I have always been both a creator and a critic.

Growing up in the Washington D.C. “church community”, I was always fascinated by the idea of religion, and it’s influence on society and culture. I am the oldest son of a pastor in historic Anacostia, and it was assumed that I would enter the ministry as well. My interest in religion was much more pragmatic. As a teenager, I found myself much less concerned with the dogma and rituals and much more interested in how the belief system affects a person’s sociological experience. I have been seminary trained and groomed for pastoring, but there was never any interest. My fascination with religious comparison and critique, however, has only grown.

The artist and creator in me has also been able to grow over the years as well. I began as a spoken word artist, performing at open mics and talent shows across Washington, D.C. As my interest in writing progressed I began writing fiction. I was fortunate enough to publish two novels, Antebellum and The Seven Days, under the Simon and Schuster publishing company. Antebellum would go on to be nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Debut Author. I was also able to write, produce, and direct two stage plays, After Church and After Church II. We used local churches with large enough stages or common area spaces to perform the play, and ran for three nights each. 

My most recent artistic endeavors have been centered around filmmaking. After receiving my MFA in Film and Electronic Media from American University, I began creating a lane for myself with documentary films that discuss and critique various aspects of the African-American historical and religious experience. 

After completing a documentary largely funded by the Arts and Humanities fellowship, I am returning to playwriting and theatre for my next project. My new stage play, entitled Four Old Angry Preachers, centers around four older preachers who have all lost their faith due to different circumstances.