Writer and Actress: Lohlala-Lihleli-Uthando

Lohlala-Lihleli-Uthando Astraea Simon’e Williams (23) was born in MosselBaai, and grew up in Makhanda. She is a poet, and studied Live Performance at AFDA GQ. She began writing poetry in 2016 and following that joined a poetry group called One Woman, Many Faces. In 2017 she had her first annual performance with the club and began to perform for Rustic Route, Kingswood College, and Victoria Girls’ High School.

She moved to Gqeberha in 2020 and discovered her love and passion for acting. She continued performing poetry for Campus Key GQ and had the amazing opportunity to have a One woman show on The National Arts Festival platform. While studying, she was awarded Best First Year Film in 2020. In 2021 she joined the Committee for Learning Value Advantage (CLVA), and in 2022 was awarded the Critic’s Choice award and Best Third Year Film award.

In 2023, she graduated and proceeded to have an independent pop-up Art Gallery at the Black Power Station. She won an Intentional Award for their third-year film. She was called to teach Drama in the rural areas in August-December for a project to bring the arts to underprivileged communities. While teaching, she also did motivational speaking in the schools to empower the youth.

She is dedicated to her craft, and plans on expanding her horizons. Just like her name, Lohlala Lihleli Uthando, Lihleli uthando for the arts.