Meet Kia Dorsey | Actor

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

Hi Kia, what matters most to you?
Currently, my happiness and peace of mind matters the most to me. I’m in a transition in life where I’m figuring out what battles are worth fighting and what’s worth just letting go for the sake of my mental health and overall peace. I’m learning to live life moment to moment instead of worrying about the future or crying over the past. The pandemic showed me just how short life can be, and I want to make sure I’m enjoying my time while I’m here.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think my story is very similar to a lot of artists in that it took a lot of hard work and dedication to get where I am today, and it will take more work and dedication to get where I want to be. But I am very proud of how far I’ve come in the short amount of time I’ve been on this journey. As far as lessons I’ve learned, never giving up is definitely the most important. There have been many moments that have challenged me and I’ve been tested by the universe plenty of times, but persistence is key.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m going to be completely honest, I’m still learning my way around and finding new places to go. However, I did have friends visit last summer after only being in LA for 6 months myself and we did a few typical touristy things—a trip to Disneyland, a Dodger’s game, and a Sunday drag brunch in WeHo. I will do my best to find new places this year, and I’ll have a better answer to this question soon! 🙂

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people I want to shoutout! First, my family. My mom, dad, brother, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles. For many years, these folks supported my wildest dreams and they continue to do so. They’ve sat through many hours of theatre productions, watched many films that I’ve done (good and bad if I do say so myself), and they’ve never complained once. They continue to push me and I’m so lucky to have been born into this family.

Next I want to shoutout art teachers/instructors/coaches. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for my high school drama teacher and my college theatre professors. They guided me in the direction I needed to be in as a young artist and it encouraged me to become a teacher myself. I taught theatre for three years and after being in the classroom myself, I want to applaud every single teacher in this country. Teachers are superheroes who deserve way more recognition than they are given.

Speaking of being a teacher, I also want to give a shoutout to my students over those 3 years. They don’t know the impact they had on me, and I want them to know how proud I am of them and thank them for allowing me to be a part of their artistic journey. I learned so much just from observing these students and I admire every single one of them. Shoutout to my students at Glenpool High School, Booker T. Washington High School, Theatre Tulsa, and Bravo School of Performing Arts. I love you all!

Website: www.kiadorsey.com

Instagram: @kiadsmileyface