We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stephanie Noriega. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stephanie below.
Stephanie , appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
Looking back, I have taken some major risks in my life, most of which have transformed me. It’s funny because, I don’t actually consider myself a risk taker, I much prefer to assess my options, plan a-z, and weigh pros vs cons. Which is why it is important for me to explain that for me, risk taking comes more from a place of sass, tenacity and an appetite for evolution. There are two instances that stick out to me, the first was accepting an invitation to attend graduate school in New York City. When I did this, I knew 2 people on the east coast, including a close friend in New Jersey, right on the other side of the Hudson River. When I left for this journey, I left with 2 suitcases and a graduate school acceptance letter. I had no idea where I was going to live or how I was going to earn a living, I simply knew that I could stay with my friend until I figured this out. It took me the summer and a few emotional breakdowns, but I did, I figured it out. I found a place to stay, a very part time job and even a few new friends. Though my stint in New York was short of three years, the whole experience taught me so much. Aside from the grit I gained during these years, I learned that I could do really hard things and not only will I survive but I can make it the most magical experience if I wanted. This memory lived tucked away in me for the rest of my 20’s and into my 30’s during some of my most challenging years. My 30’s was a time of major life transitions, met with the kind of growing pains that make you forget that there was ever such a person. I am convinced everyone has their own catalyst during this time of life; for me, it was a career where I was just going through the motions, in a haze of what probably was burnout and a toxic workplace environment. I distinctly remember waking up and thinking, what have I become? Do I not have choice? I will save the details of the following months to come (that probably deserves a book) but the point is, I remembered. It was a new season that had come to re-introduce me to the parts of myself that I had abandoned, and the precipice of a new life. What was next? It was time to take another risk, or as I like to call it, a leap of faith. Since that day that I woke up, I have been pursuing a life of joy, purpose and intention. I have sought the support of teachers and mentors to support me every step of the day. I started with small steps, from trying new jobs that I would have never would have seen myself in to growing my own creative projects and everything in between. All of this because I needed to step into my power and I needed to know I tried to do everything to build a life that reflects the core of who I am.
Stephanie , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
First and foremost, I have always been motivated by altruism. For as long as I can remember I have found purpose in helping those around me. Once I was able to choose my career, I chose to study and practice social work. I did this as a profession for about 16 years. Though throughout this time, I had other passions I wanted to fulfill and I often found myself taking on additional community roles or projects. I involved myself in various community organizing projects, then later healing justice collectives and programs. These roles often required different side of myself, one that was kept separate from who I was in my job. After close to a decade of compartmentalizing my interests and passions and even what inspired me, I sought to create my own path…I took that leap of faith. As previously mentioned, the day I “woke up” from the status quo and burnout was the day I started to uncover what it would look like to forge a path that would allow me to be my whole self. I gave myself permission to wonder about all the different sides to me and to experiment with blending my various passions. I have learned that my greatest strengths are an open mind and my fortitude. I have taken my experiences, especially those hard ones, and turned them into wisdom to share with others. This career, or rather lifestyle exploration has led me to live a life as an ever evolving human throughout the many hats I wear. These days I have been referring to myself as a Cultural Organizer, Facilitator, Transformative Justice Practitioner. A lot of words, right? Well, here is what this means to me:
After working years in the non profit and higher education sectors, facilitating joy filled spaces always reminds me that it is possible to radically live our movement dreams. I believe in the power of community, movement building and liberated relationships. I believe in humanity. I believe in justice and that justice is deeply personal. I believe in healing & restoration. I believe in the natural world and I am committed to restoring that balance. I bring these values and weave them into a tapestry of practices to support groups, and individuals moving through and healing from internalized oppression, grief and trauma. I use years of cultivated skills and experience in system based thinking, building diverse and inclusive ecosystems, frameworks of harm reduction, emergent strategy, pleasure activism and healing justice. I specialize in organizing, narrative shifting, workshops and facilitated processes to build alternative systems that focus on being in right relationship with each other while creating possibilities of freedom.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I think society can and should do a better job supporting and centering creativity and the arts at a young age. I believe our imaginations can open up worlds that we otherwise don’t know exist as long as we are taught to value conventional ways of measuring education and success. Unfortunately we already see this early on in schools, with the focus being heavily on what Paulo Friere calls the “banking system of education” which essentially values and requires young people to be passive in their learning. When I think about a society that values artists and creatives, we would allow young people to let their curiosity and intuition shape their world. If we can build a generation of encouraged and valued artists, this would in turn continue to shape other institutions.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
As previously mentioned, my journey as a creative has been heavily influenced by the works of these amazing writers:
Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown
Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Maree Brown
The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor
Fumbling Towards Repair by Mariame Kaba and Shira Hassan
And the quote by Erykah Badu:
“They play it safe, are quick to assassinate what they do not understand. They move in packs ingesting more and more fear with every act of hate on one another. They feel most comfortable in groups, less guilt to swallow. They are us. This is what we have become. Afraid to respect the individual. A single person within a circumstance can move one to change. To love herself. To evolve”
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Not sure what credits are necessary but I will provide what I have:
1. first photo headshot by www.alwaystimelessproductions.com
2. bottom left photo (I am wearing white and green) photos by Hilda Cortez
3. AZ Emerging Leaders [graphic] headshot by Yvonne Ballesteros