For me, the clown is the embodiment of our most pure and innocent child inside. My work as a clown and as an actress is always rooted in bringing truth. What I connect to most is how kids play with their most authentic selves. They play every game like their life depended on it. They cannot lie about their desires and wants in those moments of absolute play. I am committed to playing in every aspect of life. I do believe that finding joy and play in every moment is the key to really being present. And who doesn’t like a truly present and truthful actor? Most people actually think I am still indeed quite young. But I guess I don’t mind that at all. Because I try to look through that lens every day.

 

My work teaching clown is about opening our hearts to be vulnerable, empathetic, compassionate, and bold. Harnessing that inner child to be your most free and wild self.  I think this work creates more confident, self-assured, and fearless young people. And those folks certainly ignite and inspire me.

 

Art—be it film, TV, Theatre, teaches us how to be humans, we watch people feel and in turn, we become a little bit more whole. I like my job as an artist because I get to, in one small way, help people feel a little bit more seen and understood. With this job, there is responsibility. We must not only bring truth to the human experience, but we must tell the right stories and include all voices. 

I remain a student–always on the journey to become a better teacher, artist, and human. This work includes antiracist work. I work to acknowledge my privilege, investigate and dismantle the racist systems we’ve known for far too long, and teach a pedagogy that aligns with what it means to be an antiracist theatre maker. I believe that individuals must feel a sense of belonging that is cultivated and deep– not just surface level– in order to create freely and grow. This means uplifting the voices of historically marginalized groups, building safe and productive workspaces, but most importantly, listening. I will keep listening to the diverse and bubbling world around me in New York City. I will know that I will never hold all the answers.