Women: Let's prioritise community

There's not a chance in hell that I'd be where I am without other women lifting me up, pushing me forward and making space for me next to them.

Without Tanya & Alicia from Richcraft Voice Coaching giving me the tough love I needed.

Without my best VO buddy in the world Kate De Quidt keeping me in check when I freak out.?

Without my talented friend Paula Arquiola designing my logo for me FREE when I was just starting out so I felt like less of an imposter.

Without my amazing friends and family who continue to listen to all my weird/boring VOs and tell me I’m doing great.?

Without my little sister telling me what’s cool (and most importantly, what’s NOT cool) on tiktok.?

Without a lush community of women VO’s who I’ve found on Instagram, all supporting and championing each other in our shared art and rejecting toxic competition.?

It’s taken me ages to believe in myself as an artist, as someone who could create and be seen as a creator. And I've spoken to so many women who feel the same way, both in VO and outside of it. And thanks to a bunch of incredible women around me - I’m finally starting to believe that, yeah - I AM a creator - and that I always was. (Profound, right?!)

Because, actually, everyone is creative! But what I’ve noticed is that, more often than not, women find that harder to believe that about themselves. And in my case, it’s taken a massive team of other women holding up a giant mirror, forcing me to stare at it, and pointing aggressively at my face while shouting “Hello?! Duuuuuh!”- to finally see it.?

I am really thankful.?

But all this takes to me a point that I want to (eventually) get to. Every one of those women pitched in to help me get where I am now - they all offered little acts of care and empathy that I needed along the way. It was a community of support that, when added up, made a huge difference.

This is important because, as women, we’re often expected to give up a lot of our energy for the sake of others, to build others up, care for them. Often at a cost to ourselves. While this empathy and care is our super power, it can also weaken us if we’re not careful.

But we can have the best of the both worlds - let's commit to nurturing a creative community that supports us all. Where we can make space for other women and marginalised groups at the table - and refer to our community when we haven't got the energy!?

Let’s commit to offering our time and knowledge to other women - building them up as high as they can go - and refer to our community when we haven't got the energy.?

Let’s honour each other and our own needs. Otherwise our creative flame will get dampened. And we don't want that.?

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