News

Figuratively speaking, there appeared to be a global “timeout” during the year of 2020, and in America there seemed to be constant angst because of political and social unrest, according to St. Louis native actress, writer and director Sophia Stephens, who has starred in such television shows as “Fuller House,” “Dear White People,” “Luke Cage” and “Blackish.” 

Stephens, who starred in the film “What Happened to Girl’s Night?” and has performed on Broadway in “The Lion King,” was the featured speaker at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center’s (ESLC) inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. virtual lecture on Wednesday, Jan. 27. 

“The pandemic forced us to face ourselves and look within. Many people experienced depression, isolation, confusion and personal loss. But, believe it or not, that was and this is the time for dreamers,” encouraged Stephens, a one-time SIUE theater student, to an audience made up of mostly young people from ESLC programs. Stephens is also an instructor at The Bronx Charter School for Excellence in New York.  

“Dr. King was one of the greatest dreamers and orators of all time,” she intoned. “He was looking at a mountain of problems and not those just within the Black community. Dr. King spoke about wars, sanitation workers and union rights. He had an immense gift to see a vision that others could not see, and he did it so well that the world caught fire from his words.” 

King dreamed in the “face of despair,” and Stephens encouraged her audience to do the same. “When I say dream, what do you imagine?” she asked. “Imagination is the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality. 

“Dreams are also like visions. A vision is a picture of the future that produces passion. What pictures do you have right now about your future?” 

Answers that popped up in the chat included: “going to college,” “moving to another state,” “being independent,” “differences accepted rather than discouraged,” “broadcast journalist or screenwriter.” 

Stephens also shared with her audience, an episode from her web series, Quarantine Quarrels in 2020, that she wrote and produced. She began her production company, Philosophia Productions, in 2017. Stephens attended SIUE from 2000-02, where she initially was a political science major who had an interest in theater dance performance. She changed direction after being impacted by her mentor, the late Lisa Colbert, assistant professor in the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance. 

“The presentation was amazing, as well as inspiring,” said John Easley, a freshman in the ESLC’s Collinsville Upward Bound (UB) Math and Science program. “I really liked how interactive the presenter was with the audience.” 

“It was fantastic learning more about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Joseph Rauk, UB Math and Science sophomore. “She gave valuable advice and hearing her first-hand experiences about dreaming was great.” 

“Even in the face of some people who wanted him dead, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke, inspired, demanded and marched,” recounted Donald Thomas, UB Math and Science senior. “He did not raise his fist in violence. He kept on demanding justice, and he knew that it couldn’t be brought by violence.” 

“I was so excited for our students to be able to hear this extremely gifted and inspirational young actress, Ms. Sophia Stephens,” said ESLC Executive Director Timothy Staples, EdD. “She was the perfect person to kick off what will be an annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lecture series.” 

With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals—from pre-school through adult—in the Metro East region. The Center offers programs that give the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. It does so by providing comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts.  

Photo:
St. Louis native actress, writer and director, and one-time SIUE student Sophia Stephens.