We’ve all heard the phrase “put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” My family always advocated for experiencing the good uncomfortable - traveling to unknown places, immersing yourself in different cultures, adopting a different perspective, etc. They constantly encouraged me to travel and to challenge my own opinions all while maintaining a good spirit though respect for all I don’t know. As a human, I never want to settle in what I think I know about a person, an outlook, a culture, or the world at large. As an artist, I strive to pursue artist work the challenges both myself, as a creative contributor, and the audience. Take off your shoes and step into the good uncomfortable.

note: the term is called “good” uncomfortable for a reason. I will never advocate for anyone, including myself, to take a risk on a “bad” uncomfortable situation or circumstance.

We are all deserving and worthy of love, in whatever form that takes. As a human, I advocate for the rights and support of the LGBTQIA+ community. As an artist, I advocate for art that highlights the voices and experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community, and I hold myself accountable for contributing to environments that cultivate this. Fostering respect and representation for the fundamentals of human rights for all is not a “bonus” in artistic work - it is at the core of it.

Ever noticed that, in almost all of the 90s-2000s quintessential “beauty makeover” scenes (Princess Diaries, Miss Congeniality - you know the type), the soon-to-be knockout transformed from frizzy, curly hair to sleek, straight hair? Or how the “nerd” of the group typically had this same curly frizz and glasses? Yeah, that got to my head a good bit, literally.

Pursuing an industry that does factor in appearance to a potential job booking is difficult. I spent years trying to change my looks for what I thought others wanted, both for my personal life and professional work. The hair is just one example - everything from my large Italian nose to my weight was under scrutiny.

In 2018, I saw Lady Gaga trace the shape of her nose in “A Star Is Born.” I cried in the movie theatre, and I vowed then and there to love and embrace every bit of who I am. It is now a daily mantra for me to say - Baby, I was BORN this way!

As a human, I advocate for embracing all of the unique external and internal factors that make you YOU! As an artist, I strive to pursue work that truly values and integrates diversity beyond performative efforts.

As a cis white woman, I know it is not my voice that needs to be heard when it comes to global majority representation. Here are my vows for my personal life and artistic work:

• I vow to always respect pronouns

• I vow to strive to contribute to artistic work that values and establishes global majority representation beyond performative efforts, whether or not the work itself is about a specific minority experience

• I vow to heavily consider if my voice is one that should be heard in a job or role prior to accepting that opportunity (ex. I will never accept the role of Celie in The Color Purple or Jo in Jagged Little Pill)

• I vow to never assume I understand a specific global majority experience, and I vow to offer a listening ear and open mind when approached with the opportunity to learn

Waffles are objectively better than pancakes. That’s it.