We were lucky to catch up with Natasha “Courage “ Bacchus recently and have shared our conversation below.
Natasha “Courage “, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
The unforgotten impactful moments, I had faced full plate of my mental health breakdown, lost my self confidence, bad breakup, had hysterectomy, nearly homeless, and lost my grandma by dad’s side. Somehow I saw a new light offered me from my long time friend convinced me to enter acting opportunity. I did took a risk to go and try if I can act and interact with White Deaf space because that moment I was not being myself and trying to think what I need to do as best person and best actress if I want this offer. I got an offer to join theatre rehearsal with full Deaf casts from over the world for the “The Black Drum”. I been discovering myself as becoming artist where my vulnerability and capable to heal my personal growth. Since 2019, my art practises still transformative, authentic, vulnerable and exciting. Trailblazer describe who I am who have to take risks and breaking throughout rough roads I go. Art and Fitness helps my mental health balanced.
Natasha “Courage “, 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?
I really need to tell you everyone all of you, I deserve to be heard, and seen because this society have gaps of recognition of Black Deaf artists in Canada for theatre, tv and film. I encourage you to collaborate with me for the new transformative accessibility environment . Please contact me for my art accessibility consultant service, my motivational speaker and my agent Tovah Small at Meridian Agency in Toronto.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I see more hearing workplaces in theatre, tv, film and galleries have Indigenous and Black Deaf employees, access to see sign language and written English Transcripts in their websites, more art opporunities with sign language interpretation ready, provide tv talk show by Black Deaf person like me to help me to gain skills and have a team mainstream hearing and Deaf to help me where I can share awareness and improving transformative accessibility. I need to see more Indigenous and Black Deaf voices in Canada and Global.
Resources in general, apply for hearing people is the high percentage for example, every website I check apply to hearing, Black hearing, hearing disabled, hearing white, hearing with any races. Where is my resources apply to me as Black Deaf person?
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
Yes, the most life lesson I learnt about hiring a white sign language interpreter who speak/facilitate for me as white voice. I sign as Black Deaf person as talk as Black with a trangender hearing art director It got my contract terminated because everything been blurry and disrespectful. This trangender hearing artist said to me, the vision of five hearing artist and one Deaf artist would not look matched and not working the way. I felt very offended and chose to stay quiet because this person do not understand my frustration journey as a creative. Good news, I have new idea to make my art work ready for my next solo performance and gain understanding that its not about me who this person do not understand my journey is not my concern. this person made a mistake.
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: natasha bacchus
- Youtube: name: Courage Bacchus and Natasha Bacchus ( my pieces are in there with different collaborators)
Image Credits
#1 2022, “Courage” Solo Performance in Washington D.C by VOCA ( Visionaries of Creative Arts Founder Michelle Banks invitation) #2 headshot of me credit by Alexandra Hickox #3 My first participant body movement for this event