On this episode of Happy Black Woman, Rosetta interviews award-winning actress April Parker-Jones. Currently starring on Tyler Perry’s television drama If Loving You is Wrong on OWN, April discusses her rise to success and the importance of having big dreams in order to personally evolve into a better version of yourself. Be sure to catch the full audio to hear this great conversation!   April’s fascinating journey into theatre From a young age, April has always been drawn to the stage. After participating in theatre throughout elementary and secondary school, she eventually changed her major to theatre in college after the prompting of a caring professor. A move to New York was quickly followed with a cross-country journey to Los Angeles and she never lost sight of the ultimate end goal. Her willingness to evolve and grow resulted in many positions of her dreams. You don’t want to miss the rest of her compelling story on this episode of Happy Black Woman. The importance of taking a leap of faith into the unknown Without a willingness to adapt, April never would have attained the level of success that she now has. Her fears weren’t enough to stop her from pursuing her dreams and she exclaims that “I’m so glad I was that crazy 19-year-old.” Rosetta and April talk about the critical need to evolve out of your past self and more engaging topics on this fantastic episode of Happy Black Woman. If you need encouragement on how to pursue your own aspirations, be sure to listen to the full episode. April’s thoughts on her life now as an actor, wife, and mother When Rosetta asks April about her thoughts on her life today, April is adamant about the importance of taking even bigger steps towards personal evolution. She explains that acting can be a fickle career and how she is learning about financing, real estate, and more to ensure she is cultivating other ways to bring in revenue for her family. To hear more about opening up your field of exploration and to discover the importance of enjoying the present moments, be sure to give this episode your full attention. Advice on staying true to yourself in the midst of distraction There are countless ways industries and careers will try to hijack your path to personal growth. April simply made a decision to embrace the person that she truly is and never deviate from that path. She is dedicated to surrounding herself with people who actually matter and using those positive influences to combat any negative feedback she may receive. You can hear more about April’s key words of wisdom, what continually inspires her, and her latest projects by listening to this stellar episode of Happy Black Woman with Rosetta Thurman.   Outline of this great episode [0:29] Introduction of this episode’s guest, April Parker-Jones [3:15] April’s journey into theatre [7:55] Importance of taking a leap of faith into the unknown [9:45] Rosetta asks about April’s life now as an actor, wife, and mother [15:00] April offers her insights, tips, and advice for staying true to yourself [20:27] Growing and evolving into new life paths [24:06] April’s exciting new projects Resources & Links mentioned in this episode Connect with April on Twitter Connect with April on Facebook If Loving You is Wrong - OWN network Tuesdays at 9/8c. The Last Ship on TNT - April’s new role coming soon in 2018 About APRIL PARKER-JONES April Parker-Jones currently stars as ‘Natalie,’ a single mother and fast-food restaurant manager on Tyler Perry’s television drama If Loving You is Wrong on OWN. A native of Durham, North Carolina, April Parker-Jones began acting at the young age of five. She knew instantly with her first performance of The Tortoise and The Hare that the stage is where she belonged. The thrill she received from being able to lose herself in a character was a freedom that she longed to live as often as she could. Parker-Jones studied theatre at N.C. Central University before moving to New York City in pursuit of a professional