TO BRING the Hawaii-based spinoff of NCIS to life, a number of writers were recruited to create for the show.
Not only did the late Yakira Chambers pen episodes of NCIS: Hawaii, but she also served as the program’s story editor.
The late Yakira Chambers was a screenwriter who penned episodes of NCIS: Hawaii
Who was Yakira Chambers?
Born in Chicago, Illinois, the late Yakira Chambers was an American screenwriter and actress.
After taking on a career in business administration, she pivoted her professional ambitions toward entertainment.
Following the switch in careers, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue acting and writing.
Yakira’s filmography includes HBO’s Insecure, John Henry, and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry.
In April 2021, CBS announced that a fourth NCIS spinoff was in development and was going to be set in Hawaii.
The network brought on Yakira to write for the first season of the series and penned four episodes.
By the time season two began development, she was promoted to the show’s story editor.
In the wake of her death, NCIS: Hawaii plans to pay tribute to the fallen screenwriter during episodes scheduled for January 2023.
What was Yakira’s cause of death?
On December 5, 2022, Yakira’s family revealed that the screenwriter died of acute asphyxia.
Her death transpired after a mall outing in Newport Beach, California when she started to experience difficulty breathing and collapsed.
She is survived by her husband Anthony Welch, stepson Andre, and mother Constance.
In a statement to Deadline, the family commented: “Her sudden and untimely death has left us all grief-stricken.
“Yakira was a light, a symbol of hope to our community, a steward of our culture, and a representation of what pursuing your dreams looks like.
“Yakira’s passion extended beyond her daily work in the business.”
They added: “She loved helping others create a way out of no way.
“She believed in equity, and the demarginalization of persons of color to create a level playing field for all.
“This passion was actualized in the form of her foundation, CureConstanceFoundation, an organization born out of the necessity for finding financial options for those in a health crisis.”
Her mother Constance said: “I miss her and will love her to eternity. I don’t know what I will do without her.”