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.

Vivi Von Welt

I feel my work has been misunderstood. A lot of people see boudoir as something that is attention seeking and not a true art form. I believe this happens with men because they tend to sexualize things showing the female body. Now, this is not all men. I want to be clear that there are plenty of men who are not like that. Then there are women who either decide to lose respect for you or completely drop you as a friend. I’ve had 3 old “friends” block me on all media platforms and either don’t answer my calls or texts or just blocked me there as well. Read more>>

Lai Goddess.

I do often feel that my work is misunderstood and mischaracterized. Partly because it may not always resonate with those my age, and mostly because i’m always creating and showcasing something new that doesn’t follow a specific “niche”. As a content creator you’re understood to be a content creator. As a singer you’re understood to be a singer. Read more>>

Dave Decker, Jr.

Did you see a monkey? Someone asked me that after a service trip to Central America years ago. Yes… I saw a monkey but you totally missed the point of what I’d just told you. This is what I laugh about with my spouse even today after coming home from working with the touring community- Invevitably someone will ask a question about my job that is A component but not THE component. Read more>>

Victoria Rodriguez

Ceramic 3D printing is often misunderstood or mischaracterized as a purely automated process. In reality, it is a very specific and constrained form of 3D printing that requires extensive design knowledge in order to produce successful prints. The clay itself imposes significant limitations on the design, which means that the process is much more similar to traditional ceramics than other forms of 3D printing. It is a long and complex process that involves refining the design, glazing the piece, firing it in a kiln, and then completing it with a final firing. Read more>>

Zach Richie

I feel like i’m misunderstood every day. It’s a culmination of judgmental sentiments of others and my own social inadequacies. I went through a period of time where hiding from the world was blissful. It has helped me create great music (coming soon) , but it has also made me realize that even if you have some grandiose message for the masses, it will only resonate if you look them in the eye and say it. To put simply, I’m on the field with it now. Read more>>

Isaac Kerr.

As a Black Canadian moving to United States, I was constantly seen as African-American. It took me awhile to adjust to United States. Even though Canada is beside United States I found the culture of two countries different, but the Black people in Canada and America even more different. Because African-Americans are the majority ethnic group of Black people in America everyone assumes that if you’re black in United States you must be African-American. Read more>>

Stacy Steck

Custom problems require custom solutions. We believe that there is a large misunderstanding of what it is that we do, what we hope to do, and how our company is being utilized currently. We CAN do any project that comes to mind, we CAN replicate wooden items already present in your home, we CAN refinish all your tabletops, etc. The list goes on and it feels at times that there is a struggle between what makes your business money, what gets your business exposure, and the direction you are hoping to go. Read more>>

William & Caleb Suggs.

WILLIAM: think one of the biggest misconceptions for me is that I’m shy, afraid to speak, and/or unapproachable. I don’t have a particular story to tell, but there have been instances in both college and in my work life where questions directed at me have been answered by someone else as if I wasn’t capable of doing it myself. I think people assume quiet/introverted people are afraid to speak up or just don’t want to be bothered. While that can certainly be the case even for me, from a personal standpoint, the reality is usually one of two things: Read more>>

Devonte Infinity

Of all topics I could speak on, I think this one is most sentimental to me and might hold the most value to whoever might understand or value me. As far as it goes, I’ve broadly been misinterpreted for as long as I can remember. I take it as a compliment for my odd ways, mentality and lifestyle. I never saw being misunderstood as a problem to an extent, I felt it gives me a higher value in a world of ignorance and people in cultural cuffs. Read more>>

Krystal Randall.

There have been a few times when I and my work have been misunderstood. Most recently, I posted a video based on a trend following the phrase “I’m a 10 but”. If you aren’t familiar with the trend on TikTok, you basically have to downplay yourself and insert things that aren’t attractive or don’t have the quality of a 1o. I said, “I am a 10 but live with my bf family, am unemployed, with no degree, and a stay-at-home girlfriend”. Read more>>

Christopher Cleveland

More than once, growing up, I displayed characteristics that were typical of my autism but could be deemed odd or even unsafe or “not normal” until information about what autism was started circulating more. When I started getting involved with advocacy for the neurodivergent community of my hometown, I designed (in collusion with my former Middle School Principal) an afterschool project that was supposed to teach job and social skills to autistic teenagers and help others with differing neurological capabilities find their best selves. Read more>>