While we all know and love her as Molly from the hit show, Insecure, Yvonne Orji’s first entry into show business was actually as a stand-up comedian. 

After receiving a master’s degree in public health, Yvonne took a major risk—despite her parent’s objection—and followed her gut to New York City to pursue her passion: comedy. 

But it wasn’t easy. 

Yvonne spent years as a struggling comedian eating “syrup sandwiches” before a chance encounter with Issa Rae changed everything.

I’d also like to add that Yvonne landed the role of Molly without an agent or any real acting experience. She just believed in herself and the hard work has paid off. Yvonne was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series—one of eight Emmy nods for the hit show! 

Now, she’s reintroducing herself with her HBO stand-up comedy special, “Momma, I Made It” and we’re seeing the star in a whole new light. 

In this keynote conversation, we dive into the incredible career of this successful actor and comedian to find out how she pushed fear aside to follow her creativity, what her creative process looks like, and how she feeds and nurtures her creativity to build a life of passion and purpose.

Speaker:

Yvonne Orji | Emmy-Nominated Actress, Comedian, and Producer

Moderator:

Jaclyn Johnson | CEO & Founder, Create & Cultivate