Has your creative process changed since your last edition of Artist Spotlight?
I've definitely put a bit of a hold on my film and theatre goals. A few things are starting to open back up, but being in Cleveland and still trying to be safe, I'd rather just wait it out. I'm fortunate enough that I have the ability to do that right now, since I'm staying with my family, and don't have to pay New York rent. So my creative process has shifted from concrete projects to just finding ways to stay artistic whenever I can. I've done a few virtual stand-up shows, which are fun, but obviously not the same. It's really hard to write standup when you're isolated, as well, because a lot of my material comes from encounters in real life. But I've been jotting down a lot of fun ideas for things when it's safe to perform again. And, like I said earlier, I've been posting little jokes and bits on TikTok, which has been a surprisingly fun and real form of art.

Has COVID impacted your relationship between art and social justice? If so, how?
I think it's helped me put everything into perspective. It's weird that the arts industry has probably been hit the hardest, and yet it's the thing we're all turning to for joy and escapism. What did we do those first few, unsure weeks of quarantine? Binge TV and watch movies we've had on our lists for years. Read books we've been meaning to, listen to podcasts. Art has been so instrumental in keeping everyone sane and hopeful. It's definitely what's gotten me through these last few months. 

With everything going on in politics and the Black Lives Matter movement, as well, I think it's necessary that artists use their platforms and work to contribute to social justice. Art influences everyone, it's universal, and I think that artists hold so much power with what they do and say. Plus, it's essential as an artist to understand what's going on in the world and when it's your place to speak or not. When should I step back and put the spotlight on someone else? How can I help under-represented voices be heard?  What changes do I need to make in myself? I'm still educating myself and working towards a place of better understanding for the people in my industry (and in general) that aren't being treated fairly. 

The flip side of that is giving people something to smile about or laugh at through comedy. We all need a release from the outside world. So it's nice to be able to make jokes about Donald Trump or watch a political satire like Borat and just laugh. It's cathartic and so important. 

Have your artistic aspirations changed or evolved since the last edition of Artist Spotlight you were featured in? 
Things haven't changed that much: I still want to work in film and TV, ideally acting and writing. But I know that this past year has been a bit of a plateau career-wise, and it's going to take some time to get back into things. So I'm trying to keep my expectations of the future realistic. I'm hoping to return to New York in February or March, but that all depends on how the country as a whole handles this spike of Covid cases. I really want to get back to work but know that my long-term goals may take a little longer to reach because of the pandemic, and that's okay. 

What advice would you give to artists who are looking to continue building their careers during this time?
There are a bunch of small things you can do to still work on your career. Consuming media is actual work; you need to know what kind of shows and movies are out there, what you like, what you don't like, who you like, etc. Support people when they do virtual shows, or join one if you're able to. It's not the same as live performance, but it's something. You can update your website, clean out your hard-drive, research production companies or casting directors. There are plenty of things you can do to get yourself ready for when the world opens back up. 

But: don't feel pressured to be productive. There's a lot of pressure to write a novel or a screenplay, or produce an album, or whatever. And some people can do that, and that's great! But a lot of people, like myself, need to step back and just do their best to get through this. The pandemic is so mentally and emotionally exhausting--my mental health has been all over the place recently--and I am constantly reminding myself that it's okay to do the bare minimum right now. If I watch TV for 5 hours straight instead of responding to emails or updating my website? That's fine. Do what you can to get through this time.