• Give us a general background of your life.

I'm a multimedia artist and I'm also a mom! My 5 year old daughter inspires me so much artistically because we bond by creating together. I enjoy dancing to live music and at goth clubs, stand up comedy, creative photoshoots, and memes.

• Tell us about your involvement in the arts and nightlife entertainment.

I have a background as a costume designer for theatre and indie films. I’m transitioning my design skills to a career in the video game industry and working as a nightlife entertainer (dancer). I also just opened a pop up shop where I sell my art and upcycled clothing. It’s called Space Sex. 

• Everyone experiences obstacles in life. Tell us about the roadblocks you’ve encountered along the way. 

When I had my daughter I could no longer work the crazy demanding schedules I was used to as a costume designer. I was expected to be on set for 10+ hours a day, travel, and work at odd hours. It was hard to find adequate childcare so I quit and became a bartender. During my time as a bartender I worked in a toxic environment and was constantly sexually harassed by coworkers, bosses, and employees. I one day walked out because I couldn’t take the mistreatment from my boss any longer. I left and went to a popular strip club and applied to be a waitress. I was told that they were only hiring dancers at the time so I applied to dance and started a few days later with no experience at all. I have worked as a dancer for about 4 years now. It helped me become completely independent as a single mom and the flexible schedule has made it possible to spend a lot of time with my daughter. This is not me recommending that anyone become a dancer without doing proper research first!! It can be a rough environment so it’s important to be prepared. The stripper subreddit on Reddit is a good resource. 

• Thank you for candidly sharing. What are some lessons you’ve learned on this path? 

Being a dancer really requires a lot of self care. Therapy plays a big role in that self care for me. I had a cognitive behavioral therapist that I would speak to weekly when I first started working. She would help me navigate the emotions I felt from my work. She helped me learn how to establish boundaries properly and that has been such a game changer for my entire life. Setting boundaries for yourself is so important and it used to be hard for me to do because I used to be a people pleaser. I really believe she helped rewire my brain! She helped me to acknowledge some of my behaviors that were self destructive, understand where they stemmed from, and learn healthy coping strategies.

Follow her on IG: @___fembot