learn from it. With every opportunity I’ve had, there came lessons that I either learned in the moment or through reflection. By not rushing I was able to take note of the nuances that came up and capitalize on them as I moved forward.
Trusting my individuality has allowed me to offer something special in the spaces I’ve been welcomed into. If I have learned anything it’s that all of my art is a perspective on how I see the world, yes it has influences, but what the people who enjoy my work really want is a distilled product of my opinion on a story or idea that is engaging and robust.
Curiosity fed my thirst for knowledge, and constantly brought me closer to the unknown. Through my curiosity I took on new roles, travelled to new places, trained in different styles and gathered eclectic skill sets. Without curiosity I wouldn’t have dived deeper into myself or my art, it still guides me today: I always ask myself “what story am I going to be part of next?”
These qualities move through life with us, and having a more focused awareness of them gave me the opportunity to embrace and dive into refining them. Not being afraid to explore your interests, trusting that who you are and the way you show up are special no matter what anyone else says and giving yourself the time to reflect and learn from your experiences are the part of maturing that no one tells you helps in whatever endeavour you pursue. Give yourself challenges that come from your natural inclinations and the world you’ve created for yourself, the reward is a relationship with yourself that will take you to the places you’ve dreamed of and the ones you never even imagined.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
The tragic loss of my father has been the biggest shift in my life to date. Navigating the circumstance, the reality of the loss, and the mixed emotions I’ve been left with has pulled me away from most of my usual joys. Experiencing this grief left me in a fog that had and still has me asking questions of myself, the world and God. I’ve come to realize that the grief isn’t going to shrink but that my life is going to grow around it however I still shed a tear or two when I hear certain Chutney Music. I found myself wanting a friend to talk to and realizing that most of my friends and family weren’t equipped for the conversation and even fewer of them were even interested in having it for a plethora of reasons, left me with very few outlets. No one has a responsibility to unpack these feelings except me, so I went to speak with a professional. I started taking myself to places on solo trips, going out to dance regardless of whether people wanted to go with me or not, and connecting on deeper levels with my mother and brother, publicly sharing less and introspecting more. I wrote poetry and read memoirs, I stayed home and put my thoughts into art and short stories. I’m still discovering what this new perspective will teach me but allowing this life lesson to guide me in the beauty of the joy and the sadness is bringing me closer to something – I know it. I don’t know if I’ll ever resolve or overcome this experience but I know that it has inspired a compassion within me that will surely compliment what I create. My appreciation for the stories I get to tell has become so much greater and given the opportunity to I plan to honour and embody each one as truthfully and honestly as I can.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ulatosam.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youlatoe
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- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/youlatoe
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Youlatoe
Image Credits
Photography – IG: @OneShotJohn
Styling – IG: @Matty.Flea / @flea.and.co
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