Support This Work

I know this title image of my pup at work doesn’t seem the most relevant, but there was nothing I loved more than leaving the computer, packing up the iPad and setting up a makeshift (read: sturdy mini version of our) office out in the world between our adventures up and down the West Coast. That was our soul support - rewilding in wild spaces daily and stopping near civilization to work online between hikes. Miss Bella Rene has handled tech support and moral support for so long (don’t worry, that’s my wine and not hers) and I’ve always handled the funds for projects. Happy as clams and very much in love with our work in the world, I never thought about petitioning for support until now. But as I’ve reflected on the projects that have meant the most to me (Artists for Action productions, The Artists’ Feast community micro-grant program and the trainings/programs I’ve donated over the years), all of the big meaningful things were fully-funded out of my own pocket. I have no regrets about this; through Artists for Action (my most meaningful set of productions so far) I was able to donate all proceeds from the first show to WYSE (Women & Youth Supporting Each Other, a non-profit headed by one of our artivists, Shyamala Moorty) and all shows following our inaugural event, I was able to make AfA free and open to the public and the communities we served - exponentially increasing our engagement and impact. As they say, No “RegERts!” It was fabulous!

Well, since the pandemic and my own life changes, I’ve experientially realized how vitally important accessibility is to members of the community who cannot attend these in-person events. As I have retired from full-time performing/producing and my path continues to integrate my professional work in the humanities, I am no longer in a place to produce in-person events (and secure funding for them through grants and partnerships) regularly as I once did. All funds were poured right back into the production and I never took a penny from the free Artists for Action municipal/community productions - it was my happy labor of love for many, many years. I, of course, have made money and made a living through other productions and other work promoted here on this website, but to continue to source funding for the full productions of Artists for Action and artist funding/support programs (like The Artists Feast community micro-grant program) on top of everything else, I do not have that bandwidth now.

In addition, for the continuation of productions such as Artists for Action, I’ve decided to forego the radio opportunity as (yes, after my media training for radio), I knew it would massively limit our ability to fully express ourselves and our content. The radio dump button (including the large fine for not catching it in time) is not my friend. Not only do I have the voice of a 12-year-old chainsmoker, but I curse like the stereotypical lady sailor that I am. I still intend to keep Artists for Action and other projects that push on the social lever for a better world going, as I can… not as in-person productions or even a radio show (where AM/FM has its own inherent limits), but potentially as a limited series and more widely accessible productions moving forward. Still working out the details, but the punchline is: I have fully-funded and produced a lot for my communities over the past two decades and it is totally optional, but if you feel called to support the work I do as I develop more disability-friendly evidence-based social emotional arts programming, build the Artists for Action limited series and create greater access to my programming in general… it is deeply appreciated. It will help me continue this work. I’m a little slower than I once was, but forward is forward and the work will continue as long as I do.

Even if it’s just coffee (below) to keep your girl going or ground level support to allow me to continue building this work, it means so much to me. I’ve been at this Spirit Dancing in the world for over 20 years now and looking forward to 20 more. Eventually, I would like to provide free evidence-based trauma-informed multicultural social emotional performance arts trainings to CBOs (in lieu of the current business model, I’d like to make this more financially accessible for folks) to continue to do the work and build upon it for their own communities that they know best. And that will take time.

I do this foundational work for free, out of love, on my own time, until it’s ready to roll out. I always have. And when it’s not meeting the needs of the communities I serve, I scrap it, do more research, have more conversations with collaborative partners and start over until it feels right. I love the process and nothing feels better than making it work better for everyone. As I redesign my life to make programming more accessible both for myself as facilitator and the community through wider outlets, support for this work will allow me more time, freedom and space (read: room to rest…disability is a new adventure for me) to continue to do just that. I’m slower than I once was and I recognize at this stage of my life that my energy is limited, but this work - whether funded or not - I will take as far as possible with the support I receive and continue to.

I’m not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; I’ve worked as an independent business all this time, so there is no tax write-off for any support, but I need to express (especially during this particular time of transition in my life) how much your support means to me. Having had the privilege to call this great love of the arts my career for so long has been a dream come true. Thank you so very much for the opportunity to keep going, even amidst these massive life changes.

Big Love xo

T.