Yolonda’s portrays ‘Jada Washington’ in ‘The Chi’ series. Her character has a Cancer-journey storyline. She shaves her own head in real life for it to embody the chemotherapy her character is going through… it’s such a powerful performance.
Taking on this role has affected her greatly beyond the series, where since then she’s been working with a network of grassroots organizations on the front lines fighting for black women’s healthcare rights in Chicago. She’s been working with 4 different organizations and it’s been incredibly inspirational.
We had the opportunity to talk to Yolonda about this season of ‘The Chi’.
For the show, Yolonda also works with “Coils To Locs” http://coilstolocs.com a black female owned business that made a wig where while folks lose their hair while caring for themselves and fighting cancer, they can continue to actually look like themselves. Like the right textured hair. Not to mention the fact that they are not already offered as an alternative in every hospital in this country, is just one more example of the disparities in healthcare, and its extensions of care for people of color… So we’re really trying to shed a light on this with the role she’s in right now.
Off screen, Yolonda also has a production company called Strange But Wonderul Productions.
