Keshia Knight Pulliam has been invited to speak at Prairie View A&M University in recognition of Women’s History Month on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. in the Opal Johnson Smith Auditorium in the Memorial Student Center. Several organizations have collaborated to bring Ms. Pulliam to campus including: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; S.P.I.T. Knowledge; the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention (RSVP) Program, and Student Counseling Services.
Decades after making her debut in entertainment, Pulliam continues to be among the most loved and respected actresses in the business. At 5 years old, Pulliam was cast as the adorable Rudy Huxtable on the groundbreaking Emmy and Golden Globe award winning television program, The Cosby Show. For her performance as Rudy, Pulliam became the youngest person to be nominated for an Emmy Award. Pulliam also won several NAACP Image awards & Young Artist Awards; a People’s Choice Award; and Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award.
After more than a decade in front of the camera, Pulliam decided to turn her focus toward education. She graduated with honors from Spelman College in 2001 with a B.A. in Sociology and a concentration in Film. While at Spelman, her entrepreneurial spirit grew as well as her love for political activism and philanthropy. As both a Bonner Scholar and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Pulliam became and remains active as an advocate for underserved communities.
In 2007, Pulliam joined the cast of Tyler Perry’s award winning show, House of Payne, as Miranda Payne – a role for which she subsequently won four NAACP Image Awards. In 2009, Pulliam starred alongside Tyler Perry, Derek Luke and Academy Award nominee, Viola Davis in the major motion picture Madea Goes To Jail. The movie is Tyler Perry’s highest grossing movie to date earning more than $90 million worldwide.
In recognition of the tremendous blessings that allowed Pulliam to maintain her success over several decades working in the notoriously difficult entertainment business, she launched a non-profit called, Kamp Kizzy Foundation, in 2010. Using her background in sociology, Pulliam has created a free mentorship camp for youth ages 11-16 in her current home of Atlanta, GA. Kamp Kizzy attracts kids from around the county. In 2015, to celebrate Kamp Kizzy’s 5th year, Pulliam will be launching her newest initiative, Project James, a mentoring camp designed specifically for boys ages 11-16 in addition to Kamp Kizzy International Bahamas.