Sheryl Hatwood is one of the most amazing women we’ve encounter. Through Endless Voice Productions and the A Woman’s Worth Awards, she continues to empower women to strive for greatness.
You are a prominent member of your community and known for your inspiring story. What has been your source of motivation?
Thank you for taking the time to inquire about what truly propels me to be me. The source of my motivation is drawn from my faith and therefore my innate desire to effect change by helping others. I did not always know what that looked like or how to offer it, but as I grew into me and got to know me, I was able to understand what drives me. Things came into focus. My life experiences motivate me to be authentic. Integrity is very important to me, so I live it and I share my truths with no apologies or shame. Shame used to shrink me into believing I was not enough. Today, I can say what motivates me, is building people, and I do so by creating opportunities for women to support each other. I want my life to speak for itself.
Tell us about the Annual A Women’s Worth Awards.
As a playwright, my niche is to look to influence audiences by creating experiences not entertainment. So, when this idea evolved, I knew I wanted to relay an experience – an experience of sisterhood and support of other women. You see, I know what it is like to feel unsupported, talked about instead of talked to because of my life experiences, I think most of us have. But to take it a step further, as women we are most misrepresented because of what we have gone through.
There is also an element of compassion to the award. I am really looking for woman who have been emboldened by their experiences and are reaching back to help others. AWW serves as a platform for women to share our experiences, no judgments, on how we rebuilt our lives, how we overcame obstacles, and why we believe it is important to give back. AWW symbolizes having a heart of compassion, recognizing acts of kindness and selflessness.
My goal with AWW Awards is to build legacies of support for women who are in various stages of their journey. Everyone’s time is limited, but a legacy is eternal.
Honoring numerous people each year, how do you decide a winner when you have so many esteemed nominees?
Each year I debrief with my Planning Committee to find out ways do things better, so this year we decided to have one general category for all nominees against a set of criteria: Community, Value, Impact, and Passion each category scored by using a subset of questions. This year we petitioned Women Groups in the Tri-State Area, via email along with social media for nominations. This “flooded” the nomination process. The response each year has been great, but this year the response has been overwhelming and incredible. Incredible because each year the pool of nominees reveals that there is a lot of heart in the community, people who really are striving to make a difference.
Outside the award show, you are an accomplished playwright. Why is it important for us to tell our stories?
This is a great question! I write because I want to speak to issues which have been shamed to silence or things people think about but are afraid to verbalize. I also do not move from writing one play into the next. I write to invite a “call to action” or to shift people’s mindset to question their default opinions they may have had on any particular matter. People are asking what is my next play about. I do not know. When I am inspired by an idea that I believe I can represent well via art, then I begin to write.
It is so important to write about your experiences, because it is in the sharing, we promote healing. Our experiences are not to be hidden or be ashamed of, give them a voice. When I “introduced” the world to me in “The Wounded Soul” – my intention was to use my story as a way for the audience to get to know me. Understand why I am me? However, I got to know them, they shared their stories of similar abuses and encouraged me to continue. I was extremely humbled, and for the first time completely vulnerable and transparent. The perfect groundwork for real healing. Another part of me was able to mend because another layer of shame was stripped away.
Among the services Endless Voice Productions offers, describe your selection process regarding talent management.
Our messaging is intentional, so we always want to be sure that the talent acquired aligns with the mission of EVP – a purpose to inform and represent truth. We do not look for people who are looking for stardom, It’s that simple. My core people are strong in their faith. That is so important to me. If you are only looking to be applauded, Endless Voice Productions is probably not the best partner for you. If you are looking to fulfil a bigger purpose, we can talk. We want to retain heart. We want to work with people who are teachable, and want to learn. We cannot work with people who have already “arrived” and do not want to grow.
Submissions are accepted online on our website via www.endlessvoiceproductions.com and we hold auditions periodically which are usually listed on our social media and websites.
As a woman who inspires others to better their communities, what do you have planned for 2020?
Well, I am finally working on my book The Wounded Soul which is set to be published in September on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kindle. I am also working on a daily devotional. I have recently secured a Producer who has started the film development of The Wounded Soul. It is important that this story has the largest footprint, as I firmly believe it will help a lot of people, men and women, give voice to their abuses they have suffered.
Because of COVID-19, my Awards Show has been postponed to June 6, 2020. Looking forward to this, it is my favorite event.
Also have a few speaking engagements in the month of October. I am always working on something in the background. I do have really project I am currently researching that I will not give breath to at this point. You just have to stay in touch with me see what flourishes!
Share with us your thoughts of feminism.
The word feminism sometimes has a negative connotation attached to it because I think some people tend to go right to radical feminism. Let me answer it this way. Feminism, is personal to each women’s beliefs, values and culture. There are essential differences, between genders, which I am not oblivious. For me, feminism is a balance of honoring my womanhood yet advocating for the equal right to access opportunities, without discrimination to gender and to be equally compensated for it.
What advice do you offer women seeking to ways to empower others?
Look to make an impact in someone’s life. And do not seek to empower others if your life is in shambles. Your life should reflect your advice.
BE’N ORIGINAL
