Other writings
I have partnered with various political non-profits to help facilitate change and encourage voter turnout through creative writing, design, and visual art. I have also written articles on topics like creativity and business for publications including She Explores, Yellow Co, Thought Catalog, and more.
Essay/op-ed, moveon.org
“To the creatives who lead, let us go vote”
Earlier this year, like many of us, I attended a protest. It wasn’t my first or last, but one moment stands out in my memory. As thousands gathered in downtown Denver and began walking around the Capitol, a small group stood in the middle of the path shouting “Vote! If you are here, you MUST vote! If you don’t vote, nothing you do today matters!”
I felt emboldened by this message, although it also seemed a bit simplistic. Did that imply marching around the city center in solidarity meant nothing on its own? Since that day, I’ve seen a similar dualistic mentality on the news, social media, and in conversations with friends and family. Voting is sometimes talked about as everything or nothing. Likewise, protests can be seen as either what ultimately moves the needle or a waste of time.
I have to admit, even while writing this I am fatigued by celebrities and just about everyone on Instagram screaming it from the rooftops: “V-O-T-E!” It’s a message being preached by the masses, as it should be, and because of that, sometimes I worry we’ve become numb to it. At the same time, I also wonder if we put so much emphasis on this single democratic act that by the time Election Day passes, some of us are exhausted and just want to get back to “regular life.”
My “regular life” is that I am an artist. I am not a political scientist, philosopher, or journalist. There have been plenty of times I’ve considered quitting my craft to pursue a career in the political or non-profit world, assuming it is in those sectors I could be more effective. But thankfully, I’ve had some great mentors who reminded me that (a) essentially everything we do is political and (b) all types of people are needed to make the world a better place.
As Beth Pickens says in her book, Your Art Will Save Your Life: “…historically, during oppressive regimes and fascist governments, it is the brave and creative ones who lead, who solve problems, incite, inspire, organize, comfort, satirize, and reflect.”
I am an artist, a communicator, a writer, and forever a student. Everyone has different important parts to play in the weaving that makes up humanity, this country, and our democracy. We all have unique ways to serve, but there is one common thread everyone has a role in carrying — voting. Our purpose doesn’t begin or end on Election Day, but voting plays an essential role in being an engaged citizen.
What if we approached Election Day this way? Knowing it isn’t the final answer, but being aware the right to vote is, as the late Representative John Lewis said, “precious, almost sacred.” What if we viewed voting as an initiation to another term of actively participating in our democracy in whichever way that shows up for us given our skills, interests, and passions? What if voting wasn’t the ultimate democractic act, but a collective ritual to take us deeper in community?
Your vote is power. And so is your voice, your dollar, your hard conversations, your art, your faith, your empathy, your self-care, your presence. You are power. We are power. It is together, through our votes, our voices, our collective energy, that we will change this world for the better.
And, one more time, just for good measure… VOTE!
I’ve been thinking about the concept of a “millennial snowflake.” ❄️ The term was coined in the 2010s to describe an “overly-emotional, easily-offended person with an inflated sense of uniqueness.”
It came up recently while talking with a family member. We were discussing something that happened in the media and she began venting about how people are so easily offended now. Back in the day it “wasn’t offensive to anyone at all.”
My heart both broke and burst into flames at that moment. You can imagine the conversation that ensued. After we hung up I realized what some view as weakness — being “easily-offended” — I really see as a mixture of awareness, empathy, self-worth, and action.
Sounds a hell of a lot like strength to me.
It takes strength to listen.
It takes strength to empathize.
It takes strength to be open to different experiences and perspectives.
It takes strength to question what you’ve been taught.
It takes strength to admit fault.
It takes strength to challenge the system.
It takes strength to change.
It takes strength to speak up.
I would argue that our generation is not ‘overly emotional.’ We are emotionally aware. 🌙 We process our feelings instead of burying them.
We are not ‘easily offended.’ We are empathetic. 💛 We recognize the power of words.
We do not have an ‘inflated’ sense of uniqueness. ☀️ We have self-worth, and in turn, advocate for everyone to be valued and protected equally because we know they have worth, too.
We care. That’s a sign of strength. 🌎🤝 We care about our planet. We care about each other. And now we have to put action behind those words and feelings.
We need to show up in a big way. It’s time to not only SAY how we feel and what we demand, like (for me) healthcare for all, protected wildlands, and reps who put people before money from big industries like pharma and oil. ⚡️ It’s time to ACT.
Make your representatives know your name. Engage with them regularly. Sign petitions. Attend town halls (virtually, for now). Leave voicemails. And, for the love of G — VOTE. No more of this measly 30% voter turnout, 18-29-year-olds. We must walk the talk!
Article, Thought Catalog
“6 Steps For Reposting Someone Else’s Work Respectfully”
I’ve seen it happen all too often in my circle of artist friends. You make a drawing or take a photograph and it starts getting passed around, posted on the feeds of curators, brands, even celebrities. Somewhere along the way your work gets cropped and filtered and even claimed to belong to someone else.
We live in 2019, a time when “reposting” is just a fact of life. It isn’t all bad, of course. I have no problem with brands and accounts sharing my work in most cases. Actually, I encourage it. I love getting more eyes on my art. But it needs to be done right.
Please remember that behind every image on Instagram there is a real, living, breathing human who took the time, energy, and bravery to create something and share it with the world. The least you can do is make sure you are accurately and appropriately crediting them.
If you have an account that only reposts and shares other people’s work, look at it as your job. Curation is a real talent. Approach it with professionalism and respect toward both — the craft of curating as well as the artists who are making the work.
All of that being said, this is just my opinion. Every artist feels differently. Here are a few ground rules for sharing other people’s work on the Internet.
1. ASK.
Although it’s 2019 and reposting is second nature, it would be ideal if you always asked before reposting on your feed, no matter what. The very least you can do is make sure the artist doesn’t clearly state “no reposting” on their profiles or website.
2. Never edit without permission.
You may think you are helping out the artist by touching up/editing their work, but you’re not. This piece does not belong to you. Respect the artist’s original vision. If you feel the need to edit, crop, touch-up: Don’t.
3. Credit clearly and appropriately.
Tag the artist in the caption as well as in the image itself. Make sure it is clear who the artist is. Do not try to pass it off as your own work. Don’t bury the artist’s name or handle in a pile of hashtags that make it impossible to see. Don’t just tag the photo, but not list their name in the caption. That’s just lazy. Go above and beyond to make sure the artist gets the recognition they deserve. Yes, this might take a bit more effort. Yes, this feels like work. That is the price you pay for sharing other people’s art for free.
4. Dig for the proper source.
If you are reposting from someone who has also reposted, you need to research to find the original source of the art. You cannot simply tag the person from whom you found the artwork. Again, it’s work, but it’s the right thing to do.
5. When you see something, say something.
It feels like every day I see someone’s work getting ripped off online. Don’t just shake your head and move on — speak up! Chances are the person posting doesn’t even realize what they’re doing.
6. NEVER use an artist’s work for commercial purposes without payment or permission.
Reposting on Instagram or your blog is one thing, but turning an artist’s work into a poster for an event or the background for an advertisement is another. Message or email the artist to request use of their art, and be ready to pay for it.
It’s up to us to change the reposting landscape. I don’t think most people do this maliciously. It’s just pure ignorance and laziness. The good news: We can help educate and shift people’s posting habits by taking the extra time and care when we do it ourselves.
Art matters. Artists matter. They deserve to be treated with respect. Always.
“The right to vote is precious, almost sacred.” -John Lewis
Are you prepared to exercise your precious rights this November? In many states you must be registered up to 30 days before the election. Go to the link in my bio to see your status and register if needed.
Here in Colorado, we have the option to vote by mail, ❗️ but due to potential USPS delays, it is recommended that you drop off your ballot WELL BEFORE election day in an official lockbox at a polling station or election office, if possible.
Before Election Day a friend and I have a “voting party” where we get together and go through our ballots to research and discuss each candidate and measure. Sounds nerdy, but it’s really fun and empowering. Please don’t put this off. We need everyone to vote this November. Voter suppression is real and some states do “purges,” which can knock many eligible voters off the roll at one time, often with little notice.
Make sure you’re still registered and up-to-date via the link in my bio now! #YourVoteIsPower #TeamMoveOn @moveon
Excerpt from She Explores, Stories of Life-Changing Adventures on the Road and in the Wild
“I am an Artist”
I grew up on the sea; my mom worked on ships and homeschooled me, and we traveled for most of my childhood, hopping between boats, a small farm, and anywhere from Texas, to New York, to Pennsylvania. My self-identity grew from a restless mixture of air and water instead of roots. I found who I was in movement and imagination and solitude and wild places, a combination that has both served and challenged me. Now I see that this is where my artwork stems from -- discovering who I am, and who I want to be, as a woman in the wild. I hope everyone who connects with my art can be moved by that wild woman in some way, like I am often, as she reminds me… create boldly, explore bravely, and live fiercely.
There was no single “moment” or even one catalyst that caused me to suddenly identify as an artist. Truthfully, there are times when I still don’t feel like one. I had to force feed myself the idea. The statement, “I am an artist” starts as a whisper, a half-truth you mutter under your breath, glancing out the corners of your eyes hoping no one finds out you’re a fraud. It grows slowly, often painfully, until one day you look a stranger in the face and when he asks you, “What do you do?” you say, “I am an artist.” You feel proud. You ARE an artist! And then you go home and overanalyze those words for the next week.
I call my mom every evening and we do a “walk and talk” around our neighborhoods. She’s a nurse in Florida, so I am always concerned about her and greatly appreciate what she does.
The other day I told her I’m making a conscious effort to use my platforms to speak about current issues. “You’re going to be MORE political?” She asked, taken aback. “Hmm. It could turn people off. I never like it when actors or singers start getting all political.” She eventually came around, but it got me thinking.
Political. What does that even mean? Well, the dictionary says “related to the public affairs of a country.” To me, that translates into, simply, caring—and doing something about it. ‘Public’ means people as a whole, and you and I are a part of this whole, therefore we have a right to participate, whether we’re running for local office or serving hamburgers or selling houses or painting canvas.
I think we all care. We care about our friends, our families, ourselves, our animals, whatever little plot of earth we inhabit. I’d even venture to say that when we see someone in pain, it hurts most of us, too.
I care about air pollution and the EPA relaxing rules for industries like big oil, especially in the middle of a global respiratory pandemic, where the communities being hit hardest are disproportionately minorities and low-income folks—sadly, not a surprise or a coincidence.
I’m concerned that @sencorygardner isn’t protecting Coloradans and is allowing Trump and the EPA to make changes that are going to worsen *public* health in a time when they should be doing the opposite.
We all care. But democracy also requires participation. It feels so overwhelming sometimes. Even writing this I wanted to ‘select all’ and delete, throw my hands up and say “It’s pointless.” But it’s really not. ⬅️ Can we actually believe that?
I love this reframe: Instead of I “should” be politically engaged, I GET to be. I get to be an active creator and participant of making this world a healthier, cleaner, more equal place.
I’m curious: What keeps you from being more engaged? What issues are important to you? No judgment. Let’s start a real conversation and generate some ideas. ✨