We recently connected with Marley Kay Lowe and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Marley Kay, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Happenstance is how I found speech to begin with. A close friend of mine asked me to attend an after-school meeting for the 8th grade debate team. After figuring out rides home and getting permission from mom, I went. I thought, “Hey, I like to yap. Let’s see what this is about.” And the rest is history. Nah, but really, I continued with competitive speaking through high school and was even a part of the K-State Collegiate Speech Team. It was there I met some of my most influential mentors, they showed me the ropes, and presented other speaking opportunities outside of the world of competitive speaking.

I have been speaking in public spaces for over 12 years. But, a lot of my style has been influenced by the worlds of slam poetry, competitive speaking, and academic writing. An odd hodgepodge of styles, but my own. Discerning emotional connection from slam poetry, valuing structure from competitive venues, and appreciating my critical insights from academia, cultivates my performance style. One of the best pieces of advice I received was, “Learn the rules before you break the rules”. It seems simple, but most craftsmen forget the value of learning. We all have skills to sharpen and new ones to learn. For example, a new addition to my style has been embracing youth education. Posing the question: Is my message getting through appropriately? Accommodating and adapting to different perspectives, learning styles, and ages, pushes even the best speaker to their limits. Find your limits and see what happens if you go beyond the comfort of them, sometimes it’s failure, sometimes it’s soaring to new heights.

As stewards of speaking, it is our job to strive for greatness and empower fierce empathy and grace for our own and others failures. Not only speaking publicly, but privately. With the backdrop of such divisive and polarized realities, real connection-real communication, is hard to come by. Not to mention, with my midwest sentiments of hospitality, ‘round here we rarely mean what we say. I’d challenge you to start, You’re probably going to fail. But the adventure of learning is worth the perils and joys.

Speaking is an everyday skill but it is a difficult one to master. It takes constant blacksmithing to get the words to fall perfectly and make it look effortless. Further, it is the ultimate test in failure. You will not get it right, until one day-upon a happenstance, you do. The art of communication must persist.

Marley Kay, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Marley Kay Lowe. My pronouns are they/them or any with respect. I am a professional speaker, sometimes actor, occasional cook, and full time creative. My journey began over ten years ago in the world of competitive speaking. In 2022, I was humbled to be chosen for the Heartland Arts KC fellowship. The fellowship propelled me beyond the realms of poetry and acting, and I emerged as a Professional Speaker. Since then, I have been on a continuous journey of growth and self-discovery.

Just like our world, I am a dynamic being. I create critical content and speeches that focus on the world around us through things like politics, culture, art, and even food. My work highlights the interconnectedness of struggle since nothing is an isolated event. So when I create, while they seem separate, it is intentional to draw the audience in. For example: documenting my culinary arts, fashion ‘fits, zines, and commentary on current affairs, work in tandem. We are multifaceted beings, and as artists, we must create art that pushes those complex realities forward. In the words of Angela Y. Davis, “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”

With my interdisciplinary educational and artistic background, I have slowly grown my works to include all the things that bring me joy and challenge those that do not. Creation is perpetually present in my life, so I plan to continue my path with more educational content and will have a personal website for updates published soon. But for now, the best place for updates is on my Instagram: @MarleyKayLowe or via email at [email protected]. If you want someone to talk to, email me, and let’s chat! Stay tuned for more joy!

How did you build your audience on social media?

It’s all about being consistent. I wish there was a secret, but it is truly about staying present. Learning tricks as simple as scheduling posts, basic editing skills, and staying up to date with the newest trend can make the most out of your online presence. Finding a platform you like, is also a top recommendation of mine. I still can’t figure out the clock app (tik tok). But I have started to make my online presence more robust on platforms like Instagram and Threads. Cultivating a feeling, an idea, a story to share is beautiful, bold, and vulnerable. Allowing others to appreciate your work is already hard, adding the social pressures of social media only serves as another excuse to not start. So my advice is simple: Produce things that you want to see. Create things that you enjoy. Make things that bring you joy. Others are sure to follow. Just start!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

If I could have it my way, all creatives would be as valuable as our star football players. That is to say, money would not stop or drive creation. That is not to say money is not worthwhile. But it is to question its current position in art. Artists need time to create, edit, perfect, grieve, learn, teach, and inspire. In an economy emphasizing “Now,” time is hard to come by. So, advocating for more flexible work styles, higher wages, and paid time off are all ways to start supporting artists beyond simply paying them for their service. Further, we must start valuing creativity in the workplace. Public speaking is one of the most valued skills in the workplace, but most do not think of it as an art, but it is. It requires practice, patience, persistence, and perseverance. Appreciating the creative aspect in all venues beyond just work is another way to support artists and creatives. But beyond the system of capitalism, it is critical to bear witness, build community, and truly value creative endeavors. They cultivate joy amongst ourselves and others. We deserve a reality in which we can be joyous even if it does not correlate to monetary value, only then-hopefully-could art and creatives start to thrive.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @MarleyKayLowe
• Facebook: Marley Kay Lowe
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marley-kay-lowe
• Twitter: @Marley_Lowe
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarleyKayLowe
• Other: Threads: @MarleyKayLowe
  TIkTok: @MarleyKayLowe