Okema T. Moore on Owning the Director's Chair, Championing Marginalized Voices, and Building Her Creative Legacy
- Tammy Reese
- 18 minutes ago
- 7 min read
By Tammy Reese
Brooklyn-born storyteller Okema T. Moore has built a career that defies boxes. An Emmy-nominated, NAACP Image Award-nominated, and ABFF-winning director, producer, and writer, she’s moved seamlessly from performing on Sesame Street to directing campaigns for ULTA Beauty, producing for Netflix and Marvel, and creating award-winning shorts like Laundry and Chocolate with Sprinkles. Her work spans scripted, unscripted, branded, and indie spaces, all connected by a throughline of emotional truth and bold representation. A proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and an active board member of NYWIFT and The Black TV & Film Collective, Moore is as dedicated to uplifting underrepresented creators as she is to her own artistry. Now, with her first feature film on the horizon and a seat in the GLAAD Black Queer Creative Summit, she’s proving that building a legacy means telling the stories that matter — and making space for others to do the same.
Okema, your journey as an award-winning filmmaker is nothing short of inspiring. What has been your proudest evolution in that transition from in front of the camera to behind it?
Okema: Thank you! I think my proudest evolution is the pride in my journey and my progress since betting on myself fulltime 10 years ago. That and the increase in self-belief and confidence that I have in my talent as a director now. It took a while for me to own that title.
Growing up in Brooklyn, did you always know storytelling would be your life’s work or did your creative path unfold in unexpected ways?
Okema: I was always a storyteller of some sort, but I come from a long line of them. My biological dad is Guyanese and I lived with him as a child back home. He sings and writes songs. My mom’s side is from Barbados and she too was a singer, actor, writer, dancer and model in her day. My Bajan Grampie could also spin the heck out of a moment in story form. So I get it honestly. But I am the first to take it on professionally. From winning oratory contests starting in Kindergarten to being on Sesame Street as a child actress, to being in a group as a lead singer/songwriter…to now. But evolving to telling stories behind the lens was never in my mind. However, at 8 I saw Whoopi Goldberg’s one woman show and said I want to do “that” one day. Little did I know she wrote, directed, produced and starred in that show all herself and was the first Black woman to do that for Broadway and TV. And now I can say I AM doing “that!”
Your career is marked by boldness and range. How do you stay grounded while moving across so many genres, platforms, and roles?
Okema: My secret to what I call ‘walking through walls,’ is to focus on the room I am in at the moment. Then, see the next room in my mind and cross into it. Compartmentalizing myself, my time, my focus, helps me to ensure I give 100% to that moment and thing, then move on to the next. I also pray heavily, I work out, I rest and I have incredible family and friends who support me but also keep me in space of both humility and gratitude. They don’t play ABOUT me. But they also don’t play WITH me lol.
Your short film Laundry captures grief with raw beauty. What was the heart behind that story, and what did it teach you as a director?
Okema: The film Laundry is based on the writer / Producer’s true story. So it was imperative that I was reverent to that. But I also had to own that it was BASED on his story, but we were making a film. So I had to ensure to serve the story I was telling. And the biggest takeaway for me as a Director, in that, was that I am prepared, visual, thoughtful and can overlook challenges to make my day and get the best images possible recorded. All while being kind, respectful, intentional and not feeding into any distractions that sometimes can pop up in production.
You’ve worked with major platforms like Netflix, Marvel, and BET while also nurturing indie projects that center marginalized voices. Why is this duality important to you?
Okema: Our industry is shifting daily. And not for the benefit of the makers, but the owners. With that, I have always been prone to one foot in the machine and one foot out of it. It’s the only way to sustain economically and creatively. I can bring my creative sensibilities to network projects, but ultimately I have to cater to the wants and decisions of that company. But I learn so much and am able to adopt their business acumen and operational approaches to indie spaces that give me much more creative autonomy. It’s actually the perfect mix in my opinion. I build my own table but take a doggy bag of knowledge from theirs.
As a Black woman in film and television, what challenges have you had to push through, and how have those experiences shaped your leadership style today?
Okema: I am a leader who at times is the boss but is not bossy. I learned the hard way that is counterproductive and also counter intuitive to who I am in this iteration of myself. I lead with love. But employ boundaries to maintain order. As a woman, especially as a Black woman, people will weaponize your zeal and firmness and call it aggression, or overlook your experience and resume to lean into their own biases and assumptions about you. So I take it all in stride, but set the stage early that if I’m at the helm there’s one voice on shoot days, but I consult with all of the voices prior to, to ensure the best product. Collaborative leadership is the best in film and TV.
Your work uplifts so many identities — Black, queer, feminine, grieving, joyful. What does true representation mean to you in 2025?
Okema: True representation is the use of truth and acceptance of any section of people. Allowing stories to center their humanity, not the stereotype about them or the depiction of a caricature of who they are. We live in a world with rich culture, color and vast experiences. It’s important that we show the breadth of who we are. And for those that live outside of the cis, white, male, hetero-noramtive space, seeing some version of themselves can be affirming and transformative.
You’re a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho and serve on the boards of NYWIFT and The Black TV & Film Collective. How does community fuel your creativity and your leadership?
Okema: I was raised by community. So ensuring I give back is non negotiable for me. From free advice and time spent, to mentoring, to access, it helps to grow and enrich others. And honestly, it truly is edification for me as well. When I am in a low space, helping and loving on another is balm for me.
Who is a woman in film or TV who’s changed your life?
Okema: There’s a Laundry list of them lol. But I’d definitely say NYWIFT Advisory Board Member Annetta Marion is the reason we are here. Lol I met her at a talk in 2017 and months later she gave me my first job in TV. And from there she has been a mentor, friend, big sister and career sponsor for me as I’ve continued to ascend. Two other major influences are Morenike Evans and NYWIFT Board Member Emelyn Stuart.
What else are you working on as of late? Any exclusive news you can share with us?
Okema: Well I’m in talks to direct my first feature film this year and I’m excited. I also just wrapped directing a short horror/thriller for a very popular TPS star. I can’t give details yet, but its going to be amazing. The shoot was incredible! I am also proud to report that I am a part of this year’s GLAAD Black Queer Creative Summit in LA in September. Speaking on their panel at ABFF this year was an honor, so being accepted into this cohort is huge and special for me. And more projects and fellowships are on tap!
More About Okema:
Okema T. Moore is the female lead in a new short about to hit the circuit with actor Rory Clark called Crossroads, directed by Horane Henry and produced by Victorious DeCosta and Rasheen “Raye” Donaldson. Okema is so excited about this film. She feels like the story is sooo beautiful and sweet, the Caribbean representation is heavy and she got to show a very emotional and sensitive side in it.
Be sure to follow Okema T. Moore on Instagram @okematmoore and her website MOOREthanEnuff.com.
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