[3] After moving to the United States at age 18,[1] she received her bachelor's degree in Theater Arts at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

[2] Byers then moved to New York City, where she performed Off-Broadway, including in Venus Flytrap: A Femme Noir Mystery, and Rent.

[6][7] In 2014, Gealey was cast as Anika Calhoun in the Fox musical prime time drama, Empire opposite Terrence Howard and Taraji P.

In 2017, Byers was cast as Kate, a jazz singer and lounge owner, in the indie thriller Bent, making her big screen debut.

[11] In 2018, Byers published a children's book titled I Am Enough, based on her experiences being bullied as a child for having deaf parents.