It Is Essential That You Be Brave

Some of you know that I am the Creative Director for Statera Foundation - a nonprofit dedicated to gender parity in the theatre. I'm an actor and a sometime playwright and director, so this social justice work is very important to me. The statistics are pretty dismal when it comes to female representation on stage and in film. That's why I'm working so closely with Statera Foundation.

Today, Statera rolled out a wonderfully bold new mentorship program. This program endeavors to pair experienced theatre professionals with up-and-coming theatre practitioners - a bridge for connecting theatre women interested in moving beyond the very real obstacles that sometimes lie between our goals and our successes. But the mentorship program isn't just for women. It is also for our male, trans and gender fluid allies, who are looking for ways to connect with and learn from other theatre practitioners interested in gender equity. The most effective way to grow, expand and manifest change is to work together. But we must also be brave.

It's difficult to ask for help. And sometimes it's just as difficult to give it, especially when women are encouraged to see each other as competition. I helped to organize and launch the mentorship project and while I'm very proud of the work we're doing, I'm also feeling really brave - brave for having put it out there, for saying "Hey, we need to support each other, mentor each other and advocate for each other!" (I'm doing a little happy dance right now.)

If you're connected to theatre or media and want to learn more about the Statera Mentorship Program, or if you're just curious what it's all about, visit our website at www.staterafoundation.org/mentorship. In closing, I want to leave you with a link to Brené Brown's fabulous INTERVIEW with Oprah Winfrey about living brave. I know what you're thinking... "Really, Sarah? Oprah? How cliché." But fight your inner editor and just watch. It's good stuff.