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Sonya Jenkins, born and raised in Atlanta, GA, is an Actress, Entertainment Journalist, Writer, and the Producer/Director/Writer of "Shayla's Catch" film projects, which includes Shayla's Catch Prequel." The film projects were adapted from Sonya Jenkins' novel of the same name. Jenkins studied Communications at the University of Tennessee where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications with an emphasis in journalism. Since childhood, Jenkins has always loved entertainment and the wonders of storytelling. She would often write in her diary, a way she would express her thoughts and her creativity. Her creative writing talents earned her the honor of "Most Outstanding Student in Language Arts" while she was in high school. Jenkins went on to pursue a career in entertainment journalism and got a taste of both show business and broadcast-journalism at "Entertainment Tonight" in Hollywood after getting a coveted internship there.
Soon afterwards, Jenkins became Upscale Magazine's first entertainment editor, writing celebrity feature stories and covering red carpets. Jenkins has also written articles for The Atlanta Voice, The Atlanta Tribune, The Atlanta Metro, and The Tennessee Tribune newspapers, and Sophisticate's Black Hair, YSB, Contempora, Atlanta Christian Family, Excellence, Black Elegance, Gospel Today, Urban Influence and Belle magazines. During her early years as an entertainment journalist, Jenkins was nominated for an Association of Black Journalist Pioneer Black Journalist Award by The Atlanta Tribune for her outstanding work as a writer.
Jenkins has always honed her skills as an actress by learning the craft, but recalls being bitten by the acting bug when she was in the stage play, "The Wiz" while in high school. Jenkins would go on to perform in other stage plays and was cast in a commercial when a director walked up to her while she was walking inside a grocery store, asking her to be in a commercial for the BiLo Supermarket chain. Although Jenkins continued to excel in her entertainment journalism career, even working for CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta as a Video Journalist and creating her own magazine, Sonya's Spotlight (now on the web), she never gave up on her acting pursuits. In 2014 Shayla's Catch, Jenkins' first novel was birthed. She is also wrote Fiery Charm (Teaser), Motivation: The Path to Inner Power and Smiley, The Flight Attendant.
As an actress, Jenkins has spread her wings and continues to love the craft, although her own project, "Shayla's Catch" and "Shayla's Catch Prequel," have put her in the forefront as a filmmaker. Jenkins was a Stand-In and Marcher in the Academy Award nominated film "Selma," where Award-Winning Director, Ava DuVernay, gave her an opportunity to direct a small scene of actors marching, while singing an old-time hymnal. This directing experience gave Jenkins an adrenaline rush and made her realize that wearing the "Director's Hat" was yet another dream. In acting Jenkins also had principal roles in "The Verdict with Judge Hatchett," a WebMD commercial, Discovery ID's, "Murder Calls," and an American Society of Reproductive Medicine Industrial. She has appeared in Tyler Perry's "A Madea Christmas," "For Better or Worse," "The Haves and The Have Nots," Lifetime TV's "The Trip To Bountiful," opposite Cicely Tyson and "Marry Me," FOX's "Star," and several other films and television shows.
During the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020, Jenkins rebooted her "Shayla's Catch" film initiative with the launch of "Shayla's Catch Prequel," now streaming on Amazon Prime Video (10 episodes).
