We had the good fortune of connecting with Alahna Lark and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alahna, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve always been a storyteller. From a very young age I took writing assignments very seriously. So much so that I’d ask the teacher if they’d allow me to act them out so that my classmates would receive my stories in the way that I’d envisioned. By the time I got to middle school I learned that it was essentially theater that I’d been performing in lit classes. And there began my love for performing arts, which later translated to my love for film. It just made sense to work within my passion.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art tends to center the experiences of people of color through film. As a little black girl I really felt the lack of positive, realistic representation that looked like me on tv and in movies and it honestly made me feel less than when I should have felt celebrated. I wanted to make art that felt like the strong, powerful people of color who raised me. I wanted to help little brown girls feel like they belonged and It seemed to me like Hollywood had no desire to make me feel that way. So, I use my love for storytelling to tell real stories about the beautiful people of color who deserve to be highlighted and appreciated. Most of the struggles I’ve faced have revolved around knowing my worth and demanding it, because often times people don’t want to pay black women for their work. It’s really frustrating that I have a great deal of work to show for my skills, and yet people always want to approach me with some “this will be really good for your career but we don’t really have the budget to pay you.” type of rhetoric. I tend to deal with this by saying no to opportunities that don’t see my value. Because if you don’t know your worth, how will anyone else, right?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ll take this opportunity to say, please stay home yall. Atlanta has gone viral for being known as the place where people are still clubbing during the pandemic. With love… STAY HOME! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my shoutout to my mentor Phil Stevens who is constantly teaching me the true meaning of leadership.

Website: alahnalark.com
Instagram: @eastalahna
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alahna-lark-02363088
Other: larkmedia.co (business site) hueman.tv (streaming platform)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlana is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.