We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tonya Todd a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Tonya, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I’m biracial, so it’s rare that I’m ever surrounded by people who look like me, even in diverse environments. Being the Other in the room is the norm. I can’t say it’s as simple as not focusing on the differences. That’s naive, especially since there are times when people won’t let you forget them. Instead, I try to focus on the qualities that have earned my place in the room, the skills or talents or accomplishments that landed me there. I also feel a great responsibility to speak up because I am there when so many others have been excluded. If I don’t say something, who will? And when all else fails, I pull from the strength of the powerful characters I’ve played or the ones I have written. When I embody someone magnificent like Cleopatra, there are no limitations to what I can achieve.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I wear a lot of hats, or tiaras, as I like to call them. As an actress, right now I’m playing a secretive senator on a cybercrime show called Dark Ops available through Knight Studios.
I co-host for Femme On, a podcast that places the female gaze front and center in discussions about books, film, TV, feminism, comics, fitness, and advocacy. I cover Femme On Fitness and Active Activism.
My main focus is writing stories about love, passion, and obsession that don’t necessarily promise a happy ending. But I write non-fiction, too. My first book, 52 Love: Weekly Love Lessons in Bite-Sized Bits, is due out in December.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Discipline, persistence, and a willingness to get outside my comfort zone to do what is necessary to succeed. I knew very little about writing when I started, but I put in the time, studied the craft, attended workshops and conferences and critique groups. Now, I’m teaching and still learning. This is a long journey. Tenacity is essential to weather the storms along the way. To set yourself up for success, find your strengths, put realistic expectations in place, and develop a support system of people with similar goals.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
They exposed me to arts and humanities. I always had access to books and music. They allowed me to explore my interests whether they were academic, athletic, or artistic. And they didn’t groom me to believe I wasn’t capable of achieving my goals. My mother still believes I can do anything.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mstonyatodd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mstonyatodd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mstonyatodd
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonya-todd-b05b1918a/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsTonyaTodd
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/The52LovePodcast
- Other: imdb.me/TonyaTodd
https://www.femmeon.show/
http://www.mstonyatodd.com/newsletter/
Image Credits
Richard Mathis Knight Studios Danielle D. Smith Mike Burton Kat Fieler Dream N 1 Productions David De Hannay
