Drew Shade, Founder, Creative Director of Broadway Black | Photo by Ambe J
“I ain’t never found no place for me to fit. Seem like all I do is start over. It ain’t nothing to find no starting place in the world. You start from where you find yourself.”
― August Wilson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
It can be easy to get discouraged and difficult to continue the artist journey. At times you question, do I belong? Why am I doing this? Is it worth it? Then you find that one glimmer of light that fuels your next step, and all feels right again– until it doesn’t, and you must start again.
There have been several times that I’ve wanted to abandon my vision of Broadway Black. I’ve doubted, sabotaged, and chastised myself for having to learn what I didn’t know, internalizing the negative more than the positive, thinking that I was proving to a higher power that the vision wasn’t meant to be, it wasn’t meant for me. Thinking that if I stop, it will all just go away. But that’s not how visions work, I’ve learned. Your heart pulls, and your body becomes restless until you get back up and start again.
Know there is more joy than sorrow hanging in the world waiting for you to claim it. You may not know how-to DIY, but that doesn’t matter when you’re called. Grace has extended itself long enough to wait for you to show up and start over. Whatever your “this” is, believe it’s for you. Forget being embarrassed for your lack of “training” and your “unpolished” technique. Share your “this” the best way you know to share it. Use all that fear, rage, sadness, or disgust you’ve bottled up inside so you can get to the joy, happiness, kindness, and love because you deserve it. You’re worthy.
The “industry” still has a long way to go to rebuild with all of us in mind. So, In the meantime, keep creating and lighting your own way. You don’t need to prove or qualify your resilience. Don’t let the seeking of approval and validation rob you of your art. Approve yourself. Validate yourself.
That is #BroadwayBlack!
Warmly
Drew Shade
Founder/Creative Director of Broadway Black
