About Arlinda Willis

Arlinda's childhood in the segregated South was marked by the contrasts of warmth and hardship, family and societal oppression. Growing up in Toxey, Alabama, during the era of Jim Crow, she was no stranger to the racial violence and injustice that permeated the country. While fear enveloped the South, her grandparents and her close-knit community tried their best to keep her safe. Despite their best efforts to protect her, evil found its way into her childhood.

Moving north to Cleveland, Ohio in the early 1960s brought Arlinda opportunities she could not have imagined in Alabama. Cleveland, with its bustling industry and growing African-American population, offered a new life, but it was not without its own struggles. Leaving behind the only world she had ever known was difficult, and the trauma of her early years cast a long shadow over her as she tried to adjust to her new environment.

As Arlinda navigated her teenage years in Cleveland, she found solace and expression in dance, a passion that would soon catapult her into the spotlight. She became a regular performer on Cleveland’s Upbeat show, a nationally syndicated dance and music program that featured some of the biggest musical acts in the industry. Arlinda, with her grace and undeniable talent, danced alongside music legends like Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and Rare Earth. Her life in the spotlight was glamorous, full of electric performances, and fueled by the energy of the era’s soul music.

But even as she basked in the limelight, Arlinda’s personal life was more complicated. The 1960s and 1970s were a time of immense cultural change, but they were also years when the scars of her childhood began to resurface. Beneath the glamour of her career, Arlinda was haunted by this trauma she had yet to fully confront. The pain lingered, and it became clear that no stage performance or applause could heal those deeper wounds.

The move to Cleveland had given her the opportunity to flourish artistically, but it also set her on a collision course with these unresolved issues. Behind her poised appearance and infectious smile, Arlinda carried the weight of repressed emotions. Struggles she seldom shared, even with those closest to her, drove her to depend on alcohol. Life was offering her the opportunity to succeed, but her addiction came at a cost she was not fully aware of yet.

Just as Arlinda began to reclaim her life from alcohol addiction, fate dealt her another blow. In 2011, she was diagnosed with cancer, a devastating reality that threatened to undo the progress she had made. The cancer was aggressive, and the prognosis was grim. But Arlinda, ever the fighter, refused to let the disease define her. While she was weakened by the treatments and the constant pain, she continued to face each day with a resolve that inspired those around her.

The cancer, however, forced Arlinda to confront her mortality in ways she never had before. Her warm-up was overcoming addiction—she was now fighting for her life. The hospital room became her world, a place where time felt suspended, and each breath was a reminder of the fragility of existence. But even in the face of death, Arlinda held onto her faith, her family, and her friends.

The disease may have weakened her body, but it could not touch her spirit. She spent her final days in deep reflection, relying on scripture and prayer to guide her through the fear and uncertainty that cancer had brought into her life. Arlinda’s courage in the face of death was a reflection of the strength she had always carried within her, even in the most difficult moments.

Her friendship with Rob became a source of comfort during this time. Together, they shared meals, stories, and memories. They found laughter in the midst of pain, joy in the simplest of things. In many ways, it was through this friendship that Arlinda found peace. She realized that while death was inevitable, the love and connections she had built throughout her life would endure long after she was gone.

For Once in My Life is an account of Arlinda's journey from Alabama to California, from addiction to recovery, from life to death. It demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit. Her story reminds us that we are more than our struggles, more than our pasts. We are the sum of the love we give, the lives we touch, and the faith we hold onto in the darkest of times.

Arlinda’s life, though steeped in hardship, was also filled with beauty. The music she danced to, the friendships she nurtured, the faith she rediscovered—all of these are part of her legacy. Those who were lucky enough to know her will forever carry a piece of her with them, and we hope the audience will receive this gift as well.

For Once in My Life is a story of redemption, of finding light in the darkest corners of life. It is about the power of faith, friendship, and the determination to keep going, even when the odds seem insurmountable.