TV’s legend, T’Keyah Crystal Keymah, L.A. stars rocked at Saint Sabina
School’s Fine Arts program named in her honor
By Chinta Strausberg
Helen Dumas, principal of the Saint Sabina Academy, presented TV’s legend T’Keyah Crystal Keymah with a bouquet of flowers then shocked her by naming the school’s Fine Arts program in her honor during a fundraiser held late Saturday night for the school.
A part of Hollywood came to Saint Sabina Academy, 7801 S. Throop Street, late last night where Fox sitcom, “Living Single” and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” super actor/singer TC Carson made a surprised appearance that surprised several hundred people attending the event.
In an interview with this reporter, Keymah said, “I am ecstatic that so many people decided to come out both to help me celebrate my birthday and to celebrate Saint Sabina and Cure Violence, Kidz Korna, the Charm, Sax Preacher and all of the people who are doing something wonderful in the neighborhood where I grew up,” she said.
Having grown up in the Auburn Gresham community and being a graduate of the Saint Sabina Academy, Keymah said, “I am overwhelmed at Saint Sabina’s naming their Arts Center after me. I can’t even say how moved I am. I’m just motivated. I am more than moved. I am going to step it up and see how much more I can help them because when someone is doing something good, you have to support them. You have to stand behind them, on either side of them so that they keep doing what they are doing,” she stated.
Keymah, who besides being an actress is also a writer, producer and producer, said she first wanted to be a performer ever since she was 2-years-old and she now wants to give back to the community from whence she came in a big way.
In presenting her with the flowers and announcing Saint Sabina’s Academy will be named in her honor, Dumas thanked Keymah for having her 50th birthday at the school she once attended. Dumas read her birthday card to Keymah thanking her for “reaching back to your roots and for the seeds you have sewn into our students by way of example….”
Over the past four-years, Keymah has returned to the Saint Sabina Academy. Dumas said she is proud to call the schools fine arts program after Keymah.
A stunned and tearful Keymah said, “I am speechless…. Every time someone blesses me, it makes me say, ‘OK, how do I figure out how I deserve that.’ So, what ever help you need with this program, I am here to help you,” she said thanking Dumas for the honor.
Dumas said Keymah, who is a graduate of Saint Sabina Academy, comes every year to talk to the students. “I think it was just the Holy Spirit told her for her 50th birthday he wanted her to be with us.”
“We have some after school fine arts programs, and we were trying to increase them. We have a room now that is being used for Fine Arts. We want to put pictures in there of her and call it the T’Keyah Crystal Keymath Fine Arts Center,” Dumas told this writer during the late intermission.
Keymah received more flowers and birthday wishes before the party. Hundreds danced late into the night in celebration of Keymah’s 50th birthday.
In the event’s program, Keymah wrote, “The show you will see represents many stages of my entertainment career and takes place on one of the very first stages on which I ever performed. I hope that every young person in attendance who has an impossible dream like I did will realize that there are more people in their corner than they know and that with hard work and a little faith, anything is possible. Thank you for sharing my 50th birthday with me.”
Born in Chicago, as a child, Keymah won the NAACP’s Theater Awards for Best Actress & Best Play and an AUDELCO nomination for Best Solo Performance for her performance in the show, “Some of My Best Friends.”
Keymah has a long list of awards including the production of “One Last Time” and “Circle of Pain.” Keymah was even a host of the acclaimed “Soul Train,” and was a TV series regular in “That’s So Raven,” “COSBY,” (NAACP image ward nominations),”Waynehead,” “The Show,” “On Our Own,” and “In Living Color” to name a few.
Earlier, Delece Williams, director of Kidz Korna, a non-profit organization located at 79th and Ashland, also celebrated Keymah birthday. She was one of several people including the Sax Preacher who received awards for their civil work. Having a wait list of more than 7,000 young people, Williams said Keymah comes every year “to help distribute the toys to try and encourage everyone in the community to be a part of the solution instead of being a part of the problem.”
Others performing at Keymah's party were: Timothy Paul Miller, “TheExtratainer” known better as Tim P.M., also a Chicago native, TC Carson, best known for his portrayal of Kyle Barker on the sitcom “Living Single,” Cynda Williams, an actress who stared in the film “Mo’ Better Blues,” Jeff Obafemi Carr, known as “The Media Scientist,” Reginald Muhammad, known as Reggie Reg, a Chicago born comedian/impressionist, Mitzi Montgomery, a singer/dancer, Cathy Childress, a singer; Sharon P. Smith, a singer/song writer; Sherry Scott, a native Chicagoan vocalist, the Najwa Dance Corps (NDC); Andrea Vinson, known to her students as “Mama Andrea,” Morris Butler a member of the Najwa Dance Corps and many others.
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