We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jarren Mebane. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jarren below.

Jarren , appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Being a creative is the most happy and fulfilling thing I could do with my life. I currently do have to keep outside income working in corporate America which is my “regular job” and there has never been a day that compares to the feeling I get when I am creating art. The impact that I can create through storytelling and creating is unimaginable. Art speaks to soul and makes people feel heard and understood, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I grew up watching TV, listening to multiple genres of music, playing instruments, painting and drawing. Creating has always been at the core part of my life. At young age I dreamed of being an actor but my family did not have the means to support that dream so it always seemed like a far off wish. So I went to college and majored in something safe. My junior year I realized that I was finding myself unhappy all of the time and I became fed up with not fulfilling myself with what I truly wanted, so I devised a plan and began pursing my acting career. I chose acting because of the impact television had on me as kid and throughout my development into adulthood. How I was able escape pressures and uncertainty and gain hope for a better happier life.

For me what sets me apart is my character. I’ve grown and developed so much overtime and lead my life with kindness and empathy. My lifelong quote that I always fall back to when I am in tough situations is “I keep the sun in my heart” meaning that I want people to feel welcomed to be their true selves when they are in my presence as if the sun just entered the room on a gloomy day. So I work to form meaningful bonds, do meaningful work and put my all into whatever it is that I decide to do.

I am extremely proud of the resilience that I have showcased when faced with adversity. I did not come from an affluent background, quite the opposite really. At every turn there has been a wall and life didn’t seem to want to take any breaks, but no matter what I have been faced with and still am being faced with I pick myself up, look at how far I have come and decide everyday to be a better person than I was yesterday. I have achieved so much considering what I have dealt with but I will never stop trying to grow.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to create a space for inclusivity. I want to be able to tell stories that help people feel like they can see themselves in and feel a sense of home. There is so much media being created and consumed but for some reason there is a gap in black and brown story arcs, LGBTQ story arcs and the list goes on. I just know that childhood me would have felt so much more secure in myself if I was able to see myself in my role models.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One lesson that I had to unlearn is the premiss of fear and judgment. Growing up in the south religion and southern hospitality are cornerstones in a child’s upbringing. For me that taught me to live in a box that if I said to much or broke out of the mold just a little that I would be persecuted and to expect the same of others, but people aren’t meant to live that way it would drive us insane. We should have the ability to express ourselves in a way that feels safe and accepting. Living your life by the morals of someone else is the fastest way to depression.

Contact Info:

• Website: JarrenMebane.com
• Instagram: @JarrenMebane
• Twitter: @JarrenMebane