Today we’d like to introduce you to Ms. Latrice Young
Hi Ms. Latrice , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey into the creative arts industry is one that I will say came to me by way of my parents; both have performing arts and writing backgrounds. Outside of genetics, my mother always emphasized “shining our lights”. When I was in kindergarten, she would read poems to my class and I loved seeing the way students faces lit up as she read. I wanted to have that kind of positive impact on others when I grew up. Little did I know, it would also be in the form of poetry/spoken word.
My sophomore year of high school, I transferred to a performing arts high school in Gary IN (Emerson Visual Performing Arts High Ability Academy), where I majored in Creative Writing and then Technical Theater (due to creative writing no longer being offered as a major). At Emerson, I was introduced to other majors like drama, dance, and vocal and by the time I graduated, I wished I could have majored or at least took classes in all of them.
With this in mind, I went on to Purdue University for undergrad and thanks to the Purdue Black Cultural Center and Pao Hall (especially Purdue Dance Division), I was able to combine my curiosity and love for the performing arts with multiple classes and performing arts ensembles and organizations. I discovered that “poetry” went beyond words on a page and could be expressed in multiple mediums, sometimes in an interdisciplinary fashion. My undergraduate experience gave me the opportunity to explore who I was as an artist, professional/leader, and human being.
Fast forward to graduation, where I was recovering from a traumatic brain injury (junior year), could not work full-time and was encouraged to take a gap year to recover. This meant not being able to pursue higher education, pausing performances, and rediscovering how to shine my light with who and where I was currently. After speaking with my husband who graduated in Business Management, I was inspired to start my own company. This way, I could set my hours and pay, and I would have the flexibility to travel and rest as needed. Thus, Dunique (Dee-Yoo-Neek) LLC began March 2019 and five years later, we’re still going strong.
Recently, I received my Master of Fine Arts from Moravian University in Partnership with Touchstone Theatre. There, I was able to immerse myself into the performing studies world, learning about nonprofit theatre creation/management, arts education, devising theatre and ensemble theatre, how to produce work performing arts business professional (on and off the stage) and so much more. I was able to use what I was learning in real time because right before I started grad school, I was a founding member of the Naptown African American Theatre Collective–Indianapolis’ First Black Equity Theatre. I applied the lessons I was learning throughout the program with NAATC and Dunique LLC and continue to do so post-graduate school.
Today, while I am recovering from three different traumatic brain injuries, thanks to being self-employed, I can still work independent contracts in arts education and performing arts, and I can still shine my lights in interdisciplinary ways. You can see me on stages, in workshops, classrooms/conferences near you, or hear my words in songs, audiobooks, and other voice overs shared around the globe. It took A LOT of prayers, trial and error, risks (putting myself out there), patience, support from loved ones, and a few injuries to get me to where I am today.
I went from being a “I write not recite” young girl to “Speak or forever hold your peace” woman. Now, I travel the world shining my light by connecting the world and celebrating our differences via arts, culture, and education.
For more info visit my website at www.mslatricepyoungdu.com or email distinctlydunique@gmail.com.
Facebook: Latrice P. Young/Distinctly Unique
Instagram: @Mslatriceyoung/@Duniqueconnects
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest obstacles I faced along the way were:
Not knowing where to start
Not knowing how much to charge
Recovering from head injuries and having to change professional goals/plans
Not having enough money or resources to upgrade my business in the way I needed
Covid-19 brought more digital clientele, caused all live shows to be canceled, once everyone went back to work, no longer had virtual clients
Funding for the arts decreasing especially since the pandemic years
Lack of stability, consistent pay with being self-employed
Trying to build brand and credibility from ground zero
Lack of Business Knowlege when I first started–I knew how to be an artist, not how to be a business as an artist
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Teaching Artist (Creative Writing, Drama/Theatre)
Performing Artist (Choreopoetry/Performance Poetry, Theatre)
Voice Over Artist
Ghost Writer
Choreopoet
Master of Ceremony (MC)
Facilitator
Curator
Restorative Practice Practitioner
Artrepreneur (ar-truh-pruh-noo-wuhr) (arts administration, management)
Connecting inter/multigenerational audiences from all performance and cultural backgrounds using multiple arts and storytelling mediums (especially poetry), restorative practice, and artrepreneurship, is what I do, what I’m most proud of and what sets me apart from others!
I believe my artists statement sums up these questions best:
Ms. Latrice P. Young/Distinctly Unique Artist Statement
I’m a walking Call & Response artrepreneur–AGO/AME:
Listen up, I have something important to say/You have my undivided attention today!
Find me working with K-12 & Adult populations
questioning, teaching, and leading,
global stories and conversations where we independently and collectively breathe in rhythm more than blues
Though sometimes,
I may choose to include creating, facilitating, devising and/or directing a melancholic story
so long as it isn’t boring or trauma-filled; long as it still feels
as jazzy and imaginative
as D. Unique beat
I passionately and respectfully live on—
D. Unique CHOREOPOETRY STREET
Here, you can hear my story and the world’s
expressed in poetic beginnings and endings
where connecting & healing is top priority
Musicality, breath work, improvisation and stillness
present in every piece workshopped and/or presented
audience engagement too, via invited witness participation
Some may choose to be silent, but even still my artistic practice provides the interdisciplinary key through which all open-minded K-12 students/adults of all generations can go in and out of universes through meters, verse, and global interpretation
Like Agusto Boal and StrikeAnywhere NYC, The Joker and Soundpainter roles suit me well,
Like Kiyaana Cox Jones, my preferred method to storytell is through Restorative Healing Theatre
Like Ntozake Shange, Monica Prince, Nina Angela Mercer and more, I too am multi-disciplined with poetry at the center and deeply inspired by the Theatre of the Oppressed Techniques for spect-actor audience engagement
Like Louis Armstrong and Sharon Bridgeforth, I activate theatrical jazz installations that explore and embody human connection, solo expressions, and love
Like Richard Schechner, I am in awe of the many ways performance exists and can inform our everyday lives
Like Moravian University, I pride myself in being able to chart my own brilliant path through collaboration, critical reflections, and transformative leadership
Like Touchstone Theatre, original, devised, community-based performance aligns with my mission, experience and expertise
Like so many more creators and educators, I work WITH the K-12/Adult communities I serve
and I deserve to be here in the ever-growing field of performance studies
I bring a playful take on imagination and creativity
for every play, character, performance, and teaching situation
My voice goes beyond words on a page
On my post-graduate stage,
I am proud to be the brave, restorative space where curiosity and community play edutain all
one story,
one expression at a time
So hear my rhymes, witness the past, present, and future times
through my human advocacy lens,
No matter where you find me,
I betcha’ it fulfills my mission of connecting the world and celebrating our differences
Ultimately, I look forward to establishing and touring D. Unique Express Lab, so that I can continue to lift every participating voice
and snap, clap, theatrical jazz-wrap intergenerational communities with cross-disciplined, playful modes of experimental expression.
I will continue to encourage and celebrate individual and collective narratives in order to shine the bright light radiating deep inside of me and others.
If you still want to know who I am and what I have to offer, I’ll say this:
I am a Black woman, a facilitator of brave spaces rooted in safety, originality, inclusivity, curiosity, discovery, and D-I-Y-A-W-O–Do It Yourself AND With Others–artistry.
I am proud to use my storytelling gifts to serve all ages as an equitable, creative conduit for
diverse voices to cry, sigh, and fly!
Hallelujah, Yes Jesus …Thank God, I come from a praying, playful, creative mother who reminds me that I am blessed by the best with a bright light that refuses to dim and I will keep on flying while simultaneously helping others discover and shine their lights authentically and unapologetically.
Asè Asè Asè, AMEN AMEN AMEN
What’s next?
Some of my future plans are to:
Publish books, guides, and articles
Create, produce and direct choreopoems worldwide
Create and Tour Dunique Express Lab–Arts Education Program for All
Move and live abroad
Go back to my hometowns (East Chicago and Gary IN) and share what I’ve learned with the youth and community members and would love to do a choreopoetry or interdisciplinary arts workshop with the community and have a public performance
Start at least one performing arts school (preferably in Northwest IN first)
Perform on stage at universities, and other places
Curate and facilitate a community-wide interdisciplinary arts event
Voice a character in at least one feature film and audiobook on audible
Act in at least one episode for television
Act in at least one feature film
Continue evolving and shining my light in whichever ways my body is able to do so
Pricing:
- For pricing: Please email distinctlydunique@gmail.com or visit website at mslatricepyoungdu.com. Custom Orders Accepted
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mslatricepyoungdu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mslatriceyoung/ & https://www.instagram.com/duniqueconnects/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duniquellc & https://www.facebook.com/starringmissunique
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ms-latrice-young-d-uniquellc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@distinctlyuniquems.latrice9647
