Sharpening Your Crayons [A Story About Artistically Recharging]

As some of you may or may not know, I'm currently working at Florida Studio Theatre, located in Sarasota, FL as the WRITE A PLAY Program Coordinator and an Education Associate Artist. Looking past the big title, my main responsibilities are to oversee and run our touring and outreach programming. As a teaching artist, I lead various workshops and help with other outreach initiatives. I can also be seen on stage as a cast member of FST Improv on the weekends. My job is great, I love working here, but after living, learning, growing and working in Sarasota, for two years as an intern/apprentice and then finally transitioning to a full time staff member with very little time to vacation and/or take time away from work, I was in serious need of a recharge.

I found myself stressing over every little thing and was emotionally overwhelmed at work and outside of the office. Coming from my journeys in Atlanta at Morehouse and attending a pretty diverse high school, I must admit being one of the few brown crayons in the box at work became exhausting. I longed for social interaction with people that knew my short hand, that shared cultural, social and experiential similarities and most of all...I wanted some really really good food.

So this past weekend, I made a weekend vacation to my 2nd hometown, Atlanta, GA. I happened to schedule my trip the same weekend of commencement for my beloved Alma Mater, Morehouse College and the equally amazing Spelman College. I socialized, laughed, reminisced and boy oh boy did I stuff my stomach with the tasty delights that the southern Mecca is known for. It was a much needed refresher to reconnect with some of my friends and fraternity brothers that have stayed in the area.

I say all of this to say that sometimes we need that refresher, that recharge, that sharpening. Turn that crayon box around and use the sharpener in the back! What invigorates you? Who is your "person"? (Sorry...I watched the Grey's Anatomy Season Finale and am still living from it!) If you find yourself stressing and completely removed from what makes you tick, it may be time to take a moment and just sit. Relax and Recharge. My remedy was a weekend refresher. Yours may be too or it may just be completely unplugging from the world. Taking a day to go on a nature hike. Having a spa day. Whatever it is....DO IT. Don't be afraid to treat yourself....every now and then. As long as it doesn't break the bank :-)

There's always enough black to go around,

Pat.

Joy Brunson: The Actor-preneur

I first saw Joy Brunson on stage at Spelman College in a production of The Colored Museum by George C. Wolfe. We became friends shortly there after and even got to share the stage under the direction of Jasmine Guy in the stage adaptation of The Bluest Eye. 

Fast Facts about Joy Brunson

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Schoolin' Life: Spelman College

Crayon Box Color: Sunset Yellow

Website: www.joybrunson.com

Twitter: @JoyBrunson

Instagram: Jojomcnair

Joy resides in Los Angeles, CA living, creating and dreaming. Since our time in college, Joy's grown into a powerful actor, activist and already phenomenal woman. Always churning out new ideas and platforms, I was excited to catch up with my friend and sister in the arts.

  

Pat: Who is Joy B?

Joy: Um…[it depends] on the day… but today I would say that I am Joy Brunson. I am an “Actor-prenuer”, I’m an artist and I create platforms, specifically for women— specifically for woman of the African diaspora to grow and live and learn more about themselves in every way.

Pat: What’s an Actor-preneur?

Joy: I think it’s all encompassing because acting is my main priority and my main passion but I really really do love creating platforms, like I said. So when people ask me, instead of saying well, “oh I run a non profit and oh I write on the side and oh I also have a vegan web show…when people ask me what do you do? I can just say I’m an Actor-preneur. Someone told me that one day, “Oh you’re an Actor-preneur” and I liked that! So, it’s a conversation starter and it’s also all encompassing

Pat: You should put that at the bottom of your resume! So as far as acting is concerned, what coming up?

Joy: Coming up? Goodness…I honestly will know something within in the week. Since moving to LA, it’s been more about getting settled into the city and meeting casting directors and that’s been great. This last pilot season I went out for a lot of things. I have not booked yet, but to be in that caliber, to be I that room to be, you know, going up against working actors—because there are so few of us, black women working actors—I know that I am just inching closer. But I am working on my one-woman show, so personally that’s my next biggest goal.

  

Pat: A one-woman show? Tell me More?

Joy: It’s called “Inner Joy.” Subtitle is TBD, but it’s called “Inner Joy.” I’ve been working on a one-woman show for years, honestly. I’ve always been hesitant because not only am I performing it, but I’ve chosen to write it, so it’s like two ways in which I could have viewed people judging me. But now I see it as me needing to get this work out to be creative and to be artistic and to spread what I feel are important messages. They [the characters] are all women. They span time and location and they are all talking about different ways they have found peace. For some of them it’s because they were gay and didn’t know how to come out and for some it’s because they lost children in the earthquake in Haiti and one is because…um…Well, I guess two are about lesbians actually when I think about it! (laughs). One is a young girl who is kinda pan-African but I’ve put it into a voice of a nine-year-old and what we teach our children about sexism and colorism, but in a fun, creative nine-year-old way. It’s all women trying to figure out who they are and the process helped me figure the woman I’m becoming.

Pat: I want to talk about Get Rooted!

Joy: I was hesitant about it, because I’m very particular about how I come off or at least I try to be. Umm as someone who’s like, “Oh I’m vegan and therefore I am here and you are there”—and I think that sometimes veganism comes off like that—people kinda condemn people for their choices. I personally don’t care what you do with your body, but I find that especially in our community a lot of people are interested more and more in weight and health and what goes into their body. And I feel that veganism is a perfect way to find that. Also, being from the south, I’m not a life-long vegan. I was raised on meat and I understand how it tastes, but for me I like to know very specifically where my food comes from and then I’m able to make that choice. If I know it comes a factory and I still want to eat it, then cool. A lot of times in the African-American community we sit down at the table, cover our food in hot sauce, and we don’t question how far back it went before the grocery store, we don’t care as long as it’s on discount. I think for any community, especially for the black community in order to repair this tear in our cultural fabric, we have to start from the inside out.

I didn’t want to make another vegan cooking show. I wanted to know that it happens, and everyone has a different definition of it. Our last episode, we had young people who are artists [and vegan]. One eats fish, but she considers herself vegan. Another is dietary vegan, but he has no problem wearing leather. It’s what you make it, you know, but the point for me is to be in control over your food.

Pat: Now, you also have non-profit organization under your “Actor-preneurial” umbrella, Tee2Tea?

Joy: Well, Tee2Tea is a golf mentorship organization where we use the game of golf to teach principles of life. So…commitment, dedication, accountability for young minority girls 8-18. First off, we do not discriminate [against] any sweet little Caucasian babies. It’s so interesting that when an organization [is] for a specific group, people are focusing on what it’s not. This is not anti-white org, this is not a anti-male org, it just happens to be an org for minority, mostly Black mostly Hispanic young girls.

We make the game of golf affordable and accessible. In the inner city, there are no golf courses. Not only is the game of golf, different and unique but it can open doors…it opened doors for me. When people find out that you can play golf, they look at you differently. Men, especially white men, people in power places look at you differently to be able to step outside of what is considered “normal” for a young black girl and say, “No, I know how to do this” is really beneficial.

We have summer camps and are working on having another golf tournament. We also have what is called “High Tee,” which is just mentorship. The girls go through etiquette class and self-empowerment class, because I didn’t want just another organization that taught a sport. Those organizations are great, but for me, I wanted to make well-rounded individuals and young women that will contribute to society. It’s still very new, but I have lots of dreams for Tee2Tea. I hope it can be a full-fledged program that lives on it’s own, where girls can come and grow after school and during the summer.

Pat: I’m a web series fanatic, so I was so exited when on saw you on YELLOW.

Joy: (laughs) It is so crazy to me because I feel like I’ve done other stuff but it seems like yellow has been the thing that my friends like the most. Honestly, that’s why I did it. They [BLACKandSEXYTV] have a following and they do good work and I had so much fun.

Pat: Speaking of film and TV, what’s your stance on black women in the media. How do you feel about “Lupita” fever?

Joy: I don’t know what it is, but where there’s this hit black person, you become that. As soon as she started becoming popular, I had quite a few people saying that I remind them of her and I’m like NOOOOO. We’re just similar colors, but we are very different. It’s like “oh, there’s a black dark skin girl…” But in the same vein I’m like, “There’s a black dark skin girl and I get to be like her!” That is a very beautiful thing. As far as black women in the media, I think things are beginning to change and I’m very excited about it. There’s still healthy competition and there still are inner circles, but I think that’s just more human nature than anything else. Overall, I’ve seen black women act very professional toward each other. They may not be friends or acting chummy, but I’ve never seen them mean or try to cut them down, which is great. There is sisterhood and I’m still finding that and not necessarily in the black community, which has surprised me. Some of my closest friends in California aren’t black, but they have been incredibly supportive. I had to kinda take a step back because I’m used to Atlanta and being around beautiful strong black women. This person isn’t black but they believe and support me and have my best interest at heart. The women, the female community has been good to me, right now. Did I answer you question?

Pat: Finally…what’s your vision down the line?

Joy: Well, like I said my biggest thing is my one-woman show. I want to continue theatre out here and continue to build my brand. If I say I’m going to be here and work here, I need to start planting seeds here. I think God gives us gifts and if you don’t nurture them, they will go away. So I’m working on growth as an actor right now. But hey talk to me in a few months and I may be on a project!

#artsupportsart

Keep up with Joy and all of her “Actor-preneurial” adventures at www.joybrunson.com and check out Get Rooted on Youtube!

There's always enough black to go around,

Pat