I believe in the power of storytelling to change the world.

I initially wanted to be an actor so that I could say something out loud and have people listen. When I started acting professionally on national television and across the country, I realized that speaking up in character was powerful, but there were still things that I needed and wanted to say in my own voice.

That instinct blossomed when I co-hosted The Fox-45 Clubhouse, a Baltimore children’s show I co-wrote and co-produced. In between announcing birthdays and doing wacky skits we talked about real issues: the importance of education, climate change, safety. And I spoke to and about the minority community when I hosted the station’s annual award for outstanding achievement.

I’m still speaking out today.

Inspired by the service that my parents did as New York City school teachers, I’ve brought the lessons I’ve learned as an actor, TV writer and playwright to students across the country. As a speaker, guest lecturer and teacher at a number of institutions (for a list of institutions and venues, click here), I talk about the power of telling stories: and how it’s done for theater and television and in other media and how I use my personal experiences to inform dramatic material. I urge students to tell the truth about what’s happening in their lives by channeling that truth into original scripts.

The ancient art of storytelling can change the world, particularly when BiPOC and LGBTQ folks step forward. My goal is to help them master the tools of the art, so they can help raise empathy and awareness across the globe. I accomplish this not only by speaking to students but also by coaching writers, and hosting a podcast about the writer’s life.