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.

Kangela Guerrero

My work has always been misunderstood and mischaracterized. Having such a unique path causes many individuals to raise questions, one of the biggest questions being “how is it possible you can do all of this?”. Juggling an academic career in clinical counseling, on top of modeling and content creation, followed by radio and broadcasting, it’s one big mix that is rarely heard of. Read More>>

Denise Winkelman

Absolutely. I’ve often been labeled as a queer comedian, which, while technically true, doesn’t fully capture who I am or what I bring to the stage. I often get booked on queer or diversity showcases and I love connecting with other members of my community. I’ve found that people sometimes assume my material only speaks to a niche audience. The truth is, my comedy reaches far beyond my identity. Read More>>

I’yana Houston

Oh ABBBsolutely and not unfortunately. Misunderstood to be specific. I feel that many people who are not close to you either truly “get” you or act is if they do and the one’s near to you may not have full desire to understand you. Read More>>

Angela Jordan

Being misunderstood or mischaracterized is inevitable when you create from a real place and choose to share it publicly online.

My largest platform is Instagram, and as a female martial artist who specializes in kicking, I’ve often found that people stay for the visuals but don’t always see the person or the hard work behind it. Many of my kicking videos perform well, and I’m proud of them! They represent over 20 years of dedication to martial arts. Read More>>

Kenneth Bryan

Absolutely—I’ve definitely felt misunderstood at times throughout my career, especially in those early days when I was just finding my place in an industry that often prefers artists to fit into neatly defined categories. From the start, I’ve embraced blending genres—house, pop, hip hop, jazz, electronica—and I’ve always presented myself boldly, with individuality and a vocal style that’s uniquely my own. Read More>>\

Big Swede

I have always been into different kinds of music. It’s about exploring different styles, sounds, instruments and also vibes of people and places/countries. For me it is impossible to stay in one particular genre. The rules are, there are no rules! A lot of times people can’t get their heads around me being all over the place musically. It is sometimes hard to present my catalog to publishers etc. because there is a lot of material all over the place and it is hard to grasp it. Read More>>

Marina

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is helping people understand that I actually run two very different businesses—each with its own identity, rhythm, and purpose.

Monte Vista Events is the structured, service-oriented business. We provide white-labeled venue management to property owners—handling bookings, client communications, contracting & invoicing, and everything needed to make a venue run smoothly. It’s clean, professional, behind-the-scenes work that’s all about efficiency and service. A lot of people see that side of me and think that’s the whole picture. Read More>>

Estyn Elan

I am often mischaracterized. I am multi-racial and no one has ever guessed my ethnicity accurately. My name is Estyn. I have a diverse spiritual background. I have very long hair. I am petite. People usually cannot figure me out. I just let people think what they want and I don’t feel a need to justify or explain my existence. Most people do not know about image consulting. It is a niche industry that requires a very refined perspective. Image consulting is a blend of fashion, consulting, styling, psychology, Read More>>