It’s no headline that women, particularly BIPOC women, are underrepresented in the entertainment industry, especially when it comes to roles at the writer’s table. According to the latest Hollywood Diversity Report published by UCLA, only 17% of writing credits went to women with only 13% going to People of Color. In an industry where diversity and inclusion are seriously lacking, Natasha Rothwell isn’t just sitting at the table, she’s shaking it.

From writing sketches for “Saturday Night Live” to working on the acclaimed HBO television series “Insecure,” Rothwell is paving a way for women on and off-screen. “In every aspect of my career, I’ve always fought for representation, inclusion, pay parity, and nuanced BIPOC storytelling that subverts expectations,” the writer tells Create & Cultivate. And, frankly, her work speaks for itself.

Ahead, Rothwell fills us in on her mission to make “homogeneity in Hollywood anachronistic,” the career mistake that has given her the biggest lesson, and why she’s glad she didn’t end up joining the circus (yes, really).

How did you make your first dollar and what did that job teach you that still applies today?

My first job was technically babysitting. I comically started my own “company” after reading The Babysitters Club series. But before that, my first hustle was selling candy canes. I brought them from home and sold them to kids in school at lunch. My little candy cane business taught me that you don’t have to wait for opportunities, you can create them.

Take us back to the beginning. What was the lightbulb moment for your business/career and what inspired you to pursue this path?

For me, there wasn’t really a lightbulb moment that started me down this path. It’s more like there was a seed planted in me before I was born and my whole life has been spent watering it. It wasn’t until high school that it started to sprout and I was able to identify what it was I’d felt my whole life: I’m a storyteller. High school theater allowed me to name it, and from that point on, I set out on that path and never looked back. Storytelling—writing, directing, acting, producing—is the only career that makes sense to me.

Entrepreneurship is all about taking calculated risks. What’s the most pivotal risk you’ve taken, and how did it change your path?

The most pivotal risk I’ve taken would probably be deciding not to join the circus. I’m not kidding. A year before I wrote for SNL, I auditioned for and won the role of “Ladybug” in Cirque du Soleil’s touring production of OVO. When the offer arrived, reality set in. I felt torn about accepting the role as it meant stepping away from pursuing my dreams to go on an adventure. My gut has always been my true north, and I knew that as exciting as the circus adventure would have been, I had to say no. I had to trust the sweat equity I’d put into my dreams and trust that the work I’d done would pay off. A year to the day after I turned down the Cirque du Soleil job offer, SNL asked me to write for them. The lesson learned: Stay focused and always bet on yourself.

What career mistake has given you the biggest lesson?

I once signed onto a project where the promise of the premise wasn’t on the page. The project’s potential only lived in the hearts and minds of the team bringing it to life, but they convinced me that they would close the distance between what was on the page and its potential before I started. That, of course, never happened. What followed was the Sisyphean task of trying to right the wrong on a daily basis and regretting my involvement. The lesson learned for me was that if it’s not on the page, it’s not there. So, when deciding if a project is worthwhile, you can only base your decision on what’s in front of you—a hard line to hold when you're a creative type and skilled at constructing narratives but necessary so that you’re at peace with the starting point.

2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?

I believe necessity is the mother of invention and this year was a motherf*cker. I’m so deeply grateful that because of what I do I’ve been able to create opportunities for myself (and others) during this nightmare year. I also found myself putting more energy into projects that weren’t put on hold due to shutdowns in an effort to build momentum, and similarly tried to shore up my acting, writing, and producing development slate for the coming year. Lastly, I’ve done my best to try and edify myself; reading and researching for new projects, and writing a ton. One of my favorite definitions of success is that it’s “opportunity meeting preparation,” so as much as possible, I’ve tried to prepare myself for future opportunities.

How are you making a difference and pushing your industry forward?

In every aspect of my career I’ve always fought for representation, inclusion, pay parity, and nuanced BIPOC storytelling that subverts expectations. I find, based on where we all find ourselves now as a society, I’m using my position and voice to hold the industry accountable and shake the table. Activism is not just something I do, it’s who I am, and it’s reflected in my work and in how I work. My goal is to cash the checks the industry has written to the Black community and to make sure they follow through by implementing the change necessary to make homogeneity in Hollywood anachronistic.

Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?

I believe confidence is innate in all of us, but it can only survive if we nurture it. Nurturing it requires putting in the work, trusting the work you’ve put in, and never settling. There’s nothing easy about the exhaustive effort you’ll need to put in or the doubts you’ll face that will entice you to give up. But the key to confidence is to keep going even in the face of doubt and accept that the goal is to be prolific, not perfect.

What is the biggest challenge to achieving success in life?

Getting out of your own way, silencing your inner critic, finding and building stamina, and defining success in your own terms.

When you separate yourself from your job title and the bells and whistles of your business or career, who are you and what do you like to do? How have you remained true and authentic to who you are?

Kindness, empathy, and compassion are at the core of who I am; everything that I do comes from that place. Professionally, these core values help me decide which projects I take on, and they inspire the projects that I create for myself and how I conduct myself in front of and behind the camera. Remaining true and authentic to who I am and my core values is integral to my overall happiness, so I protect it at all costs.

If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now—what advice would you give yourself?

You are enough, trust your voice, and drink more water.

Fill in the blanks:

If I wasn’t in my job now, I would be…

An interior designer. I love all things HGTV.

Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…

Not taking “no” for an answer, thinking about the big picture, and being kind.

The change I’d like to see in my industry is…

Folks passing the mic to those storytellers whose voices we need to hear.

My perfect day begins with…

Ella Fitzgerald.

The craziest thing I’ve done for work is…