Keonia Williams shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Keonia , it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I am most proud building my production company. I think many people most thoughts are just “that’s awesome!” Or “wow I would love to start my own business”- which is great but sometimes I think it’s more out of kindness. Starting any business is truly hard in the very beginning. These last couple of years it been nice to see people wanting to know on deeper level of what my company is and what we do. Believing in us more and more wanting to work with us more too. I started a mother and daughter production company called “SoliderUpProductions”. I wanted us to be able to tell the stories that we feel truly matter and wanted all to truly be seen. My mother (Angel Williams) and I were tired of seeing so many people. Including ourselves be overlooked whether we were the one writing the story or wanting to tell our story in front of the camera. That’s why I’m proud of how far this company has come and the stories we have been able to help tell.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Keonia Williams, an actress, writer, and producer born in Washington, DC but due to my parents being military I was raised throughout the United States. I’m known to many as Ke-Ke, started acting at the age of 9, starting in theater and then moving into the TV/Film space. Her roles in TV/Film include, Dear Eleanor, The Accountant, Netflix Original Film Amateur, and Netflix Original Series Daybreak. I am the co-founder of Soldier Up Productions with my mother (Angel Williams). I took my love for writing to create screenplays during COVID. And got hooked on producing after co-producing the documentary, Barriers Included. I have now been a producer on many more projects. My latest one that has wrapped is called “I got next” the story being about a young girl with Williams syndrome. Who just wants people to see her and not her disability. As she really wants to learn how to play basketball. It is a beautiful story and this is what Soldier Up Productions does. We help bring incredible stories like this to life. Wether it’s a documentary or a drama feature film. We want more stories that matter and stories that are unique. Soldier up production loves stories that are different because we as humans beings are never the same. We also care deeply about stories with disabilities. Due our family having disabilities themselves. I have two siblings with autism. My mother and I also struggle with invisible disabilities too. Another reason why we strongly support and believe there should be more movies with people with invisible and visible disabilities on the big screen.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
One thing as a child I always strongly believe was that I had to be perfect in everything I did. I use to tell myself that if I wanted to succeed. I could never make a mistake. I’ve been working in this industry since I was nice and That’s a lot of pressure for a nine year old but it was the decision I made. I pretty much would work myself to death to make sure I “Stood out” or had the “it factor”. I wanted to make sure I always left a remarkable impression. After growing up and feeling all that pressure 24/7. It started making me make small mistakes. Of course I thought. “That’s it-it’s over!” But in reality it wasn’t. It was more as I was seeing things I could learn. A great example of this was when I switch over from acting to being a producer. I knew nothing about being a producer. That put me in a state of fear. With acting I made sure I knew everything to the smallest degree. With producing it really caught me off guard due to the fact that not everything always go according to plan on set. Behind the scenes is a crazy and chaotic place. Yes, you can have order but you’re always gonna have to be ready to shift gears. Due to there being mistakes that will be made. Perfection was no longer a real thing. It was something I had to stop believing if I wanted to be a successful and smart producer.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
A pain that almost took away my power Is when I was diagnosed with Papillary thyroid cancer. I have been fighting with this cancer on and off for the last four years. In the beginning it was something I just shrugged off. Just due to my doctors telling me. It would be quick and easy. We’ll treat you and you won’t have to worry about this anymore. Until that wasn’t it. I was constantly having to fight. Whether it be with the doctors, insurance or the cancer itself. It became this overwhelming weight. That I thought I had to hide. I didn’t want anyone to see me fight this fight. I had changed so much. I had so much pain and fatigue. I couldn’t even get out the bed most days. I didn’t want anyone to know how much this was draining me. I wasn’t writing or working on projects. I started to just disappear. Where I finally found the strength to work again. Is when I met a young woman at a film festival who was also fighting with her own cancer. She had told me. She had also reached that point of thinking. It’s all over. Until she had a thought of “well if it’s all over maybe I should go out doing something I love”. All I could think was she was so right. That’s how cancer truly wins. When you stop caring about things. My mother Angel Williams also reminded me. This is why we built soldier up productions. To tell stories that have always been hidden-For the people who have always felt like they had to hide. I wanted to be like the young women I met and help her in the journey of breaking down these barriers and I wanted to feel like me again.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
For many years, I was too afraid to be myself in public. I can’t say for certain that I always remember to just be myself in public. For the most part I have started to show off more of myself. I am loud, outgoing, opinionated and enthusiastic. I sometimes try to be more reserved. In the public eye as it seems that is what makes people feel more comfortable, but I have learnt that I can’t live my life. Always caring about everyone and always trying to make everyone one else comfortable. Cause if I do that I will never truly be comfortable in my own skin. That is what truly matters. You being okay with who you are and being able to enjoy who you are.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I am definitely doing what I was born to do. Many times throughout my life. I had people almost deterred me from my journey. Even though we are so modern . We truly aren’t. When someone hears you say. You want to be in movies or create them. They all still have that awkward smile. Always asking “how would you make money?” Never truly being a supporter from the beginning. Which can make you question. If you are truly on the right path. Many, Many times I thought of leaving it behind and doing something that would make me money more reliably. The reason I could never do it was because this is my calling! This is all I ever want to do. Even when I wasn’t making money in the beginning of this process. All I could think was just how happy it makes me. This is such a true joy to me. It would literally break my heart to ever walk away from this. I am a creative. I was born to tell stories whether I was in front of the camera or behind. I could never leave it behind.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.soldierupproductions.com/
- Instagram: soldierupproductions_official
