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Walking Into Your Destiny: Artist Nikiya Mathis
By: Amber Moses
I don’t know about you, but for me it is hard to get up after a fall. Or rather a failure. Failing at anything truly seems like the end of the world. Especially now that I’m at the end of my high school career. I, like other seniors are about to graduate from high school in a few short months. At this point of the year everything is all figured out. For the most part we all know what we want to do next year and where we are going. So any failure or rejection can ruin that. Recently, I was able to interview University High Alumna Nikiya Mathis. Some of the things she said to me really put “failing” into perspective.
Now, Ms. Jones told me that she was an actress. Yet, when I asked her about her current profession she had this to say:
“I’ve learned to call myself an “artist” first because that title doesn’t limit me to only one facet of myself and my artistry has revealed itself in ways I could not have imagined while at University High. As an “artist”, I express my creativity through acting. I have worked extensively in NY as well as regional theaters across the country. I’ve had several commercials running for companies like the NFL, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese as well as a national Dunkin Donuts spot that is currently running.
My television credits include Braindead, Person of Interest, Madam Secretary and The Good Wife on CBS; The Night Of on HBO; and the Blacklist on NBC. My acting has also opened doors to teaching. I’ve taught at Spelman College, New York University and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, among others.
My acting has also lead me to hair consulting for actresses of color. I started doing hair when I was a Freshman at University High. My friends would see my hair and ask me to do theirs. I continued to do hair into college and grad school, as a hobby. However, as an actress of color, when I was cast in shows, there were rarely any Black wardrobe and hair people and they were uneducated about Black hair, so I found myself doing my cast mates’ hair in shows that I was supposed to just be an actress in. The need for natural hair support in theater and tv caused me to start a company called ActTRESSES Hair Consulting, where actors, theaters and film productions hire me as a consultant on their projects. And lastly, but most importantly, my acting has lead me to mentorship.
While in graduate school, my love for young people-of-color lead me to co-direct a mentorship program called Mocha Misses. Since then, I have mentored students through Epic Theater Company and I’m currently a mentor in Drama and Oratory for the NAACP Act-So Program.”
That is way more than just one thing. She’s a woman of many talents. And that kind of made me optimistic that I don’t have to put all of my eggs in one basket. Even though she’s been featured in a lot of commercials, TV shows and some off Broadway productions --if you ask Nikiya this was almost a path that she didn’t choose for herself.
When we talked about Nikiya’s fondest memory at University she revealed this:
“My fondest memory would be when my English teacher Mrs. Ferrera submitted one of my poems to be published in an anthology of poetry for students and then advised me that I should join the drama club with Mrs. White. I had never considered performing before, but I took her advice and went to my first poetry competition. While on the stage, I got terrible stage fright and totally bombed. Needless to say, I didn’t win that competition. But I went on to join the Forensics team the next year with Mrs. White and started on a winning streak, competing in the categories of dramatics, oratory and poetry. So my fondest memory is of Ms. Ferrera and that she saw something in me that I didn’t see myself. That was a major factor in my success.”
You would expect an actress to be born at a school like Arts High School, but I found that to be interesting that the teachers at University were also inspiring students to follow an artistic path.
After graduating from Uni she completed my undergraduate degree at Temple University with a BA (in Theater and Communications and a minor in African American Studies. She went on to get a MFA (Master of Fine Arts degree) from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts’ Graduate Acting Program.
When asked if she thought University adequately prepared you for college and her career Nikiya gave most of the credit to her English teachers.
“One thing that University High definitely prepared me for was the ability to write good term papers. I was also on University’s Forensics team, which played a huge part in preparing me to major in Theater and Communications. Had I not had to practice for those weekly tournaments and compete with students across the country, I wouldn’t be as comfortable speaking and performing in front of large crowds.
I would say to the students of University to take chances. Sometimes the greatest opportunities in our lives just “fall into our laps”, but that won’t happen if you don’t step outside of your comfort zone. I went to school for acting but I stumbled upon so many other passions. I’d say not to let fear stop you. When I applied to NYU I was warned that I might not get in because so many talented people apply every year. They were right. I actually didn’t get in the first time, but it wasn’t because there were so many people more talented than me. It was because I wasn’t ready. It wasn’t God’s timing.
I also needed to experience that rejection in order to learn that “rejection” can be a “blessing” and the greatest “lesson”. I decided to apply to NYU again, and I was ready the next time.
My advice is to take a chance on yourself. If a door closes, that might just mean that it’s not your time, or that God has something even more amazing for you down the line.
Just keep walking.”
Nikiya’s message is simple, she wants us to take chances and step outside our comfort zone. Facing rejection is not the end of the world. In fact, it could all be apart of God’s plan for us and there could be something greater later. From the words of Nikya I’m going to “keep walking” and you should too!
“I’ve learned to call myself an “artist” first because that title doesn’t limit me to only one facet of myself and my artistry has revealed itself in ways I could not have imagined while at University High. As an “artist”, I express my creativity through acting. I have worked extensively in NY as well as regional theaters across the country. I’ve had several commercials running for companies like the NFL, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese as well as a national Dunkin Donuts spot that is currently running.
My television credits include Braindead, Person of Interest, Madam Secretary and The Good Wife on CBS; The Night Of on HBO; and the Blacklist on NBC. My acting has also opened doors to teaching. I’ve taught at Spelman College, New York University and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, among others.
My acting has also lead me to hair consulting for actresses of color. I started doing hair when I was a Freshman at University High. My friends would see my hair and ask me to do theirs. I continued to do hair into college and grad school, as a hobby. However, as an actress of color, when I was cast in shows, there were rarely any Black wardrobe and hair people and they were uneducated about Black hair, so I found myself doing my cast mates’ hair in shows that I was supposed to just be an actress in. The need for natural hair support in theater and tv caused me to start a company called ActTRESSES Hair Consulting, where actors, theaters and film productions hire me as a consultant on their projects. And lastly, but most importantly, my acting has lead me to mentorship.
While in graduate school, my love for young people-of-color lead me to co-direct a mentorship program called Mocha Misses. Since then, I have mentored students through Epic Theater Company and I’m currently a mentor in Drama and Oratory for the NAACP Act-So Program.”
That is way more than just one thing. She’s a woman of many talents. And that kind of made me optimistic that I don’t have to put all of my eggs in one basket. Even though she’s been featured in a lot of commercials, TV shows and some off Broadway productions --if you ask Nikiya this was almost a path that she didn’t choose for herself.
When we talked about Nikiya’s fondest memory at University she revealed this:
“My fondest memory would be when my English teacher Mrs. Ferrera submitted one of my poems to be published in an anthology of poetry for students and then advised me that I should join the drama club with Mrs. White. I had never considered performing before, but I took her advice and went to my first poetry competition. While on the stage, I got terrible stage fright and totally bombed. Needless to say, I didn’t win that competition. But I went on to join the Forensics team the next year with Mrs. White and started on a winning streak, competing in the categories of dramatics, oratory and poetry. So my fondest memory is of Ms. Ferrera and that she saw something in me that I didn’t see myself. That was a major factor in my success.”
You would expect an actress to be born at a school like Arts High School, but I found that to be interesting that the teachers at University were also inspiring students to follow an artistic path.
After graduating from Uni she completed my undergraduate degree at Temple University with a BA (in Theater and Communications and a minor in African American Studies. She went on to get a MFA (Master of Fine Arts degree) from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts’ Graduate Acting Program.
When asked if she thought University adequately prepared you for college and her career Nikiya gave most of the credit to her English teachers.
“One thing that University High definitely prepared me for was the ability to write good term papers. I was also on University’s Forensics team, which played a huge part in preparing me to major in Theater and Communications. Had I not had to practice for those weekly tournaments and compete with students across the country, I wouldn’t be as comfortable speaking and performing in front of large crowds.
I would say to the students of University to take chances. Sometimes the greatest opportunities in our lives just “fall into our laps”, but that won’t happen if you don’t step outside of your comfort zone. I went to school for acting but I stumbled upon so many other passions. I’d say not to let fear stop you. When I applied to NYU I was warned that I might not get in because so many talented people apply every year. They were right. I actually didn’t get in the first time, but it wasn’t because there were so many people more talented than me. It was because I wasn’t ready. It wasn’t God’s timing.
I also needed to experience that rejection in order to learn that “rejection” can be a “blessing” and the greatest “lesson”. I decided to apply to NYU again, and I was ready the next time.
My advice is to take a chance on yourself. If a door closes, that might just mean that it’s not your time, or that God has something even more amazing for you down the line.
Just keep walking.”
Nikiya’s message is simple, she wants us to take chances and step outside our comfort zone. Facing rejection is not the end of the world. In fact, it could all be apart of God’s plan for us and there could be something greater later. From the words of Nikya I’m going to “keep walking” and you should too!
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