RAHVAUNIA(Like Lasagna)
Who Am I?
Rahvaunia L. Johnson, known professionally as Rahvaunia, is a soul-driven artist whose journey has taken her from the humble beginnings of Flint, Michigan, to the sun-kissed shores of Southern California. With a name that resonates with uniqueness (pronounced "Rahvaunia Like Lasagna"), Rahvaunia's creative spirit flows through her work as a writer, producer, and actor. This multi-talented powerhouse has proven that "Art is a voice and we should always have more than one voice."
Rahvaunia has appeared in television series such as NCIS, Criminal Minds, Mistresses, and Mere Mortals premiering soon on Apple+/AppleTV. She turned a one-day co-star role into a two-season 12-episode recurring role on Shondaland's "For the People", serving as a testament to her ability to connect profoundly with her co-stars, producers, and writers.
Currently, Rahvaunia is channeling her spiritual energy into the development of a transformative television series, while also conjuring up a bone-chilling horror film that will have Hollywood's elite sleeping with the lights on… and their phones off. Exemplifying her versatility and dedication to her craft and a proven track record of a commitment to excellence, Rahvaunia's star is on a meteoric rise. Further solidifying her status as an artist who fearlessly explores the intersection of creativity and spirituality.
Rahvaunia continues to work to establish herself as a prominent figure in the competitive world of entertainment. Rahvaunia has performed "tHis Is Very IMPORTANT" in South Africa, Off-Broadway, and around the Los Angeles Area. She is EXCITED to be performing in the 2024 Hollywood Fringe Fest.
What's next for "tHis Is Very IMPORTANT" — A mini-series, to reach an even broader audience, with this entertaining and very important message.
"What good are my gifts if I don’t use them to encourage change, and inspire those to do their part in helping make a difference."
- Rahvaunia
Why?
Because… The statistics surrounding HIV/AIDS in the United States are alarming and demand our attention. Every 9.5 seconds someone is being infected with HIV. Every 35 minutes, a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with HIV, and a staggering 61% of those women are women of color.
What’s more alarming is that 1 in 4 new HIV infections is among youth, ages 13-24, and women between the ages of 25-39 are 40% of all new HIV diagnoses among women. These are the statistics even though HIV/AIDS has been an epidemic for over 30 years, the conversation around this critical issue remains limited to those within the HIV/AIDS community and organizations.
Rahvaunia, an artist and activist, recognizes the urgent need for education and awareness. Through her powerful performance in "tHis Is Very IMPORTANT," she aims to spark a broader dialogue and reach a diverse audience, especially underserved women of color who face significant barriers in accessing healthcare. By transforming this show into a TV mini-series, Rahvaunia hopes to expand the educational impact and provide viewers with the knowledge and resources necessary to work together to reduce the spread of HIV. She believes that everyone, regardless of their background, should have access to the information, care and support they need.
Rahvaunia is not HIV positive, but she is excited about her journey with “tHis Is Very IMPORTANT” and being able to use her talents to spark conversation and raise awareness. It’s time we start talking about it.
Inspiration / Motivation?
Outside of the obvious statistics and the rising numbers of those being diagnosed. Rahvaunia was inspired to do a project with this subject matter well over 16yrs ago, when she was the closing monologue in a show of connecting monologues. "Voices in Darkness" was a piece about 6 women dealing with the AIDS epidemic. The piece was written & directed by Tiffany Prewitt.
Tiffany inspired Rahvaunia in various ways, but there were two most notably things that stood out most and resonated with Rahvaunia. Most importantly was Tiffany's decision to write about serious subject matters and how they affected African American women. Second was the fact that Ms. Prewitt was an independent female playwright dancing to the beat of her own drum. Rahvaunia humbly Thanks Tiffany for being an inspiration and trailblazing during a time when most playwrights putting up work in Los Angeles at the time were men.
Ms. Tiffany Prewitt has long left "Hollywood" for Atlanta Georgia, but Rahvaunia is hoping to be able to produce a production of "tHis Is Very IMPORTANT" with Ms. Prewitt in Atlanta.
"I am just a ripple from the stone that Tiffany casted over a decade ago." - Rahvaunia
"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples" - Mother Teresa