Tammy Reese
Khalia S. Parker Preyer, also known as “K (P) 2”, is a Drama Teacher and Creative Writer. Khalia has a personal goal of giving access to the power of theatre. As the founder and Executive Director of KP2 Foundation, Incorporated, and KP2 Writes, LLC, Khalia’s ultimate goal is to support its mission of providing a culturally relevant educational theatre experience for children and youth. Through the non-profit, she and her team are able to host workshops on acting, production, and technical theatre. Also providing scholarships to combat senior obligation fees, etc.
Khalia believes that high school students shouldn’t have to incur financial hardship to participate in theatre events, workshops, and or conferences. After introducing and leading 5,000+ theatre artists through the journey of play production, Khalia decided to share her mechanism, writing boldly. Through KP2 Writes, she teaches authors how to turn their stories into a stage play.
We are thrilled to interview Khalia S. Parker Preyer and discuss her thoughts on making the world a better place as a creative business owner.
How do you aim to make the world a better place as a creative business owner?
As a business owner, I pride myself on being coachable. Many days I pray, read, and listen to my elders. People don’t value the time they can save by sitting on a porch drinking coffee or enjoying brunch with individuals that have already experienced specific scenarios. I like the philosophy of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” But as a creative, I believe if it is broken, find the strength to go against the waves and make it right. Most of life’s obstacles are solved as a child by simply learning while following the Golden Rule. The world is overall a good place. Yet, the Arts make it better. I must incorporate the Arts into any plan or endeavor I embark on. The Arts are the cheat code for making the world a better place.
What are some of your 2022 highlights, and what are you most excited about for 2023?
The most important thing I’m excited about is actually getting back to producing plays live in front of a live audience, attending festivals and conferences again, and hosting talkbacks.
What was the biggest blessing and lesson you got this year?
One of the best blessings and lessons I learned this year is to focus on what I already have. I always believe that if I delight myself in the Lord, He will give me the desires of my heart (Psalms 37:4). I have a family with two beautiful sons. Black sons, at that. My sons are perfect to me, yet they also have little obstacles. This year I tackled one of our biggest obstacles when finding out what was going on with my son. I was able to get him diagnosed so we’d know what our next action plan would be. He was diagnosed with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which I always believe I also struggled with. I think the best creative artist lack “focus.” My ADHD has me through some of the most amazing things, like speaking on stage in cities and countries I never imagined ever traveling to. I learned so much about myself through the blessings of finding out what was happening with my son. The biggest lesson was to embrace every moment, get to know each other, travel the world with the people you love, and not be afraid to spend money doing it.
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What was one of the challenges you overcame that made you a better woman?
There are so many. However, all of my challenges made me a better woman. I had a journey years ago with infertility, a subject that many people don’t like to discuss. Going public with my struggle with having children, I believe, gave my husband and me the strength to continue to do things that we couldn’t see. We exhibited faith in front of our followers. We became parents of twins. I guess I’m a better woman because I’m a mommy. My favorite title is “Jayce and Chance’s Mommy.”
If you could tell 18-year-old Khalia anything, what would it be?
I will tell the 18-year-old me the same thing I tell myself every day: no matter what, no matter how no matter where we keep pushing. If you keep pushing, you’ll get somewhere. If you stop, you and anyone following you will not advance in their purpose.
What is the most important characteristic about yourself you would like to world to know?
My grandaddy(age. 99) calls me ambitious. I like that, and I’ll keep it. So an essential characteristic I want the world to see is my ambition. I have a strong drive and determination to succeed. One will never understand my drive unless they’ve walked a mile in my shoes. I don’t like to walk in my shoes. (giggles)
Any other exclusive news you can share with us first?
I plan to produce at least two more plays that would transform lives. I’m already geared up to speak on five more stages next year. I will discuss topics from unethical life prison sentences to mental illness and raising a son with ADHD. I will accomplish this while I continue to help emerging playwrights turn this story into a stage play.
How can we keep up to date with you?
You can follow me at KP2writes on Instagram and Facebook. And you can work with me at www.bookedplaywright.com.
More on Khalia S. Parker Preyer
She writes to glorify the beauty of the English language. Khalia has written and published three books. Her book Identically Different: It’s an Oxymoron fulfills her commitment to providing children with characters that positively represent them, an issue she believes staggers fluency and interest in reading. In her book, Love Beyond the Bars, Khalia uses the traumatic impact of growing up with an incarcerated parent to mentor and support children of incarcerated parents. Love Beyond the Bars gives assurance to both parents and children that there is life beyond the uncomfortable experience of parental incarceration. It also teaches children about the timeless and unconditional love of a parent. In her third book, You Don’t Have the Right to Remain Silent: How to Turn Your Story into a Play she provides the steps to gain the confidence to write, publish, and produce a play.
Khalia has also written four plays to mirror life’s obstacles and provide a mirror into problem-solving and communication ideals in the African American family. She believes in using the arts as a change mechanism.
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TAMMY REESE
Tammy Reese began her career as a theater actress performing in 60 live stage shows a year with The Media Unit TV and Stage Production Company. She also directed the weekly live TV show Rough Times Live.
Eventually, she went to Empire State College to obtain her degree in media studies. After graduation, she did more theater and wrote and produced her own videos to spread awareness on social issues through the arts.
Tammy is an award-winning journalist and is best known for her legendary interviews with Sigourney Weaver, Meagan Good, Laurence Fishburne, Mona Scott- Young, B. Scott, Jackie Long, Omar Epps, Joseph Sikora, Tonya Pinkins, Carmen Electra, Giancarlo Esposito, Leon, Patina Miller, Nelly, RL, Neyo, Bobby V, Geena Davis, Michael James Shaw, Syleena Johnson, Courtney Kemp, Keith Robinson, Janet Hubert, Tom Arnold, Donell Jones, Slim and Mike of 112, Michole Briana White, Matt Cedeño, Raven Goodwin, Amber Riley, Serayah, Ginuwine and many more.
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