Ruva was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and spent her first four years of life on her grandparents’ idyllic farm in Marondera before being transplanted to the US of A. While living in suburban New Jersey, she learned important life lessons, like the importance of pairing yoga pants with Uggs, the correct pronunciation of coffee (read: CAWFEE), and the fact that it is Taylor ham, not a pork roll (even though she’s vegetarian :p).

This unabashed Jersey girl went to Harvard, where she decided to fulfill her parents’ dreams and become an actor. (Oh, wait, you guys said doctor? Oops!) There, she gained experience in everything from experimental theater to children’s musicals, and she also dabbled in singing opera and playwriting. She earned a degree in Theater, Dance & Media and History & Literature with highest honors in May of 2021.

Ruva is attracted to stories that highlight the quirkiness, vulnerability, and complexity of Black women’s experiences while honoring the depth of their emotional universes. She has worked all over, from Istanbul to Maine to New York, on stages, Zoom screens, and farms. Ruva’s favorite artistic experiences have been ones with a strong community ethos and an emphasis on respecting all artists involved, and she hopes to continue to create work that centers healing, love, and joy. In her writing, she focuses on questions of femininity, spirituality, love, and power.

Outside of art, Ruva enjoys her roles as a big sister, an English teacher, a francophile, and a dessert enthusiast. To learn more about Ruva, check out her Instagram (@ruvalicious) and the gallery on this site!