INTERVIEW: Felicia Pride - A Creative Community Architect!

“I want my work to move people. And not just audiences, but also I want my work to make my collaborators feel and bring their best selves and creativity to projects.” - Felicia Pride

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“And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.” | Isaiah 61:4

Broken systems are all too common in this world. Whole communities kept in poverty because a select few hog all the wealth. Opportunities kept out of people’s grasp because they knew nothing of them. Progress stalled and tore down by hidden agendas and confusion. But, luckily, God has promised to use certain people to not only rebuild, but bring stability to specific communities and systems. To restore and pour in all that is needed to help a specific group of people not only grow but thrive in the areas that God has placed them in. If you believe God has called you to be that, may you do it wholeheartedly, knowing that progress and change never happened without people diligently pushing it forward.

For this week’s SC Interview, I was lucky enough to snag Felicia Pride, tv/film writer and a creative community architect. For several years she has been supervising The Create Daily, a site that helps and assists creatives in creating stable careers for themselves. In addition, Pride is a staff writer for ‘Queen Sugar’, she just made her directorial debut with the film, “Tender” and will be collabing with Universal Studios and Will Packer Productions to develop the film ‘Deeper’. For years, she has helped other creatives build their careers and it is exciting to see hers taking off as well. Check out the interview below:

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1. Why did you start 'The Create Daily'?

I started The Create Daily in 2012 as a way to help my fellow creators find and secure opportunity to help us create projects and grow our career. Since then, we’ve helped hundreds in our community do just that. And we’re still going strong. 

2. How did you end up in the 'Queen Sugar' writing room?

I feel like it’s one of those opportunities where so much was in alignment. But the short story is that my agent at the time submitted me to the show-runner, Anthony Sparks, who read my work and called me in for a meeting. The meeting went really well and I was then interviewed by Ava DuVernay. And not long after that, she offered me the position!

3. What impact do you want your work to have?

I want my work to move people. And not just audiences, but also I want my work to make my collaborators feel and bring their best selves and creativity to projects. I want my work to entertain and challenge. To conjure joy and to remind. I want it to illuminate and continue to evolve. 

4. What is something you wish you had learned earlier in life?

You are enough. 

5. What is the best writing advice that you have ever received?

During one of her workshops, Joan Scheckel said and I’m paraphrasing, “Craft is the practice of staying.” I love that. And I tell myself that when I feel like giving up.

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I hope you enjoyed learning about Felicia! If you are a creative, please be sure to check out The Create Daily and sign up for their free newsletter. #SisterhoodCinema