Everyone has a story. Of who they are, where they’re from… The real struggle is always to know where you’re going, right? Or at least being open to all the possibilities!
I grew up in what was once a tough neighborhood in Boston, MA. I guess now it’d be considered pretty posh, but when I was a kid, it was a pretty poor, less than“blue-collar” kinda place. But it was a great place to be a kid and a childhood I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world!
My story? Well, simply I lost my parents at the age of 11 – by the time I was 12, I was pretty much on my own – kinda. I was lucky though, my mother had put me in all of these “afterschool-esque” programs at an early age and I was addicted – to dance, to band, to anything that had to do with performing. I was a natural! I loved the camera, the spotlight, the attention — A very astute teacher once said I was most comfortable when I didn’t really have to be me. Eeeh, whatever works to get you through, I say!
At some point, like all stories – there were more bumps and bruises along the way. I’m making light of it now, but growing up on the streets is never an easy thing – but it’s so cliché that the story kinda bores me at this point. For now, let’s just say that it was a hard upbringing and then, because of an injury, I couldn’t pursue my love of dance anymore.
By the time I graduated from high school (a big deal in my little world) I knew I had to figure something else out. With a lot of luck, and crazy love and support from some of the greatest people I will ever know, I made it to college. To me, college was just not something I ever considered really, let alone thought I would actually finish!
But I did finish. Kicking and screaming and cursing the “gods” above for “ending” my dancing career, I did make it through. Four bumpy years later, I graduated with a degree in English and Film and moved to Los Angeles immediately. Ready to continue on the path I’d always been on — that of a performer, a creative soul.
The irony is I’ve always known I’d land here. And I’m not talking about California — though I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. But I always knew the curvey path would end up right back here: Creatively working as an artist, brilliantly finding a way to leave my own unique mark. Simply, doing my thing. In a nutshell, my life is good. I’m doing what I love and I still know exactly where I’m going. . .
Everyone has a story. What’s yours?
