We recently had the chance to connect with Katherine White and have shared our conversation below.
Katherine, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
While I am grateful to keep waking up in the morning, I am not naturally a morning person. Those first 90 minutes of my day start out with me setting the day with as much intention as I can. I handle the basic human hygiene things then I usually grab my half-caff protein coffee like it’s a lifeline. While sipping or walking to get some steps in on my watch, I listen to a 15-minute affirmation on YouTube then I journal whatever random thoughts show up before my brain fully wakes up.
Now, full honesty: that’s the version I aim for. In real life, those first 90 minutes sometimes start with me catching up on messages or checking socials like it’s a part-time job. Then I remember I’m supposed to be centered and glowing, so I put the phone down and do all those healthy things I just shared.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Katherine White, a writer, improv comedian, and proud Houstonian bringing creativity and joy to the Mexican Caribbean. Through The Black Laughter Collective, I center Black women and celebrate our joy with improv. My content blends improv comedy, storytelling, lifestyle, and soft living all rooted in authenticity. The heart of my brand is using humor through improv as a tool for empowerment. It gives Black women space to be creative, bold, and free while building confidence and community. Representation matters, and I create space to show what’s possible when we laugh, explore, and exist unapologetically.
These days I’m busy creating whatever makes me and others smile, expanding improv workshops in Mexico and virtually, rolling out digital guides, and sharing experiences filled with joy. My core belief is simple: laughter and creativity have the power to change lives and build lasting community.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
My mom, dad, and grandparents are my greatest teachers when it comes to work. My parents were young when they started out, but they raised us with a work ethic far beyond their years. I watched my mom work all day, come home to cook dinner, and still build a successful business with her mother, my grandmother, Gran. My dad, a military veteran, worked his civilian job by day and, at one point, stocked shelves at night so he and my mom could save enough to buy our family a home. I always admired their drive. My grandparents set the same example. My Papa, my dad’s father, ran a plumbing business and hardware store. My Gran, my mom’s mother, owned both a beauty salon and a home health facility. On top of that, they each worked full-time jobs for over 30 years before retiring.
My work ethic is truly in my lineage, passed down from both sides of my family by blood and by example. Their drive and commitment to pursuing their goals shaped me, and I carry their example with me as a constant reminder to never give up.
Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
I truly felt listened to by my mentees. In my 20s, I mentored a group of teens who became like family to me. What started at church from a faith-based perspective grew into something deeper, navigating school, relationships, family changes, and even their friendship dynamics with each other. My advice through it all was some variation of remaining true to themselves no matter what. As a young woman who was just a little older, I could be honest with them about life, the parts that are messy, different, or even liberating beyond what fits inside four church walls. They listened. They are now grown, productive, and amazing people. They’ve gone through their own adult challenges. Through social media and occasional check ins, I see the advice working: to stay true to themselves. That, to me, is proof that when someone trusts you they will listen and it can shape their path for years to come.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Humor and Black joy are cultural values I protect at all costs. Black people are innately funny, and our ability to laugh, even in the hardest moments, is a form of resilience that amazes me. For too long, our joy has been dismissed, threatened, or treated as a threat. Yet we continue to create humor, art, music, and culture that influences the world. That is sacred, and it must be protected. To me, Black joy is not just laughter, it is survival, resistance, and freedom. It is the space to celebrate ourselves unapologetically, to tell our stories on our own terms, and to find connection through humor. Protecting that joy means making sure the next generation knows they don’t have to shrink themselves, and that their laughter and creativity are powerful tools for healing and change.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when my life moves like nature, nothing forced and everything in its right time. Nature is peaceful because everything flows together effortlessly. I feel that same peace when I’m in my own flow: working on projects without pressure, sitting at the beach listening to waves, running in the backyard with my toddler niece, playing Uno with my mom, or laughing uncontrollably with my sister and friends. When there’s flow, there’s peace. I also find deep peace in creating spaces where Black women can experience improv freely, spaces that invite creativity, laughter, and liberation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://katherinewhite.my.canva.site/
- Instagram: kwhitewrites
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ItsKWhite?si=lppPVs8OsegujF3x
- Other: https://linktr.ee/kwhitewrites
