Raushanah Simmons

My Story

I've often been called the “ideas girl,” a title I've come to embrace with pride. Bursting with new concepts and eager to bring them to life, I've never shied away from trying new things. In fact, I've held over twenty-one different jobs, from banker to bartender, executive assistant to group home staffer, street safari leader to librarian, and basketball statistician to steakhouse hostess. The places I've worked run the gamut from Madison Avenue, Park Avenue, and Wall Street to Clinton Hill, Forest Hills, and Beverly Hills. All this while dedicating twenty years to my acting career, gracing television, film, and theater with my presence. Through this journey, I've learned invaluable lessons, developed a strong work ethic, and honed my ability to adapt quickly. But the best part? Collecting countless stories along the way. I always knew I had great stories; I just needed to learn how to tell them.

Writing has always been my passion, from journaling and creative writing to songwriting. My journals are a treasure trove of ideas, always filling up with my thoughts. As my acting career progressed, I turned my attention to plays and screenplays, entering contests and holding table readings for my work. In 2014, I took a brave step and started producing my scripts. Co-founding a film production company, I wrote and produced three short films that made their mark at modest film festivals. The “ideas girl” was transforming into a creator.

In 2017, I moved to Los Angeles to deepen my industry knowledge and screenwriting skills. Balancing classes, writing groups, auditions, and a temp job as a Private Equity Executive Assistant in Beverly Hills, I honed my ability to craft balanced, conflict-rich screenplays. Yet, I was still searching for my unique artistic voice.

A few years ago, I experienced a "dark night of the soul," a challenging period that expanded my creativity to unimaginable dimensions. I wrote over one hundred fifty poems, which I began infusing into my screenplays. I started creating scripts that resonated with my soul, reflecting my experiences as a woman and addressing pressing issues within the Black community. Through revealing myself in my writing, I finally found my voice.

Today, I am a wellspring of creative ideas, confident in my writing and adept at telling complex stories. Equipped with the tools to make my narratives shine and supported by remarkable industry relationships, I aim to bring my stories to life. My goal is to offer honesty, humanity, and healing, creating engaging and informative stories that bring hope and joy to a diverse audience. Over the past four years, I've been meticulously crafting and refining my first feature script, "GROUP HOME," and I am thrilled to share this story with the world. Thank you for joining me on this exciting journey. Let's create something beautiful together!