Meet the 'Survivor 45' Cast! Civil Rights Lawyer Katurah Topps Calls Herself "Perpetually an Underdog"
According to Katurah Topps, she is "always in survival mode." That's because she's lived 35 years and worked for nearly a decade as a civil rights lawyer while also walking the planet as a queer Black woman, something she feels leaves her constantly at a disadvantage and having to figure it out. And it's that life experience she feels makes her most prepared for Survivor, as she comes to this 26-day trial with some carefully laid plans, ready to prove she is more than just the incredibly important work she does.
Read on for my interview with Katurah, and check in with Parade.com every day for interviews with this season's contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 45 premieres on September 27 with a 90-minute premiere on CBS.
Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 45
Interview with Katurah from Survivor 45 cast
To start, tell me about yourself.
My name is Katurah. I am from St. Louis, Missouri. I'm a civil rights lawyer. And I've been living in Brooklyn for almost six years now.
Does your civil rights work predate your law career?
I've been involved in the civil rights side of the law since before I was a lawyer. So, I've been an attorney for about eight years now. And civil rights work has always been my passion and my focus. You start off a little bit, and you can't always jump right into it because I gotta get the bills paid and work at the big law firms. [Laughs.] So, I did my dues with that. But now, I'm proud to be working at one of the top civil rights law firms in the country.
That is incredible work, now more than ever. Where did that interest come from? Is there a general sense of generosity and justice you've always had?
I love that, "a general sense of generosity and justice". I wish I could say that was my story. Unfortunately, no. It's really just being a Black person in America. If you're a blind person, you can see just how deeply normalized racial injustice is. And I just remember being a child and looking around and just noticing there are certain communities that don't have access to basics like healthcare and clean water and food and schools, and realizing most of the time that was impacting my community, and just deciding to do something about it.
And here we are, going from you wanting to help your community to playing one of the most cutthroat games in Survivor. What made you want to come out here and play?
It's kind of crazy. Everybody's asking that. They're like, "How did you get here? You're so dedicated to the movement." And I'm like, "I am, and it's true. My work is my everything." But civil rights lawyers are still people. I'm still a full, fundamental, multi-dimensional person.
You've still got student debt! [Laughs.]
First of all, this $500,000–because they keep calling it a million, but it's $500,000 post-taxes–will not be going to student loans, for sure. [Laughs.] But I work hard, and my work is emotionally draining. It's really emotionally taxing. I spend a lot of my time in front of a laptop with emails and doing work and rigorous deadlines. And I just wanted to remember that I'm actually an adventurous, crazy, exciting person. I am such a lawyer, but not only a lawyer. I'm ready to be scared shitless jumping in the ocean while Jeff is screaming at me. I can do that and defend my people, too. [Laughs.] There has to be a way to do both.
Absolutely! So, what's your history with Survivor? How long have you seen people scared shitless jump in the ocean while Jeff yells at them? [Laughs.]
[Laughs.] I feel almost embarrassed to say it at this point because I know everybody is pretty much diehard superfans from day one, since they were kids; I actually haven't been watching Survivor since I was a kid. I kind of rediscovered it in 2020. The world was crazy. My job specifically deals with police violence on Black people. So George Floyd had just been murdered; I was dealing with that. COVID was hitting. It was really just terrible. Everything was just going to shit, and I was just like, "I need an escape." And I just saw a season of Survivor on Netflix. And then I started watching that. I was like, "Oh, I remember this!" You know how you remember having seen it years ago but not really watched it? And I started watching it with my adult eyes, and I was like, "I [expletive] love this show."
So, I binge-watched. And I'm telling you, in 2020 and 2021, my Paramount Plus membership was off the chain. [Laughs.] I got full use of that $13.99! I was constantly watching Survivor. And then last year, I had Survivor on in the background, as I usually do; it was literally just my comfort show. I just had a really rough day, and I was tired, and I was looking at people doing stuff. And I was like, "Why are you just watching this? Why haven't you applied? What are you doing? What's the reason not to?" And I kid you not, I told myself, "Okay, I'm going out to dinner this night, so I'll look halfway decent. [Laughs.] So, since I'm gonna put on some makeup and look decent, I'll go ahead and make my casting application video and don't think anything of it. Record it, send in the first draft." I did exactly that, and they called me two days later.
Give me one Survivor winner and one non-winner who you identify with the most.
I actually have one name for both of those, oddly enough. [Laughs.] The first person that always comes to mind is Natalie. I mean, she's a winner, and then in Winners at War, she didn't win. So she's also kind of a non-winner there, so I feel like she hits both of them. But I just love her badass spirit. I remember when there was that crazy, ridiculously extreme task that they had to do for one token. Everybody was dying, and she just kept going, kept going, kept going. And then, at the end, when she finished, she just kind of released all of this emotion and cried her heart out. I really identify with that moment because that's kind of how my life has been. You gotta go; you gotta get it done. You really don't have time to stop and be worried about anything; just get it done. And then you can cry about it later. So that's kind of what I feel like I'm bringing into Survivor. I'm gonna figure it out, and then, when you go to the confessional, then that'll be your time to cry and get all the "Oh my God, today was crazy" out. [Laughs.]
Is there one particular experience you feel has prepared you most for the game?
I don't really have one thing specifically, honestly. I walk through the world every day as a Black queer woman. All three of those identities put me at risk of danger at all times. I'm always alert; I'm always in survival mode. I'm always watching. Is this going to be the group that doesn't like me? Is this going to be the people that feel bothered by me? I'm socially at the bottom in many different ways. And a lot of times, I don't have advantages, and I just kind of have to figure it out. I was just telling the producers. We were laughing. I was like, "Whatever crazy twist they throw at us, I feel confident I can figure it out. Because I figured out everything else." I didn't know anybody who went to college before I went to college. I didn't know anybody who went to law school before I went to law school. All those things in my life had just been brand new, and I just jumped in and prayed for the best. I'm hoping it works here too. [Laughs.]
How do you think you'll be perceived in the game?
Ooh, I'm nervous. I really don't know. I was watching how all the people on Twitter were responding to the season 43 and 44 casts and just seeing what people respond in general. And I was trying to think, "Okay, well, what would they say about me?" Honestly, I have no idea. I think I'm very unique. I don't think that I can fit into a particular box. I think people might be rooting for me on one hand because I'm perpetually an underdog.
On another hand, people might be annoyed by me because sometimes I'm cranky. Sometimes I'm a little spoiled. I'm a little bit clumsy. I trip a lot. [Laughs.] I'm praying I do not trip or fall at a critical time or near a machete. Those are the things I'm going into the game, being like, "Just avoid the machetes." I honestly don't know. It could be overwhelmingly positive; it could be overwhelmingly negative. But I've already told myself it doesn't even matter. This is a journey for me. I don't often get to do things for me. Most of what I do is for and in service of others or thinking about others. This is to set my soul on fire, so it'll be good either way.
What type of player are you looking for in an alliance?
What I seek out in an alliance member is unrelenting, illogical loyalty. [Laughs.] I want them to be so connected to me that they're like, "I don't even care if I don't win. I want you to know so-and-so's trying to blindside you." And I'm like, "Thank you, that's exactly what we wanted." [Laughs.] I want that Laurel to Window loyalty. I think, as soon as there was a tie, and Domenick knew that Laurel had to cast the tie, he's like, "I knew I lost then." I want an alliance partner so close to me like that, that there's just not a shadow of a doubt that they're gonna just ride for me.
Now, I know this is Survivor. And I know that that's unlikely. But I'm hoping that that's the best-case scenario. But I also know that people will be in alliance with you as long as it's beneficial to them. So I'm really hoping just for people who are reasonable and logical. And we can say, "Sure, at some point, it may not be logical for us to be alliance members, and we can try to cut each other's throat then. But let's at least get the next three votes together."
Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 45
When it comes to perceptions, is there anyone at this time before the season that you're eyeballing as people you do or don't want to work with?
There are definitely two people who I was like, "I definitely want to be an alliance with them." And they're softer, quieter, sweeter people. Because I think they might be good for my secret alliance. I want to have a public one, and I want to have a secret one. And I think having someone that people just deem soft-spoken and kind of can easily look over and not think too much of would be great. I'm thinking like an Erika and Heather dual energy. There are two people who I was like, "I definitely can feel negative energy from them, not loving them." And then, literally today, we all took a boat together. And I saw a different side of them. And I was like, "Okay, well, maybe they'll be nice." So I feel like it can change; I'm just keeping it open.
Let's say a boat shows up to your camp on Day 2, asking for one person to go on a journey. How would you approach the situation?
Now, you know I am damn well not getting that boat. [Laughs.] Absolutely not. I mean, I will fake an injury to not get on that boat. The only way that I'm willing to get on the boat is if it's deep enough into the game where I feel "comfortable"--because you can never be fully comfortable–enough to where I know I can go, come back, and lie, and either people will believe it, or it wouldn't be the end of the world. I have a strong enough alliance, and I could tell people what I got, and they'd be fine with it.
How does that philosophy translate to advantages? Will you avoid looking for them the way you would going on the journey?
Oh, no. I'm gonna need advantages. My goal is to play the low-key character, be a little bit in the background. But realistically, I don't think my personality allows that. So, I know at some point, I'm going to be a target. I know that. So the only reason I'm saying not getting on the boat is just in those beginning days. I'm not gonna be the first person on the boat. Because then you've not made a really deep connection with anybody. It's easy for someone to say, "She's probably got something." And then everybody's looking for an easy, comfortable vote. I'm not trying to do that. Who's the only person in Survivor history who's got voted off first twice? A Black woman lawyer. I'm not trying to repeat anything like that. So, I am being super cautious about those first couple of votes. After that, I'm absolutely looking for advantages, absolutely looking for idols. If it requires me sneaking away, doing whatever, I will be doing it. Absolutely. [Laughs.]
What celebrity or fictional character would you want to come out for a Loved Ones visit?
Do I even care about any celebrity or fictional character enough? I mean, the loved ones' visit is supposed to be like, "I'm at my lowest moment, and I'm filthy. These people are trying to get me. I need love and support." I don't know if I would want it from a random celebrity who doesn't know me. I think I'd much rather have it from a family member. I don't know. I can't think of anybody.
You may be the first person I've interviewed who doesn't have an answer to this question!
Can you send my family? [Laughs.] Send people who know me, who can give me encouragement. Because they're gonna say," You can do it, you're strong." But they don't really know if I can do it or if I'm strong; they're just saying that. I need somebody who's like, "I know you, Katurah. Don't [expletive] up." I need people who can be honest with me and tell me about myself.
Next, check out our Survivor 45 interview with contestant Jake O'Kane.
