QUOTE
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.” - GOETHE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to acknowledge all Indigenous peoples, including the Mohican, Munsee Lanape, Paugussett, Pocumtuc, and Wappinger, whose homeland is Northwest Connecticut; both those who were forcibly removed in the past and the Indigenous people and communities who live here now. I respect their continued connection to this region, and thank them for allowing me to live and work here.
I recognize their claim on this territory, and therefore, I commit to voting for officials and initiatives that support Indigenous rights, and contributing to charities that protect the land in this region.
I invite you to support and advocate for Indigenous people wherever you are.
INSPIRATION
A sage named Ryokan was walking on the beach after a terrible storm. Thousands of starfish had been washed ashore and were dying in the hot sun. Ryokan bent and picked them up, one by one, throwing them back into the ocean.
A passer-by rebuked him, saying, “There’s no way you can save all these starfish! There are too many! Why bother? What you’re doing won’t make a difference!”
As he tossed a starfish into the sea, Ryokan answered, “It will make a difference to this one.”
COMPASSION
There are many charitable organizations to which you can donate, but a realistic concern is whether or not the organization is reputable, and whether or not most of your money actually helps the cause for which it exists. Fortunately, there is a website, GuideStar, on which you can search nonprofits to see a summary of their financial (and other) information. Registration is free: GuideStar
VOLUNTEERISM
There are many organizations to which you can donate your time. Even one hour a month will help someone, somewhere. There are endless benefits to volunteering, including a sense of connectedness to your community, building self-esteem, cultivating a positive attitude, focusing on others rather than self, an opportunity to try something new, and learning valuable skills.
However, I think the most powerful gift of volunteering is the knowledge that you are needed, and that we all need each other.
ADVOCACY
Some problems need more than soup and blankets to fix them. Where has society failed? Where have rights been overlooked? Where is justice being withheld? Where are the strong exploiting the weak? Who is telling lies?
In the theatre, we have something called a “dress rehearsal”: a final chance for actors to practice for opening night. Life—the life you are living right now—isn’t a dress rehearsal. Everything you do and say, everything you support and believe in, matters now.
We can do something about problems. It’s not up to “someone else.” We—collectively—are the hands, the eyes, and the voice of the power that has the potential to change the world for the better. That power works through us when we do whatever we can to help. Contact your elected officials; support fair laws; stand up for those who cannot; sign petitions; ask questions. We ensure our own happiness when we make life good for everyone.
MISSION STATEMENT
As an artist, my two most valuable tools are my index fingers; when someone tries to point out obstacles to my dreams, I place them firmly in my ears and say, “La la la! I can’t hear you!”
It works every time.