Often, those who tread off the beaten path are misunderstood or mischaracterized and so we asked folks from the community to reflect and tell us about the times they’ve been misunderstood or mischaracterized.

Galina Vromen

I have often found myself boxed in by others’ expectations that I should confine myself to doing what I have done professionally in the past – and not suddenly change course. I recently became a debut fiction author. Read more>>

Pocahontas Music

As a musical artist, I have often felt misunderstood, torn between my identity as a musician and a survivor of serious childhood trauma. My early years were marred by abuse and molestation, experiences that initially shaped me into someone I scarcely recognized. Read more>>

Trayosha Decker

Growing up in the inner city of Denver, I learned early on that people often let stereotypes define a person’s character. As a young black woman with a passion for music, I was no stranger to these preconceived notions. Read more>>

Jones Liddell

As someone who creates in multiple mediums, I am very familiar with my work being mischaracterized. From an early age I’ve always been a curious person, following bursts of inspiration and creativity as they pop up.  Read more>>

Troi Blank

Over time, my music has evolved to lean more towards the melodic side rather than purely lyrical. While many of my songs delve into my everyday life, personal themes and emotions, I feel that people often miss these themes & nuances because they don’t always listen to the words first or seek them out.  Read more>>

Robert Washington II

Absolutely, but I never let it bother me too much. I’m a big believer in allowing people to feel how they choose to feel. We all have a right to feel, it’s only when people try to force a change or make others feel wrong because they dont agree that bothers me. Read more>>

Sam Lukowski

I don’t know. I think a lot of us artists and creative-types tend to stay inside our own heads for too long. I think we think about things too much. We tend to put too much meaning onto symbolism that doesn’t really matter. Read more>>

Gold Shimmer

Playing funk can be misunderstood Honestly! I think sometimes we miss the fact that Funk in genral is not only fun to dance to, but it’s liberating. Read more>> 

Levi Ethan Morgenstern Aka Fish

Historically, a large part of the American population associated tattoos and tattooing with rowdy bikers, drunken sailors, and other less-than-desirable members of society. Read more>>

Arlin Musane

I believe everyone has their own views on how an artist looks or is suppose to be, but it’s no blueprint or standard to art. I know I’m definitely misunderstood do to me listening to what i hear from people. Read more>>

Cashmere Carter

People fear what they do not understand, project their insecurities from their own experiences, so many more things that are human nature. It is human nature to judge, it is how we survive, but judgement is frustrating to navigate. Read more>>

Sister Dominia

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are constantly misunderstood, and it’s that misunderstanding of who we are and what we do can manifest itself in alarming ways. Read more>>

Ismael Galvan

We wrote Tamale Guy as a comic book that initially comes across as a traditional Chicano story. However, once the reader gets settled, we introduced elements that rattle those old school notions. Read more>>