Earlier this month, Moorpark College honored Women’s HERstory Month with a visit from public speaker Sabrina Thompson on March 6, 2024.
Thompson, a director, entrepreneur, photojournalist and TV personality, walked students through the hardships and opportunities she’s experienced in her life through her presentation titled “The Ridiculous Woman.”
Providing personal and industry advice to students, Thompson emphasized how making impromptu life decisions considered “ridiculous” by family and peers can lead to unforgettable opportunities and success.
Thompson began the presentation with a chronological recount of her life, starting with a recap of her collegiate career as a track and field athlete. As a scholarship student at Louisiana State University, she struggled both physically and mentally while training at one of the strictest programs in the country.
“When I signed my scholarship offer there, they literally had won 10 national championships in a row, right? So that’s the kind of program it was in, very stressful, very elite,” Thompson said. “Every day felt like, for practice, like I was running at the Olympics.”
After reaching her breaking point at LSU, Thompson transferred to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and switched to a major that was more on par with her personality: communications, television and media broadcasting. Eager to work on sets, she sought out TV production internships in New York.
After permanently relocating to New York City, Thompson worked on shows, including the “Ricki Lake” talk show and “Judge Hatchett,” which led to opportunities within the Court Television network.
There, Thompson began working on hardcore crime cases as a reporter for the broadcast network. While the opportunity was paramount for her career, Thompson recalled her breaking point as a respondent when a producer tried to make her ask invasive questions to victims’ family members.
“This lady has lost anything that meant anything to her, and now you want me to make her cry?’” Thompson explained. “And yeah, the check is nice, but I didn’t feel good about my job anymore.”
After feeling inspired by an ad on the subway, Thompson left her career in the TV industry to become a New York City school teacher.
“Everybody thought it was ridiculous. My parents thought I lost my mind,” Thompson recalled while explaining her job change.
After teaching students in Brooklyn for three years, Thompson learned of widespread teacher layoffs within her school district. The day she found out about the rocky state of her teaching job, she received a message from the lead producer of the hit show “Survivor” on CBS.
When another woman with the same name submitted herself for the reality show, casting directors found Thompson instead. They were impressed with her extensive portfolio and background.
“At the time I ran a nonprofit as well, and they said, ‘Well, who’s this girl? Like, we like her better than the other one,’” Thompson said.
Thompson was subsequently cast on season 24 of “Survivor.” Students listened as she re-lived memories from each stage of her journey on the show, including her experiences boarding the plane to the show’s mysterious filming location, foraging for food, dealing with insects and divvying her limited resources.
Using video snippets from the show, Thompson walked students through several group challenges she participated in as a contestant. She explained how her background in communication and teaching allowed her to articulate objectives to her team and listen to the concerns of her tribe.
Thompson was the runner-up of her season and took home $100,000 for her efforts. She emphasized the reality show’s central themes of humanity and building relationships rather than the environmental conditions.
Ethan Schwesinger, a Moorpark College Film, Television and Media Arts student, attended the talk after recognizing Thompson from her run on “Survivor.” Schwesinger spoke about the valuable lessons he learned and the importance of new experiences.
“I think what she was talking about when she was on ‘Survivor,’ about learning to actually listen, I think that’s really valuable, just taking the time to listen to people and really get to know them,” Schwesigner said. “Just go with what life gives you, because there’s going to be a ton of random things that seem ridiculous that will actually make a big impact on where your life goes.”
After “Survivor,” Thompson returned to the television world and started a media production company called KUU Productions. She created her first television drama series that later achieved a first look deal with Warner Media.
“I could have never created and written this [television series] had I not been in the trenches of workload teaching kids, you know – had I not been in the trenches in these court cases,” Thompson explained. “And also, just being in “Survivor,” in that crazy show, and really, it was a microcosm of society.”
Jenna Lay, a Moorpark College Film, Television and Media arts major, appreciated Thompson’s encouragement for industry-bound students to produce their own content and build connections at the college level.
“I really appreciated her mentioning networking across, versus networking up. I think that’s something that we forget about, especially in industries where it’s communicated that it’s about who you know,” Lay noted.
Thompson ended her presentation with a brief Q&A session and left students with a final question to apply to their daily lives.
“What does your ridiculous look like?” Thompson concluded.
For more information on Women’s HERstory Month at Moorpark College, click here. To connect with Sabrina Thompson, check out her Instagram here.
