ABOUT How I became a Drama Mama… Hey there, I’m Naima and I’m a Drama Mama…sort of! I was definitely the little girl who dreamed of broadway and used my hairbrush to belt out tunes in the mirror. So when I moved to Atlanta right out of college (Go NOLES!) I started pursuing my passion for acting. I did theatre, got an agent and right before I made the leap to New York I met this pretty cool guy, also an artist (www.eugeneiv.com) and we started to make big dreams together. Aside from Broadway, film and television, one of those big dreams included a house and kids… We got the house, we got the kids, and the rest as they say is history….. The idea for this blog was to create a space for actor moms and dads that would encourage them to keep up that actor hustle while raising babies. ….but Guys, seriously…. if your kids are under 5 that is crazy bananas. If they are under 15 it’s still SO STINKIN’ HARD. So I’m not going to lie and say that I am seriously hustling the business. Hustle?….I’m barely trotting most days. So here, in my little corner of the internet, I want to express to you: that my desire for my art did not die in the delivery room; That I love my kids but I still struggle in this season of motherhood; That you can reach for the stars, but feel perfectly comfortable relaxing amongst the clouds if the season of life calls for it. That is going to be okay! Photo credit: chris Bartelski Felicia Farrell, Memphis, the musical, Aurora Theatre So What now??? Here’s the thing I’ve realized…I’m not just an actress I’m a CREATIVE. I love that title because it doesn’t limit me when I can’t be on stage or screen. I love to try new recipes and perfect the old. I am renovating a 1920’s craftsman. I can knit, crochet and sew…(functionally…when I have time). I’ve also enjoyed 6 sweet years as a part time pre-k teacher at my local PMO. That means I have loads of pre-k crafts, tips and tricks at my fingertips. Yes, Creative, not just Actress suits me well. So if you don’t see me on stage I’m probably at home doing one of the 70 million other creative things I listed above, or listening to an audiobook while sipping coffee on my deck. Picture Book Obsessed… In raising my beautiful Black girls I was always super conscious about the books I was reading to them. Every time I found a book with Black MAIN characters or filled with diversity I would get excited, sometimes to tears. I remember one morning I sat down to take inventory of what was on my bookshelf and found just a handful of picture books that were not about slavery, civil rights or summer in the deep south. I immediately started searching for MORE, more books, more diversity, more Black Joy in our reading materials. I started sharing what I was finding on Instagram and was surprised to find a wonderful and passionate group of people known as “Bookstagrammers”. I also found that several of my friends and family were craving more choices on their children’s bookshelves too. So here I am obsessed with finding picture books that enchant, surprise, encourage, inspire, uplift, bring joy, and open windows to other experiences for my girls and for you! Share this:FacebookX