Conversations with King Alvarado

Today we’d like to introduce you to King Alvarado.

Hi King, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was outgoing and well-spoken from an early age and begin my art education in elementary school. My earliest memory was of five-year-old me reciting, “I Know I am Somebody Because God Don’t Make No Junk” in front of a large crowd, a colossal crowd of five-year-old me.

From there, it’s been all acting, dancing, public speaking, and teaching the whole way. Summer camps, after-school programs, the whole shebang, from kindergarten to the present day. I’ve relished plays, dance concerts, musicals, and various cultural arts experiences. Somewhere in there, I played soccer and got into plenty of trouble.

My family is full of educators and leadership personalities, so my environment shaped my natural abilities and my parents supported me as an artist and arts educator. Like everyone else, the pandemic brought reflection and clarity to my career and life.

I needed to create a life of passionate service and opportunity; a life lived with more intention. That’s where Southern Black Arts Council was born and my full-court press as a renaissance artist and arts advocate began. This is the life I’m designing for myself and my children. A life of service, style, and art.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The external challenges vary but of them, I think low buy-in is the most daunting. People are sometimes less and less satisfied, more and more cynical, and harder to reach when talking about the fine arts and their societal and cultural importance.

The repetitive nature of advocating for the fine arts is irksome at times, but the fleeting moments of success and the lasting impact on even one life, and I’m certain I’ve hit that mark already, is worth the effort and perseverance.

For me, the biggest battle is the internal one. Do I persevere or do I redirect? Do I ask for help or do you push through on my own? Can I even push through on my own? The mental stamina isn’t always present. The mind and the spirit get weary, but as I learn about being gracious with myself, patient with the process, and that asking for help is vital, prosperity and opportunity continue to flow my way.

The number of external obstacles I have overcome pale in comparison to the internal battles I’ve won. So, by prioritizing inner work, I feel confident to weather, overcome or repurpose all the obstacles that come.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an artist and an arts advocate. Everything I do relates to the fine arts, particularly dance and theatre. I currently travel the country to teach masterclasses in studios, schools, and universities.

My nonprofit, Southern Black Arts Council, is an arts advocacy organization that hosts community fine arts classes for historically excluded communities, providing access to the impactful power of music, theatre, dance, and visual arts. We also curate fine arts performances and events across the southern United States to diversify the experience and perception of the fine arts.

Lastly, I support emerging BIPOC artists and entrepreneurs in marketing and reimagining their public representation as a creative branding consultant. See… it’s all arts, all the time. Even my hobbies are artistic!

What matters most to you? Why?
Helping others, serving the community… that’s the point of it all. It’s the only way anything gets done. The point is to pour out your gifts onto others. My gifts are teaching, creativity and encouragement. So, here I am using my gifts to serve.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.kingishername.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingishername/

Image Credits
Candace Harris, Keaton Boyd, and Sasha Matthews