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a Future Soundbyte

posted 24th November 2010    Written by: Nikki    CATEGORY: All Posts, Inspiration, Job/Career/Work, Nikki, Season 3

The date:  November 24, 2015

The Scene: In studio for KCRW (CA local NPR station)’s live radio show “The Treatment” – interviews in Arts and Entertainment.

Welcome to The Treatment; I’m Elvis Mitchell.  Since her debut in the cult classic trilogy “Atlas Shrugged,” based on the controversial Ayn Rand book, my guest Nikki Klecha has caught the attention of audiences with memorable supporting roles in some of the last five years most notable indie films.  She’s here with us today to discuss her most recent project, the award-winning film “The Hum,” her inspirational website, and her first novel, due out early next year.  Welcome, Nikki; we’re glad to have you here.

I’m so incredibly happy to be here; thanks for having me.

Now, Nikki, your LA story is an interesting one; tell us a little bit about your journey.

Well, about six years ago, I was done with Los Angeles.  I was a burned out actor; I’d been working hard & feeling like I was getting nowhere.  I took some time out, traveled for a while –

Australia, right?

Yes, four months in Australia, which changed my perspective.  I realized, I don’t have to be miserable (laughing) I don’t need this career that frustrates me and I’m not tied to LA, there are many other things I can do to be happy; it was a revelation.  So I planned to move, sold all my furniture, and the day I sold my bed was the day I got the call that I was cast in “Atlas.”

If you love something let it go and if it comes back to you… right?

I guess so!

So, you stayed  in LA, obviously, and “Atlas Shrugged Part I” was the first time we, the movie going masses, heard of you.

Right.  The film came out in 2011 to great reviews, and the next thing I knew, doors were opening!  Things still moved relatively slowly, of course, I’m not a household name, by any means, but I just managed to ride the wave of that movie.  I was in the right place at the right time.  And with the subsequent success of Parts 2 and 3, I was able to pay off my credit cards (something every LA-actor dreams of!) and really focus on my writing, acting and building my website.

After the Atlas trilogy, you filmed “The Writers,” which gained a strong underground horror-fan following.

Yes.  That and my most recent film, “The Hum” were labors of love; all the cast and crew were friends, and I’ve known most of them since college.  They were so much fun to make.  And I must be the easiest actress to work for in the horror genre; I was honestly terrified half the time!  (laughing)

Tell us a little about the film you just mentioned, “The Hum;” it just premiered at Sundance and took home some awards, correct?

It did, yes!  That was a dream come true, going to Sundance with a film, especially one that was such a collaborative effort between friends.  I think we all feel like, finally, finally we’re hitting our stride and doing what we came here to do, after 10 years of struggle.

You also run a successful blog called The Grateful Sparrow, which I must admit, I’m a little addicted to.

Are you?  Thanks!  Yes, it’s my baby; I think of it as a daily jolt of inspiration.  I believe that we each have the power to change our lives for the better, whether it be through a large change, like quitting a job or moving, or a small change in mindset.  I hope the site helps people see that and gives them the courage and inspiration to take their next step toward a happier life.

And you’ve written a novel; have you always wanted to write, or is this a new endeavor?

Oh no, I’ve always loved writing; ever since I could read, I’ve been writing.  I just love stories.  For years now, I’ve been freelance writing – in fact, 2011 was the landmark year where I was able to not have a “day job” for the first time ever! – for various online & print publications.  I’ve always had “write a novel” on my bucket list, and now, thanks in part, I’m sure, to the attention I’ve received from the films and the blog, I have a publisher lined up and I’m finally doing it!  It will be available early next year.

And I understand we can look forward to seeing you in the next Michel Gondry film?  Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Yes!  And I am kid-on-Christmas-Eve excited!  He’s my favorite director; I love the imagination that goes into his work.  We had our first table read the other day and the storyboards are just incredible.  I don’t want to give anything away, but it’s going to be a dreamy, lovely story of friendship and the absurdities of love.  I can’t wait to start shooting.

And, as if all that isn’t enough, what’s on the horizon for you personally?

Well, I just got married and got back from a two month honeymoon; we bought around the world tickets and continent-hopped.  It was amazing.  We just bought our first house, and I’m ready to settle in, be in one place for a while, and nest.  I think I’ve earned a little down time.

Well, don’t take too long off, we’ll miss you.

(laughing) Ok I won’t.

You can catch Nikki Klecha in the award-winning film, “The Hum” in limited release nationwide, on her blog TheGratefulSparrow.com, and keep an eye out for her book next year.  Thank you so much for coming in, Nikki.

It’s been my pleasure.

[Photo: me doing a Sirius radio interview for a film I was in, "Family"]

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I Rock. Hard.

posted 19th November 2010    Written by: Alisha    CATEGORY: Alisha, All Posts, Inspiration, Quarterlife Crisis, Season 3, What I've Learned

I had a difficult time starting this week’s post.  I wanted to write about a person who inspires me the most in my life right now.  I couldn’t choose just one.  I thought about you, the Stratejoy tribe.  I thought about Molly (duh), Danielle LaPorte, my good friend Lisa.  But it just felt like I would be leaving out all of these other amazing women.  So this morning, as I sipped my coffee and racked my brain trying to figure out just what to I was going to write (sorry Katie, for the blown deadline!), I decided to procrastinate some more and flip on the tv.

Last night I recorded a BET special called “Black Girls Rock.”  I pressed play and watched the faces of some of the most beautiful and inspirational black women I know flash across the screen.  I got excited.  I got teary-eyed.   Then I got inspired to write this post.

Growing up, I always lived in predominantly white neighborhoods.  I was usually the only black kid in my class.  I was even the only black girl on my basketball team.  Over the course of my life, I can count the number of black friend I have had on my fingers.  We did not live near any family and my parents did not really have many friends either.  I never realized how white my world was until my senior year of high school arrived and I started applying to colleges.  It was then that I suddenly became aware of my blackness.  This is when I became angry, yet grateful, that my skin color would factor into my ability to get into college.  (I did have plenty of merit of course.)  That semester in a research writing class, I chose to write my large paper on affirmative action in college admissions.  This paper lead to a plethora of reading material that enlightened and enraged me, but I put those feelings aside.  All my friends were white; I couldn’t stay mad at them.  And besides, I was about to attend the school of my dreams.

When I came home after those tumultuous months away at college I worked two jobs, one of which was in retail.  At this particular retailer we wore headsets so that the staff could communicate throughout the store.  Through the course of our acquaintanceship my co-workers apparently forgot the color of my skin, because during almost every shift I heard derogatory comments or witnessed discriminatory behavior toward the black customers.  The morning after a particularly disturbing shift, I decided I could no longer work with those people and quit.

Just last week, during another trip to Colorado, I visited the Gap Factory Outlet*.  (Yeah, I’m gonna call you out, Gap.)

After finding the correct size in the desired jean, I asked a friendly sales associate to assist me in finding an additional pair in the same size. The associate and I were unable to locate the item on the floor, even though her computer indicated that there was another pair in stock.

I continued to browse while the sales associate searched for her manager and asked her for help. I watched them as they went to the back room and then returned to the floor. Perhaps the manager on duty did not realize that I was the customer who had requested the jean, but I heard her say aloud to the associate that she knew where they were. I asked if they were on a mannequin. Then she walked past me and with her back toward me told the sales associate,

“Oh, I know where they are, but I don’t want to pull them.” Then she walked away.

Though the associate continued to offer me the pair that I originally tried on, I declined and exited the store. But then I realized that this was the same manager who when I walked up to the fitting rooms, niether greeted me nor did she
offer me a room. She looked at me, and then turned her back toward me to talk to another associate as she twirled her keys. I had to walk back out to the floor to find another sales associate who was able to let me into a room.

I promptly returned to the store and asked her if she was the manager; she indicated to me that she was the assistant manager. After I asked for her name (Kim–a woman with short blonde hair, glasses, a black blazer, distressed cuffed jeans and black suede ankle boots), I told her that I overheard her tell her associate that although she knew where the item was, that she did not want to pull it. I told her that in all of my years of retail experience, I have never had a manager tell me or another associate not to deliver the best customer service possible to close a sale.  I asked her for her manager’s name (Lauren), thanked her and exited the store again.

Now, you may think that it is paranoid of me to say that I received such poor service because of my race.  But do know this: I have been called a “nigger” twice to my face (and who knows how many times it has been said behind my back) and I have experienced many other incidents of discrimination in my 20-plus years of life.  Sometimes you just know.  Experiences like these lead to my life-defining hair cut.  Experiences like these are why I feel responsible for teaching my children more about Black History.  It is through knowledge that you gain power.  If I had not read those books when I was in high school (Lies my Teacher Told Me, Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Caffeteria?, Can We Talk About Race, White Privelge), then I would not have had the knowledge to know and the courage to stand up to the injustices I have faced in these recent years of my life.

I did not mean to sit here and pontificate about race relations and social injustice.  That is not what Stratejoy is about.  But it is about me sharing my journey of self-discovery.  It would be remiss of me to not express how important my culture and history is in my transformation from Black Girl to Black Woman.  And this morning, “Black Girls Rock” reminded me of just that.

*The following is an excerpt from a complaint letter I sent to Gap Inc. I am considering sharing the full letter on my personal blog as I have been even more disappointed with the follow-up (or lack there of) by their customer service department.

(photo credit: www.blackgirlsrock.org)

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More Like Mom

posted 8th October 2010    Written by: Alisha    CATEGORY: Alisha, All Posts, Family, Inspiration, Quarterlife Crisis, Season 3, What I've Learned

I spent most of my childhood feeling distant from my mother.  Though we look a lot a like (A LOT), our personalities could not be more different.  My mother is from Jersey; one in a family of nine; She is loud and she has a laugh that can fill a room.  She’s never afraid to say whatever is on her mind–whether it be good or bad.  (This is usually prolematic when it comes to dining at restaurants.)  She lacks what my father and I call a “filter.”  Thoughts just flow straight from the brain and out of her mouth.  It’s a personality that you either love for its honest (sometimes brutal) truth, or hate.  I remember lowering my head in embarassment on more than one occassion.  I kinda hated it.

Middle school and high school were strange times for me.  (They are strange for everyone though, right?)  We didn’t talk about boys.  We never had a sex talk.  We didn’t talk about what it is like to become a woman.  In fact, I could barely stomach the idea of asking her to help me buy a pad when I got my period.  We did however do the usual mother-daughter stuff: shopping for formal dresses, shoes and getting manicures and pedicures.  Somehow that open and honest person had difficulty communicating with me.  I just figured that she didn’t “get” me…that our personalities were too different for us to ever become best friends.

That began to change after the start of my quarter life crisis.  Our conversations became more open.  We talked about money, men and meaning.  We discussed religion, race and romance.  I started to realize that we were not so different after all. I saw her in a new light.

Her lack of a “filter” simply means that she always lives her truth because she is never afraid to speak it.  Wow.  I wish it had not taken me 20-something years to appreciate that.

Now, as I continue on this journey through my quarter life crisis, that trait of her’s that use to cause me to lower my head in shame?  I covet it.  The people pleaser inside of me often bites her tongue.  She is afraid to ask for her own needs to be met.  She lets others dictate how she is to live her life.

I do not think that I will ever get rid of my own filter.  It is a part of me, and it is actually useful at times.  But I do want to be a little more like Mom.

I want to be comfortable enough with myself that I can walk out of the front door each morning and say, “Hello World.  This is me.  Love me, or hate me.  This. is. me.”

(photo: my family and me standing outside our house a few days before my son was due…I think I went to the hospital that day.)

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Visualization: Ten Years in the Future

posted 4th September 2010    Written by: Renee    CATEGORY: All Posts, Inspiration, Job/Career/Work, Renee, Season 3

It’s a crisp morning somewhere in the Midwest. I wake up to a little dew on the grass in my backyard. I put on a sweater and enjoy my coffee on the back deck. I listen to the birds greet the new day and watch the squirrels quarrel in the branches. My cat sits beside me. I take a moment to myself.

My husband rouses and kisses me good morning. We go about our routine: eating cereal on the couch, packing our bags for the day, catching up on email and news. I blow dry my hair and apply my makeup. I slip on my shoes and climb on my bike.

I’m ready to ride to campus.

I pass a few of my students on the way to class. I start my mornings teaching Feminist Community Building in the Blogosphere. It’s a graduate-level course and I’ve been mentoring some of these students since their freshmen year. I feel connected to them, I see myself in them. I want to open the academic world to them and tell them everything is going to work out just right as long as you believe in yourself. Class goes by quickly. It always does when your students are as excited about the material as you are.

I pack up my bag and grab a cup of tea with a colleague. We were in the same Masters program together. It’s nice to catch up with someone who knew you way-back-when. She tells me about her kids, how they’ve grown into fine young men and are now playing hockey at a Big 10 school. I like to watch them on the weekends. It’s nice to have someone to cheer on. I invite her and her husband over for a fondue night this weekend. She agrees to bring wine and I request Trader Joe’s Two Buck Chuck. I remember when I introduced her to it and I’m in the mood for nostalgia.

I have to head back to my office for my scheduled office hours. I know at least one student mentioned she would stop by. I climb the stairs to my office. It’s a small space; books occupy three of the four walls. I settle into my chair and flip on the lamp. It’s one of the first lamps my husband and I bought when we moved in together. I make a mental note to visit IKEA soon.

My student never stops by, but I spend my free time ignoring the book I’m working on. That next chapter can wait just one more day. Instead, I book our hotel in Rome. We’ve been planning to celebrate our 10th anniversary in Italy for some time now. We bought our plane tickets last weekend. I choose a cute boutique just outside the historical center, but close enough to all the right bus routes. I can’t wait to show my husband the city that shaped who I am so many years ago. I catch myself daydreaming about Sant’Eustachio cappucini and frutti di bosco cornetti fresh-baked and still warm. I grateful we can afford to take this trip for our anniversary and that we’ve budgeted wisely.

After my last class of the day, I ride home. Tonight is stir-fry night but it’s still too early to start cooking. Instead, I start a pot for tea, put my slippers on, and settle into our rich burgundy couch. I should probably proofread a section of my book before I send this part of it off to my editor. My cat hops up and starts to purr. I’m grateful for our comfortable, albeit small home, for our friends, and for our comfortable salaries.

I reflect on my day. Cozy. Comfortable. Productive. Progressive. I feel like I’m making a difference in my students’ academic lives. I’m writing for me. I still adore my husband. I feel complete. I feel validated. I feel loved.

These are my big dreams. What are yours?

[image via mhobl]

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The Challenge Child

posted 1st February 2010    Written by: Kelly    CATEGORY: All Posts, Love/Relationships, Quarterlife Crisis, Season 2

INTRODUCING KELLY

I’ve never done things the easy way.

I’ve always been the type to learn lessons the hard way and experience mistakes by myself.  Personality traits also come into play; I’m spontaneous, impatient, impulsive and driven.

When I was young, my parents affectionately referred to me as “The Challenge Child”; and you bet that I earned every letter of it.

In 1st grade, I cut my desk mates’ bangs. I told her that to get rid of them, you don’t grow them out, you cut them. I left a trail of hair from the bathroom to my desk. It wasn’t hard for the teacher to find the culprit.

My kindergarten report card read, “Kelly needs to understand that the world does not revolve around her.”

At 6, I convinced my sister that our blanket was a magic carpet. I opened the 2nd story window, knocked out the screen and was ready to push her out. Dad caught on just in time.

I changed my name to Ming in 2nd grade.

My first detention was in 3rd grade. I took ticky-tack and put it in my teacher’s hair. It got stuck, and he had to have the school nurse get it out with peanut butter. They sent a note home, but I stuffed it under the bus seat.

Between the ages of 8-13 the majority of family dinners ended with me eating at the bottom of the basement stairs alone. My parents have pages and pages of “I will not talk back” written on them.

High school years hit me hard; I was far from the perfect student.  Always into some kind of trouble, hanging out with the “wrong” crowd and doing my best to defy authority.  It took a few years to come into myself.  ;)

I am made of tough stuff. This comes from my Mother. I may have to learn everything from my own mistakes, but it has made me the person I am today and fueled me to become the best that I possibly can. My experiences have forced me to look at the world for what it really is, figure out what I need to do and get it done.

About 4 months ago, I met a boy, fell head over heels in love and decided to move to Texas from my little home town, after knowing him 2 weeks. Imagine the hell I raised with this stunt! I’ve been here for 3 months now and I’ve never been happier. I packed up; left everything and everyone I ever knew and moved … 1200 miles away, for love. :)

Which brings me to present day. To my “Quarterlife Crisis”…   I’m living in a brand new city with no solid ground. A supportive and amazing man by my side, but no self-identity in this new world. No job, coworkers or girlfriends and reliant everyday on my trusty GPS, Greta. I find myself examining my life, my patterns and my past … realizing that there are skeletons in my closet … and to lead the life I want to, I must face them.

So, it’s time to shine!

Join me as I spread my wings, find life outside of Buffalo, NY and discover a entire new chapter of my life journey.


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