Following your Joy, Passion & Purpose with Desta Tedros Reff

No Straight Path

Desta Tedros Reff is a remarkable writer and director who has written for shows like Sorry for Your Loss, The Last Tycoon, The Purge, and Grand Hotel, and currently serves as an Executive Producer on the popular Amazon television reboot of A League of Their Own. Growing up as a Black, queer woman in the rural Midwest, Desta used writing as a tool to help her process her otherness and her passion for filmmaking revealed itself to her one summer when she found her grandparents’ video camera. Yet, she didn’t consider entertainment a viable career option until after she had graduated from Harvard Law School, turned down a prestigious position in the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau in favor of the Harvard Law School Documentary Studio that she co-founded, and spent several years in the Mississippi Delta working as a social justice advocate. All of this had an important influence on the way that Desta approaches storytelling and her dedication to bringing marginalized perspectives into the mainstream through authentic portrayals of LGBTQ+ and BIPOC characters. In this episode of No Straight Path, Desta shares the human story behind her success as we delve into what it looks like to intentionally follow your joy and purpose and the challenging emotional work that goes into being a minority in the entertainment industry. We also touch on the importance of pausing to take care of yourself, Desta’s advice for choosing a creative path over the one that guarantees your success, and so much more. For an inside look at what it means to forge your own path and find the courage to put a unique piece of yourself out into the world, tune in today!

No Straight Path's One-Year Anniversary: We are celebrating one year of meaningful content, connection, and storytelling. If the No Straight Path Podcast has added value to your life, please consider contributing to the Kickstarter here.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Desta Tedros Reff

Desta Tedros Reff on Instagram

Desta Tedros Reff on Twitter

Ashley Menzies Babatunde

Ashley Menzies Babatunde on Instagram

Hubspot Podcast Network

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