Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rochelle McConico. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rochelle, appreciate you joining us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

Sure! An important lesson for me was to learn how to set boundaries and be confident in my abilities. I had to learn to let my “no” be my no, and my “yes” be my yes without apology. That was necessary because I learned that people will use you to power their dreams – while belittling your contribution – if you allow it. I don’t anymore. And those were hard-learned lessons. Another one, is have a growth mindset. Sarah Spear, (comedian, antihero, roller-skater) one of the producers of the Lysistrata Comedy Festival, spearheaded – get it – that one. Here’s Sarah:

One of the most important lessons I learned at a previous job was embracing a growth mindset. A growth mindset is having the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and work, rather than solely “being born with it”. This focuses on doing the work to improve one’s skills, rather than admit defeat because the talent isn’t there. Enjoying that process and iterating is where the magic happens. Expecting to be good at a skill immediately without any practice is something that is not very common.
I found myself in a situation where I was learning a new and very difficult skill at a new job. I was not initially good at it, and many times felt lost and confused. I had a meeting with my mentor and was strongly encouraged to remember that practice makes progress. There will be moments where your execution of a new skill doesn’t work out the way you would hope or expect, but that there is always room to learn from that and make next attempt’s better. Cut to a few years later, I am honing that skill every day and my knowledge in that area has increased more than I ever would have imagined!

This has translated into my creative career in nearly everything I do. Life is full of skills that take practice and patience, and being a creative is definitely one of those skills.

Rochelle, 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?

Hi Readers! I’m Rochelle McConico. I’m a creator, producer and comedic performer from Austin, TX. I’m Austin Chronicle’s 2023 Critic’s Pick for “Best All-Around Champion of Comedy”. And I’m pretty dope. To quote Kanye West: “My life is dope and I do dope s-[things].” One dope thing I’m rather proud of is the festival I co-founded – the Lysistrata Comedy Festival (LCF). The festival was founded by four comedians: Denise Jena, Jess Scott, Candace Robertson and myself. We had a passion for comedy that led us to create opportunities for folks in marginalized groups. What started as us just wanting to put on plays by women became an annual celebration! A celebration that endeavors to elevate the voices of women and non-binary folx from all comedic artforms. We work together with comedians from across the country to create a festival tailored to the performers. I like to think of it as a potluck – every human brings something. Now in it’s 3rd year, we have a devoted team that shares these values, including Denise Jena, Tiana Stuart, Sarah Spear, and Blue.

LCF is the work of multiple women and non-binary folks coming together to foster a safe, inclusive, and collaborative environment for every aspect of the comedy landscape. We feature sketch, improv and stand up comedy, short films, podcasts, one-person shows, and more. The festival takes place in Austin, TX April 4th-7th. This space creates not just a networking opportunity, but a celebration of all women, non-binary individuals, and BIPOC comedians across the country. The demand for comedic talent in these marginalized groups is very high, and continues to grow year over year.

Case in point, our festival has grown just in its first two years. Our growth in 2023 was huge. We sold double the amount of tickets than we did in 2022, and secured eight sponsors. Our performer count grew by 65%, and we are forecasted to have even more talent this year. We are only expecting to grow more over the next several years, as our numbers in these areas continue to increase.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Being a creative and a part of a marginalized group is a challenging place to be. Often, people will see us and think that the spotlight is not deserved – that we are getting something undue us. But what they fail to realize is that we had to work harder to gain access to the rooms others were ushered right into. We’re still getting our firsts – Tiffany Haddish was the first African-American woman stand-up comedian to host Saturday Night Live. Atsuko Okatsuka was the second Asian American woman to have a standup special on HBO following Margaret Cho who was the first, in 1994, nearly three decades earlier.

Simply put, there are more barriers in our path. The journeys are not equal. It’s like running a race where both lanes have hurdles – that’s natural – but one lane also has quicksand, a moat, and a creepy dude doing dick jokes and sexually harassing you from the stage. So programs or initiatives designed to clear the path for marginalized creatives, or make it a downhill run for the rest of the race, are not giving them an advantage. They are making amends for the moat…and the alligators. Many would rather look at the point where the opportunities have been put in place and judge from there without acknowledging the inequity inherent in the race itself.

In spaces like comedy where 27% of comedians are women—and in a country where women are systematically disenfranchised—non-creatives and other comedians may not understand all that it took to get on that stage and get those same opportunities. Folks need to step up and offer more opportunities specifically for these marginalized groups to grow and thrive. That is a big reason why we started our festival. While we have highlighted and supported our community, it only begins with us. We hope to see more comedians and creatives raising up marginalized communities with more chances to succeed.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Opening doors and breaking down financial barriers are huge for many marginalized creatives.

Being a creative usually does not pay well—or at all—when you are getting started. Women, non-binary, and BIPOC folks are also typically underpaid in comparison to non-marginalized groups. This reason alone can hinder our communities from being able to branch out into creative fields. Opening doors is also incredibly important, which is another reason why we started Lysistrata. Stage time is a valuable commodity, and getting lots of it in front of real audiences can be difficult. Getting that first paid spot can feel impossible.

In addition, pursuing comedy is no easy feat. You may be doing it on top of another job, having a family, or when struggling financially, all of which does not foster a thriving environment. Coupling these factors together, including the lack of supportive spaces focused on bringing together specific marginalized groups for support, it can be nearly impossible for folks in our community to succeed in this environment. Funding & grants, accessible education that encourages the development of creative skills, and flexible employment models can all have a huge impact on marginalized groups having access to the creative arts.

Our team is passionate about creating spaces for our communities, and we all each produce additional opportunities outside of our festival as well including: hosting shows, teaching classes and mentoring folks. Check out more opportunities and become a part of our ecosystem by checking out our team bios!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lyscomedyfest.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyscomedyfest
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lyscomedyfest

Image Credits
Nkechi Chibueze of Happy Black Chick Photography