December 2022

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FEATURE A WORLD OF PURE IMAGINATION

BY KATHRYN FREEMAN PHOTOS BY JOI CONTI

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 4

JEN RAMOS PERKINS Director of Business Operations

JAIME ALBERS

Creative Director

CY WHITE Managing Editor

DARBY KENDALL Copy Editor

Contributors

This month, we asked our contributors: What is your favorite part of December?

JOI CONTI

Photographer, “A World of Pure Imagination,” Page 46

• She obsesses over themed photo sessions.

• She buys any new vegan treats from Cinful Sweets.

• She loves roasted delicata squash.

“My favorite part of December is spending time with loved ones as we cook and taste test until we’re full.”

MENIER Community and Events Manager

KRISNA

MOLLY-JO TILTON

Writer, “A More Inclusive Tradition,” Page 58

NINA

GLORIA Production Coordinator

CLAIRE

HELENIAK

Social Media Specialist

MICHELLE

BERMEA

Media Sales Executive

CONTRIBUTORS

Editorial: Elle Bent, Kathryn Freeman, Greg Hassell, Jenny Hoff, Maya Koshaba, Jen Pinkston, Laurel Sanchez, Molly-Jo Tilton, Brena Ullrich, Jessica Wetterer, Cy White

Art:

Austin Film Festival, Chris Caselli Photography, Center for Child Protection, Joi Conti, DISCO, Sergio Garcia, Manuel Gonzales, Anna Monette Photography, Aaron Pinkston, Liz Plachta, Jessica Wetterer, Cy White

INTERNS

Elle Bent, Amber Dotson, Chandler Maloney, Devon Sayre, Molly-Jo Tilton, Brena Ullrich

AW MEDIA INC.

MELINDA GARVEY Co-founder/Co-owner

KIP GARVEY CEO/Co-owner

SAMANTHA STEVENS Co-founder

Austin Woman is a free monthly publication of AW Media Inc. and is available at locations throughout Austin and in Lakeway, Cedar Park, Round Rock and Pflugerville. All rights reserved.

To offer feedback, email feedback@awmediainc.com. For submission information, visit atxwoman.com/jobs. No part of the magazine may be reprinted or duplicated without permission. Visit us online at atxwoman.com. Email us at info@awmediainc.com. 512 328.2421 | 7401 West Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78739

• She has visited 30 state parks.

• She is podcast obsessed—she barely listens to music anymore.

• She’s lactose intolerant but loves all things dairy.

“My favorite part of December is going to my grandma’s house, decorating the Christmas tree with my cousin and having a warm bowl of chili. All the ornaments are handmade, so I love getting to hear all the stories about each one every year.”

CY WHITE

Photographer, “Watch This Space,” Page 34

• She worked with Toi Derricotte at the University of Pittsburgh.

• She’s listened to over 100 albums every year since 2016.

• She doesn’t know how to hula hoop.

“My favorite part of December is honestly snow (when it happens); I love the cold because there are so many fun ways to warm up.”

BRENA ULLRICH

Writer, “Persistence Over Passion,” Page 30

• She upcycles clothing and sews her own swimsuits.

• She has watched the entirety of Vampire Diaries six times.

• She is learning Italian and will be visiting the country next summer.

“My favorite part of December is picking out gifts for all my friends and family. As someone whose love language is gift giving, this is the best part of the year.”

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

The Woman-Owned SoCo Bungalow That’s Keeping Austin Eclectic

Two years after moving to the prominent South Congress Avenue, a local stationery and gift store is slowly emerging from the pandemic and making its mark as a local favorite.

Woman-owned and -led, Letterpress PLAY offers a specially curated selection of stationery products, letterpress-printed greeting cards and gifts, but that’s not what makes this little corner of South Congress unique. So, what is making locals return to this neighborhood stationery shop time and time again?

South Congress, also known as SoCo, is known for the diverse selection of restaurants and retailers that sit between James Street and Johanna Street. Even though this unique stretch of commerce attracts tourists and locals alike, on an average day you’ll find more of the former walking down this section of one of the most famous streets in Texas.

With the growing popularity of SXSW, ACL, Formula 1 and newcomer Austin FC, it’s not hard to surmise why Austin has become a hot-ticket destination for thousands of tourists every year. Hundreds more fall under the city’s eclectic spell and make the big move to earn their Austinite badge. What does that mean for the Austinites who have called the South Congress district home for years?

There are a lot of perks to living in the neighborhoods surrounding SoCo; there’s no doubt about that. However, the charm of this vibrant city that attracts tourists has waned for born-and-bred Austinites in recent years. Austin is a little less weird these days with the influx of visitors and the rising cost of living, and locals are making every effort to retain the remnants of what put Austin on the map in the first place.

That makes the little bungalow at the corner of West Johanna and South Congress Avenue a memorable and cozy haven. Nestled at the end of the iconic SoCo district, it’s easy to mistake the modest house as just another residence or law office. But step inside, and you’re transported to a world of wonder, nostalgia, imagination and play.

Letterpress PLAY is far from the average everyday stationery shop. Founded in 2019 by Kyle Hawley, a born-and-bred Texas native herself, the mission of this uniquely curated retailer has always been the same: to provide creative tools for the playful mind.

When you step over the threshold of this Austin-based storefront, the hustle and bustle of South Congress instantly fades away. A Maker clad in a navy-blue apron—the signature Letterpress PLAY uniform—greets you with a friendly smile and a “Welcome! How are you today?” You’ve quite literally been welcomed into their home.

That’s because for the team of Makers at Letterpress PLAY, the store is more than just a place to shop. Hawley’s mission with this delightful neighborhood shop has been, and always will be, to bring the Austin community together. Designed with both beauty and functionality in mind, this creative space is a retreat for exploration, education and inspiration.

That mission is evident throughout every room of this little stationery and gift shop. Each product has been mindfully curated with intent. “I wanted to provide aspirational tools and objects that invite folks to engage with or gift a simple moment of joy rooted in the human endeavor of design and craft,” Hawley says. “Play is for everybody, and hopefully, we play our whole lives.”

Whether you’re a tourist making the rounds, a local checking off their holiday shopping list, a student in search of school supplies or an artist stocking up on essential tools, Letterpress PLAY aims to, first and foremost, serve the local community.

The next time you explore South Congress this holiday season, venture further down to Letterpress PLAY, located at 2002 S. Congress Ave., and experience this special corner of SoCo.

t’s been an interesting year, to say the least, dear readers. In spite of everything, we’ve made it to the end. December can be a complicated time for people. For many, it’s a time of great joy and celebration. For others, it can be a time to reflect on the year and let certain parts of our lives go in the wake of new beginnings.

It would be easy to wallow in some of the more upsetting aspects of the year, but at this point it would almost be (painfully) redundant. At this time of year, I’ve made the decision to embrace and reside in my peace. Each of us has to figure out what that peaceful place is for us and allow ourselves to just live in it.

For our cover woman, Cinthya Romriell, she finds joy in creation. The incredible feats of sugar and chocolate she concocts at her Cinful Sweets shop leave visitors in a state of utter bliss. With her masterful skills, she opens her arms to the community, allowing anyone who enters her shop to feel like they’ve been transported into a fantastical world of sweet decadence. Stage and screen actress Maya Koshaba, this month’s I Am Austin Woman feature, created her own peace onstage. She found joy in the films and TV shows she watched as child and turned her fascination with imaginative characters and lavish locales into a career geared toward the fight for broader representation in entertainment. Rachel Smith, founder of Pride Socks, turned a childhood of struggle into a mission to ensure every person can take pride in who they are and where they come from.

This is an issue filled to the brim with stories of joy. More than that, the women within these pages have all lived moments of pain or trauma, but they’ve allowed those moments to push them to embrace joy, peace and a calming sense of self. That’s what I want you to take away from the last issue of the year, dear reader. Yes, times are trying. There’s so much out there trying to impinge on your peace. But don’t let it. I say to you all, don’t let anything or anyone steal your peace. Live in it, luxuriate in it, and remember, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Editor’s Picks: Songs of Joy

CY WHITE MANAGING EDITOR

Publication of Austin Woman would not be possible without the support of our monthly advertisers and sponsors, who believe in the impact we are making in the Austin community. The following businesses have stepped up their support of our efforts beyond traditional advertising and we are proud to recognize them as our partners. The team at Austin Woman is grateful for these businesses that have shown their commitment to the advancement of women in Austin and hopes you, as readers, recognize their efforts and support these businesses and all our regular advertisers.

“Bona” by Sampa the Great

“Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing” by Stevie Wonder

“Cafe Du Monde” by Tank and the Bangas

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Can’t

get enough of this issue? Check

Ana Yang & Hongwei Wu:

Telling Forgotten Stories

Ana Yang and Hongwei Wu discuss their short film, One for Sorrow, Two for Joy, which won Best Narrative Short at Austin Film Festival.

Unleashing Lurleen Ladd

Lurleen Ladd is calling for fearless women! She established the Sing Out Loud Campaign to remind all women they have a voice.

Danielle Garcia: Tired, But Happy

Despite a seemingly nonstop schedule, Luna Espresso Founder Danielle Garcia finds herself in a happy place.

WIN THIS!

La Paloma Women’s Parker House Dress

The NAACP Honors Shuronda Robinson

On Dec. 10, the venerable NAACP will host their annual banquet in Austin. The 57th Annual Dewitty/Overton Freedom Fund Banquet is an evening of celebration of Black excellence in the capital city. However, it’s also a moment to both confront and reflect upon issues that preoccupy the minds and spirits of the Black community both in Austin and nationally.

This year’s theme, “Democracy Under Attack,” will open up the channels of conversation among some of Austin’s most auspicious Black leaders. This conversation will no doubt address the threats to democracy in the United States. With the advent of book bannings, legislation that aims to banish any conversation or education about the past and present atrocities of the United States and the ongoing trend of voter intimidation and suppression dotted throughout the country (not to mention the small matter of a January insurrection), this is a conversation we as a nation must take seriously and try to find answers for.

NAACP Austin President Gary Bledsoe will be the banquet’s keynote speaker, and incoming Austin Woman magazine Co-owner Terry P. Mitchell will act as the mistress of ceremonies. Prior to the keynote conversation between Mitchell and Bledsoe, there will be a greeting from Austin ISD Interim Superintendent Dr. Anthony Mays and Austin chapter of the National Council for Negro Women President Tiffany Smith. The banquet’s opening speaker will be Associate Dean for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for the Texas LBJ School Peniel E. Joseph.

The Freedom Fund Banquet also serves as an opportunity to recognize individuals who have and continue to impact the community, men and women who are beacons of hope and remarkable examples of Black excellence. The Dewitty/Overton highest honoree is Austin Woman’s incoming CEO Shuronda Robinson. “I am honored to stand in the shadows of the giants that have received this prestigious honor,” Robinson says. “I am grateful for this esteemed organization, which has been integral to the fabric of showing us the practicality of love.

“The NAACP organized to elevate the humanity of all people in the name of my people,” she continues. “For more than 110 years, they have been at the forefront of this struggle for civil and human rights. As I looked upon the list of the luminaries who have received this award, I am humbled to have my name added to this list. I stand in the shadows of these giants. In some ways, I was raised by them.”

The 57th Annual Dewitty/Overton Freedom Fund Banquet will be held at the Hyatt Regency Austin at 6 p.m.

Shuronda Robinson

Terry P. Mitchell

What’s a local business that brings you joy?

Austin Woman’s staff share some places in Austin that give them pure joy.

NINA GLORIA PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Homeslice Pizza is a local business that brings me joy because of their amazing NY-style pizza and feel-good ambience. Originally from San Antonio, I grew up visiting Austin with my sister-in-law. Each time, my sister would take me to Homeslice Pizza on South Congress, and it quickly became a staple when taking a trip to my favorite city. Whenever anybody asks me for a food recommendation in Austin, Homeslice is always my first suggestion. There’s nothing better than sharing great food with great friends. Homeslice will always hold a special place in my heart because it will forever remind me of those special moments I’ve made over the years. As always, the pizza is spectacular and accompanied by a friendly atmosphere. Homeslice Pizza truly is an Austin landmark, and I wouldn’t change a thing!

CY WHITE MANAGING EDITOR

Spoiler alert: It’s Cinthya Romriell’s shop Cinful Sweets. It’s truly a place of pure happiness. Visiting the shop, you feel the love and care everyone has there. It’s more than just the fact that you’re surrounded by all manner of decadent sweets. It’s the warmth from Cinthya herself, the love she has for what she does. She’s constantly in a state of creativity, and it shows in everything she does, from testing out ideas for new trifles to the way she interacts with the geniuses behind the scenes who help bring her own genius to fruition. It’s a place of warmth, welcoming, openness, fun. Definitely a place you leave a little bit more broke than when you went in. But in all seriousness, for as little as $6, people can come in feeling like they’ve been invited to the physical manifestation of Candyland.

CLAIRE HELENIAK

SOCIAL

MEDIA SPECIALIST

My favorite local business is BookPeople, an independent bookstore. I love to read, and I love books. They host author events where I’ve gotten to meet some of my favorite authors like Alex Aster and Chloe Gong (pictured here). They also host events catering to kids, like story times, and book clubs. They also have a cafe with great coffee and lots of gifts. The employees are always welcoming, and it’s always a positive environment. Not to mention, you can find almost every book you could ever want or need.

KRISNA MENIER

COMMUNITY AND EVENTS MANAGER

Whenever I eat food, I am happy. I feel safe, I feel secure, I feel joyous. Nothing rings truer than when I sit down at Austin’s local Jewish-Latin burger joint JewBoy Burgers. From the inviting atmosphere to the joining of cultures and delicious smells coming from their open kitchen, I fall into a state of bliss. My favorite item on the menu is The Mensch, two crispy latkes with roasted hatch green chilies and grilled onions smothered in melted cheddar and pepper jack cheese on a soft potato roll. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. On the menu you can also find burritos, burgers, pastrami sandwiches and delicious sides. I recommend getting the Homeboy chili con queso and chips and subbing for French fries; you won’t be disappointed. From Dallas to San Antonio, there is nothing like the beautiful cohesion of cultures you will find at JewBoy. You can visit their brick-and-mortar location on Airport Boulevard or their new food truck on East Sixth Street.

CHANDLER MALONEY

EDITORIAL INTERN

FoodHeads is a local restaurant that holds a special place in my heart. The establishment is located near the University of Texas campus, so its clientele features both college students as well as permanent neighborhood residents. The restaurant operates out of a small beige house with a wraparound porch and a front yard inundated by potted plants. The patio is covered with wooden picnic tables and colorful umbrellas, while the inside holds just a handful of seating. Not only does the welcoming atmosphere bring me joy, but the food never disappoints either. Upon entering the cafe, the aroma of toasted sandwiches and fresh pastries is undeniable. I’m thankful for everything this restaurant has to offer, from the friendly staff to the tasty treats!

BRENA ULLRICH

EDITORIAL INTERN

A local business that brings me immense joy is South Congress Books. As a book lover, there is nothing that comforts me more than a small bookstore that offers the pleasures of used, vintage and first-edition books. The small shop is neat and organized, with a vibe straight out of a Hallmark movie. Located on SoCo, the shop thankfully gets a lot of foot traffic from pedestrians also amazed at the hidden gem. It’s the perfect place to go if you’re looking for a book with an open mind and don’t mind spending some extra time browsing. The last time I was there, I took home a beautiful used copy of Joan Didion’s Play It as It Lays

BY JESSICA WETTERER ILLUSTRATIONS BY JESSICA WETTERER

5:30 p.m.

When was the last time you really looked up at the trees? Watched the moon? Listened to the birds as they flew overhead? Though the days are shorter, I try my best to get outside every day and experience being a creature in nature. The easiest joy I find is watching the sunset (which is around 5 p.m. on the East Coast now). When the world is moving fast and I need a breath of joy, I make a point to go on a lunchtime walk to see what life exists, or I slip outside at the opportune moment as the sun is going down and feel the joy of the last glow of the day.

Dec. 25

Joy for me is always at its peak come Christmastime. It’s always my favorite family celebration because of the traditions we have built around it and the people celebrating with me. Every year my family puts on matching PJs, makes a big cheese plate, pops some champagne, digs into a honey-baked ham and goes one-by-one opening gifts under the tree. It’s not the presents (though those are nice too) but the anticipation and actual act of spending this day together that brings me utmost happiness.

92 feet

Every so often I need a bit of extra joy in my life, and so I look for the spark of something new. Most recently I was on vacation with my husband and saw there was a waterpark nearby. Despite being over 30, we threw on our swimsuits and spent the day riding some of the best waterslides I’ve ever experienced. You can bet I shouted in glee (and maybe terror) as I slid down the 92-foot Tower of Power! While waterparks may be hard to find this time of year, new experiences are all around. Axe-throwing, ice skating, trying a recipe and sharing it with those you love; there’s always joy in trying something new!

JoyFor Jessica Wetterer, the easiest ways to grasp joy are found in nature, new experiences and people.

Women Have No Limits

BY LAUREL SANCHEZ

Austin is in a period of incredible flux. In the wake of women fighting for certain rights, the city also stands in an era of remarkable triumphs. Among these triumphs is Jignasha “Jig” Amin Grooms, who in April was appointed as Austin-based legal tech company DISCO’s executive vice president and chief human resources officer. “As chief human resources officer, I’m determined to lead recruiting efforts to build a team in support of our mission to use technology to strengthen the rule of law,” she says.

The Gold GLOBEE HR Executive of the Year winner has a list of veritable giants under her belt. Names like Dell, Epicor and CISCO have continued to innovate with Grooms’ thought leadership regarding DEI and women in tech. This all stems from a lifelong passion for helping people. It’s a passion that propels and informs every aspect of Grooms’ career trajectory. “My first passion will always be working with people,” she says. “I discovered that early on in my life and wouldn’t be satisfied with a job where people weren’t the focus.”

Can you give us some insight into your childhood and what experiences put you on the path you are now on?

From a young age, I was influenced by my family’s volunteer efforts and commitment to social responsibility. As a result, I discovered my own desire to help others early on in my life. Following the lead of my grandparents and great aunt, I participated in volunteer efforts in my hometown back in India such as raising funds for schools in the community and delivering food to impoverished areas. These experiences shaped me into an aspiring human rights professional. My career journey started in the legal industry but has evolved to managing all facets of HR in the corporate world. Despite the change in my career path, I have been able to do what I intended from the beginning—provide people with the environment and resources they need to be successful.

What has your experience been like as a woman in a largely male-dominated industry? What steps have you taken to establish yourself?

The lessons I learned from the female leaders in my life, starting with my family members, have stayed with me well into adulthood. They taught me that I am capable of whatever I set my mind to, which has helped me establish myself in the technology industry. My great aunt, who was one of the first female attorneys and female drivers in Gujarat, India, set the precedent for me at a young age that women don’t have to be limited by gender. This lesson has been a guiding principle for me in my own life.

Tell us about receiving the Gold GLOBEE award and how your career has changed since.

I received the Gold GLOBEE Human Resources Executive of the Year award as an executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Epicor Software. While I held this position for more than five years, this award specifically acknowledged my efforts to support employees during COVID-19 without compromising our people-first culture.

My focus on employees dates back to my first human resources job in global diversity for Dell and is a core value that I’ve worked to instill at every company I have been with since. When the pandemic hit and employees began to face increased challenges, Epicor doubled down on efforts to strengthen employee engagement and create a culture that led with empathy and prioritized the health, safety and well-being of employees globally. In my position, I increased transparency across the organization and adapted our people-team priorities to meet these new challenges.

In April 2022, I joined legal technology leader DISCO as executive vice president and chief human resources officer. I lead all of HR globally, including recruitment, learning and development, performance and talent management. I also lead globalization, facilities and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts for DISCO.

What do you hope to change or implement within DISCO?

I hope to help build a company culture that is rooted in DISCO’s MAGIC (meaningful impact, all-in, grit and grace, innovation and craft) core values throughout the organization. In my opinion, all levels of the organization have a critical part to play in building the company culture. I view my role as one that encourages our employees to live DISCO’s values while simultaneously leading by example. Building the DISCO culture and living our values will help us provide a better customer experience to our clients.

What career accomplishment do you hold the most pride in?

I am most proud of the fact that the work my team and I do has an impact on our employees’ lives. When I first started my role at Epicor, Hurricane Harvey affected the region where several employees lived. In response, I led my team to make phone calls to potentially affected employees and offer support for them and their families. One employee who had been with the company for more than 20 years publicly expressed his gratitude for the act and declared how much it meant to him and his family. This poignant moment validated what I’ve been taught my whole life: People don’t always remember what you said or did, but they will always remember how you made them feel. This is the greatest measure of success for me as an HR practitioner.

Read the interview in its entirety at atxwoman.com.

Photo courtesy of DISCO.

Legal tech giant DISCO’s new Executive VP and Chief HR Officer Jignasha “Jig” Amin Grooms stands on the shoulders of the powerful women in her life.

The Power of HER

JPMorgan Chase hosted the PowerHER Austin 2022 conference, highlighting the financial power of women.

BY GREG HASSELL

As the 240 participants settle in for the PowerHER Austin 2022 conference—a full day of discussion panels, fireside chats and networking opportunities—financial pop star Haley Sacks sets the tone for the day ahead.

“The power of women is in their pocket. All change starts with the individual, and we have the ability to take control,” Sacks says during her presentation, Financial Wellness: Be Your Own Trust Fund. “It’s in the power of HER. By taking control of your money, you are taking control of your life.”

To help the women of Austin grow, succeed and thrive in their professional and personal lives, JPMorgan Chase hosted the event at Hotel ZaZa on Sept. 23. Together, the participants and panelists explore how to fund entrepreneurial ventures, how to make advisors and board members powerful allies, how to support the success of diverse businesses and how to weather the extreme personal demands of being a successful entrepreneur.

“This was truly an inspiring day and energizing experience. The incredible lineup of speakers provided valuable, actionable takeaways: Surround yourself with truth tellers, diverse voices make for more robust conversations and pay it forward and bring other women up with you,” says Ashley Brueckner, executive director of J.P. Morgan Private Bank.

“What a wonderful event!” Lourdes Zuniga, executive director of Financial Health Pathways, posts on social media after participating in the sessions. She writes that the day “was inspiring and full of resources to help women find their voice and power within themselves.”

Speakers provide their personal hard-won insights to help women take charge of their careers and finances. Even with different views on a topic, the debate remains informative.

When moderator Jamie Kramer asks what makes a startup company stand out, venture capitalist Brad Harrison offers without hesitation, “The team, 100%. We are looking for a great culture.”

But panelist and venture capitalist Kathryn Cavanaugh takes a somewhat different view. “The funder—are they persistent? Are they low ego and high humility? Will they view me as a partner or a check?”

Both agree that it is critical for an entrepreneur to choose carefully when it comes to finding a funder who will be an anchor and an ally.

“You want investors who will help you with advice and industry knowledge. Find someone who will stick with you in good times and bad,” Cavanaugh says.

To help launch a new generation of women and diverse entrepreneurs, JPMorgan Chase has provided more than $750,000 to fund the work of DivInc, an Austin-based organization that is, in the words of JPMorgan Chase’s Yvette Ruiz, “a huge driver in creating wealth and bridging the racial wealth gap.” DivInc’s signature program is a small-business accelerator. More than 100 companies have enrolled in and graduated from the accelerator program.

“You can’t go wrong betting on women,” founder Preston James tells the gathering, amassing a huge round of applause. “I do this as an honor to my mother, who showed me the power of a woman.”

During the Austin Innovation Economy segment, BeatBox Beverages Co-founder Aimy Steadman challenges attendees to use their position and power to create great access for others. “Make your industry more inclusive and sustainable for the next generation,” she says.

The keynote session is a conversation with Melissa Bernstein, co-founder of Melissa & Doug Toys and Lifelines. Melissa & Doug is a hugely successful toy company, and Lifelines is her new venture focusing on mental well-being products for adults.

Bernstein says her company had many, many lean years, and she and her husband considered packing it in nearly a dozen times. In those days, the couple basically lived on turkey hot dogs and ramen noodles.

Being a successful entrepreneur is an arduous journey, she explains. One should undertake it only “if you have this burning mission, a vision of something you want to create that is larger than yourself.”

Her biggest piece of advice: “Be honest early on about what you are good at and what you’re not.” At that moment, moderator Elaine Agather of JPMorgan Chase looks at the audience and quips, “Your ego is not your amigo.”

“If anyone says it’s easy, or pretends it’s easy, they aren’t telling the truth,” Bernstein says. But, she adds, “Feel really good about what you are doing. If I want my kids, especially my girls, to believe they can do anything, then I have to show them I love what I do.”

Photo by Chris Caselli Photography.

See how the most compassionate and comprehensive high-risk pregnancy care helped make Katherine Ortiz’s dream come true. Learn more by watching “Hope Lives Here” at stdavids.com.

The Best Is Here.

“Even during our worst time they took care of us. We never considered going anywhere else.”

–Katherine

Strength in Being Proud

Pride Socks teams up with Ruby’s Rainbow to empower adults with Down syndrome.

BY ELLE BENT

For Rachel Smith, Pride Socks first came about as a challenge. Smith was doing sales for her brother’s company, SkaterSocks, when he finally told her that she should do her own thing. “I was like, ‘You know what? I will,’” says Smith.

Having taught special education for a total of 12 years, Smith knew if she was going to start a brand, it had to be one that made a difference, just as she had while teaching.

“I thought back on what has had the biggest impacts on my life, and the number one is my parents being deaf and us being incredibly poor growing up,” Smith explains. “Sharing toothbrushes, clothes, food, beds— you name it, we shared it. That also came with socks. We all shared socks, and most of them did not match. Most had holes, and if you found a pair that matched you’d hide them. That’s really where the obsession came in.”

Pride Socks sells expressive socks that encourage individual freedom and expression. The designs on the socks are unique and capture a sense of pride. From designs that feature rainbows and artwork from artists, to the Custom for a Cause collection, they have something uplifting for everyone.

The name of the company came from pivotal moments in Smith’s life. In high school, she started running cross-country. After only a few weeks of training, and not knowing racing strategy, Smith recounts the story of one of her first races. She didn’t understand what was going on and felt frustrated by the end. She told her coach she was going to quit. But after receiving a card from her coach the next weekend with the words “I’m proud of you” written on it, it changed her viewpoint.

“It was the first time in my life that I heard those words,” says Smith. “It had the greatest impact on me.”

While working as a teacher, Smith took that lesson and did her best to instill a sense of pride in her students. Looking back on these moments in her life, Smith notes that’s where the mission of Pride Socks began.

“Pride Socks has a double meaning in that everyone has something to be proud of,” Smith explains. “Our hope in the mission behind the socks is that people believe in who they are so they can chase and accomplish their dreams.”

Photos by Manuel Gonzales.

Liz Plachta, founder of Ruby's Rainbow (left), and Rachel Smith

Custom for a Cause is a collaboration between an individual and Pride Socks. Together, Pride Socks and that person design a sock featuring those things that are important to them. The proceeds from the specially designed sock go to a nonprofit of the customer’s choice. One of the nonprofits Pride Socks teams up with is Ruby’s Rainbow, based here in Austin.

Ruby’s Rainbow is inspired by Ruby Plachta, a young girl born with Down syndrome. Plachta’s parents knew they wanted her to have the best opportunities for her future, including a college education. When she was only 6 months old, they conceived of the idea for Ruby’s Rainbow.

The Plachtas began the nonprofit with the goal of granting scholarships to students with Down syndrome who were seeking post-secondary education, helping them attain their goals of higher education and independence. Ruby’s Rainbow spreads awareness of the capabilities of those with Down syndrome while supporting that full potential.

“When you meet someone in life, it’s just that instant connection, and that’s how it was for Ruby,” says Smith. “It was like our souls were meant to meet. After we met, we talked about Custom for a Cause and collaborating with Ruby because it just made sense. Pride Socks is about empowering individuals to take pride in who they are so they excel in life. Ruby’s Rainbow is all about empowering adults with Down syndrome to go to college so that they, too, grow and excel in life, especially when the world is set up to not foster that growth.”

The socks that Ruby helped design feature rainbows, goldfish and unicorns—three things that are most important to her. The socks are a beautiful shade of blue, with the words “Dream BIG” written across the soles. For each pair sold, Pride Socks donates $5 to Ruby’s Rainbow. So far, Pride Socks has raised over $23,665 from Ruby’s socks, all of which has been donated directly to Ruby’s Rainbow.

Going beyond socks and apparel that celebrate diversity, Pride Socks collects stories of people’s proudest moments. Sharing those struggles and the journey to get to where you are can be a catalyst for someone else’s inspiration. “It’s not just one moment in particular but how you had to get there,” explains Smith.

Ruby shares her proudest moment: playing her trombone.

“We want to take down that negative connotation and celebrate having pride in yourself,” says Smith. “You should be proud of yourself, and when you celebrate it with others, whether it’s with family, friends or the Pride Socks community, your proud moment could help others.”

“

We want to take down that negative connotation and celebrate having pride in yourself. You should be proud of yourself, and when you celebrate it with others, whether it’s with family, friends or the Pride Socks community, your proud moment could help others. —Rachel Smith

Photo by Liz Plachta.

Ruby Plachta

Vision for the Future

Chelsea Elliot bridges the eye care gap.

BY MOLLY JO TILTON

When Chelsea Elliot began half Helen at just 22, she had no idea the reach her new organization would eventually have. Over the past 10 years, the organization has grown from a small one-woman show providing earlydetection screenings and outside referrals, to a full-service eye clinic on wheels serving underserved children and adults throughout the Austin community.

At the age of 4, an eye exam at her preschool revealed that Elliot was blind in one eye. Over the next few days, she visited multiple doctors who were able to determine the cause: Coats disease, an illness that settled in her eye and caused her blindness. Eventually, her eye would need to be removed and replaced with a prosthetic. An unrelated illness would later cause her to lose hearing in one ear.

“When I learned about Helen Keller and all of her exceptional deeds, I very boldly declared that I was half blind and half deaf— like half Helen,” Elliot says. “I never dreamed a childhood nickname would come to characterize my life’s purpose.”

Now, her organization uses spot vision screeners to provide preliminary vision screenings in schools that can detect nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and two common causes of blindness. They also provide comprehensive eye exams to the students that need them and adults throughout the community, as well as prescription glasses, all at no cost to the families.

For those wishing to get involved, visit halfhelen.org.

There you can find volunteer, donation and decision-making opportunities.

Photos by Anna Monette Photography.

“Had this device been around when I was a kid, it could have identified my vision loss sooner,” she says. “I didn’t want something that could have been prevented to stop a child from living their fullest life.”

Elliot recalls the first few years of half Helen being rough. She didn’t know how to create a company, but she had help from her family. Once she got her feet on the ground, she moved on to networking, where she was often met with awed skepticism.

“‘What’s a 22-year-old kid know about eye health and screening? And more importantly, why should we put our faith in her?’ There was this constant age battle,” she says. “At every networking event or funder meeting I went to, I was always the youngest person in the room. Thankfully, my story helped open a lot of doors.”

Elliot was fortunate that she had a lot of good mentors to support her along the way. “Advice has been framed to me as options versus just directives. That’s helped me grow as a leader because options are opportunities.”

But running a nonprofit isn’t easy. As her organization expanded, challenges arose along the way. The equipment they used had no way to digitize reports, so Elliot built an app to do that. Then the providers that they referred patients to closed down, so they brought the care to the schools. When the pandemic hit and they could no longer enter schools, they built a mobile clinic to encase a full-service clinic with all the equipment needed to perform the exams.

“It’s rewarding to know that we can make such profound differences,” she says. “It’s that sense of hope, that inspiration that I think fuels me for doing this work. Because it’s such a powerful and simple problem to solve.”

In solving these problems, half Helen fills the gaps in care that so many Austinites face.

“For the kids that we see, we’re largely their first and only access to eye care,” she says. “If half Helen didn’t exist, our patients wouldn’t get care.”

And they have no plans of slowing down. The organization is in the process of adding a new mobile clinic that will be able to serve adult patients yearround. Elliot anticipates adding more in the future to serve even more people in Central Texas.

Though Elliot herself admitted that these are ambitious goals, she wholly believes in the work they are doing.

“As someone who lives [with] that small sense of fear, knowing that everything on my left side can’t see and never will see, and that we can actually prevent that from happening with a simple eye exam, makes all of the challenges of running an organization worth it.”

Had this device been around when I was a kid, it could have identified my vision loss sooner. I didn’t want something that could have been prevented to stop a child from living their fullest life. —Chelsea Elliot

Dancing With the Stars: Into the Mirror Ball

Dancing With the Stars Austin is back with their biggest event yet, and Austin Woman’s Ana Ruelas participates to bring her passion and purpose together for the cause.

BY CY WHITE

This time last year, organizers at the Center for Child Protection (CCP) were making the finishing touches on their biggest event of the year, Dancing With the Stars Austin. It’s an event with a longstanding tradition at the organization, a nonprofit whose goal is to, according to the CCP website, aid in the “investigation of crimes against children. For more than 30 years, the Center has been the first stop for children in Travis County who are suspected victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse and for children who have witnessed a violent crime.”

Dancing With the Stars (DWTS) Austin is more than a fundraiser. It’s a moment of levity that allows the Austin community to come together and give children the help they deserve and need. Now in its sixteenth year, the fundraiser offers participants the opportunity to both dance for an incredible cause and raise brand awareness. More than anything, however, it’s a chance for everyone to put their money where their hearts are and give children a chance to survive and find joy, to come out of the dark and embrace light.

This year, incoming Austin Woman Co-owner Ana Ruelas takes part in the fundraiser. It was an easy decision. The founder and managing partner of The Agency Austin—a global boutique real estate brokerage—has a very profound connection to any cause and organization providing services for women and children. She sits on the board of the Texas Book Festival; has served on the board of Con Mi MADRE—a 501(c)(3) organization created to empower young Latina women to further their education—and Latinitas, whose mission is to empower all girls to innovate through media and technology.

“It’s more than just about helping solve the challenge of abused children,” Ruelas says. “It’s also about helping parents who don’t really have the means to provide for their children, or intervening in bad situations where there’s an abusive parent or an abusive spouse.”

The work that CCP does hits close to home for Ruelas. Her participation in DWTS Austin comes with a personal stake. She knows firsthand what it is to be a child growing up in a tumultuous home situation. “That gets to the core of my ‘why,’” she says. “How do

Photos courtesy of the Center of Child Protection.

“

How do we help The Center help these children have better lives so they’re not stuck in a vicious cycle. Not just supporting them near term, but also long term so they can break their negative cycles and patterns and thrive. It’s about ensuring abuse is gone from their lives. —Ana Ruelas

we help The Center help these children have better lives so they’re not stuck in a vicious cycle. Not just supporting them near term, but also long term so they can break their negative cycles and patterns and thrive. It’s about ensuring abuse is gone from their lives.”

CCP’s impact is proof positive of the type of work Ruelas has dedicated her life to. In 2020, the center served 1,739 children and 1,117 families. They provided therapy services for 1,607 children and 1,149 adults, with the help of 265 volunteers donating over 5,600 hours of their time. Through grants, donations and fundraising, CCP raised almost $8.4 million, 90% of which went directly to the programs they provide for children and families.

More than an event, DWTS Austin is an opportunity, one of many CCP offers for the community to become directly involved in the protection and care of children in dire situations. Ruelas points out the many ways the community can become involved. “Obviously, donating funds. That allows The Center to access resources as they need them. Things we take for granted like clothes, diapers and toys are also incredibly important. Helping in these ways is so important.”

Ruelas’ involvement with DWTS Austin is her opportunity to both support CCP and fulfill a goal she’s had since the beginning of the pandemic. “I was turning 50, and I made a list of 50 things I wanted to do for my 50th birthday,” she reveals. “Dancing With the Stars was on that list, but COVID happened, and I just didn’t feel comfortable. The moment didn’t feel right. But I’ve been asked for several years to be part of Dancing With the Stars, so when they called me this year, I said, ‘Yes, of course I’ll do it.’ It helped that they put a little bit of pressure, because I had 12 people on the phone asking me to do it,” she says with a chuckle. “I’m inspired by the amazing work The Center does. The number of people it takes to actually make this happen is so impressive, to get the word out about what The Center is able to accomplish.

“What am I most looking forward to?” Ruelas ruminates on the question for only a moment. “When it’s over, we raise a ton of money. I’m looking forward to this whole village that’s going to be there that night, coming through for The Center, not just that night, but long term. I want it to be the biggest night The Center has ever had.”

Persistence Over Passion

Barbara Morgan reflects on life in production since adorning the cover of Austin Woman.

BY BRENA ULLRICH

It’s been almost a decade since Barbara Morgan, founder and chief executive officer of the Austin Film Festival (AFF), graced the cover of Austin Woman in 2013, and much has changed. In the last nine years, Morgan has continued to build onto the festival’s presence in Austin, produce numerous works and raise a teenager, all while navigating the challenges of a worldwide pandemic and the ever-shifting city she calls home.

Though life has continually been moving and growing for Morgan, she admits that the last three or so years have brought on the most change. “Producing live event work during a global pandemic is oxymoronic,” Morgan sighs, laughing while thinking back to the tough days of endless problem-solving for AFF. The staff had to spend extra time figuring out the drastically different landscape that AFF found itself in. Much mental and emotional adjustment took place, and a lot of time went into checking in with the staff to make sure they were doing okay.

After the break in 2020, the festival attendees were eager to be back amongst their people, and the energy was tangible. However, these past two years of production have not been without challenges. “When we opened back up, Austin was a different town,” Morgan says. As one of the fastest growing cities in the States, long gone is the time of running into people you know on the street, something Morgan had experienced for the last 38 years of living in Austin. Figuring out how to steer through the changing atmosphere in Austin has proven almost as challenging

Photos by Jack Plunkett.

Barbara Morgan with Dede Gardner, producer of Women Talking and awardee for the Polly Platt Award for Producing.

as running the festival through a global pandemic, which is saying a lot. “The real shocker was how much harder it was to do what we do, in a town that we’ve been doing this in for 30 years,” Morgan explains.

“The film industry is not being attended to in the way it has been before,” she continues. With a dwindling number of films being shot in Austin, it raises questions about the state of the industry’s future here. “We fed it, and it fed us.” One question that has weighed on Morgan’s mind: “How can we continue to be an exciting place and home for creatives to be?” As a city built by creatives, Morgan has high hopes that the heart of Austin is still beating and this city will find its way back to what built it.

Morgan’s other main project, AFF’s TV show, On Story, has experienced substantial growth in the past decade as well. The show debuted on PBS in 2011 and is now available across almost the entire country. On Story has also branched out into a podcast, radio, book and an archive in The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University. One of the entire series’ main goals is to provide accessible content to inspire creativity and demystify the process of filmmaking. The show has added significantly to the festival and takes up about half of all the work that Morgan does. More recently, she helped to produce an indie feature film called You Are Not Alone, a story of how two estranged siblings rekindle under stressful circumstances and realize they will always be connected. Morgan plans to continue producing in the future, both in TV and film.

Morgan’s vision for all the work she has done has not wavered. She showcases her dedication to sharing creativity and offering people the means to break into such a touchy industry in the growth of programs like On Story and in projects like the Young Filmmakers Program, which she is especially proud of. The program opens its arms to students ages 9 to 18 and includes four main elements: the Young Filmmakers Competition, an annual summer film camp, the Festival and Conference Scholarship program and an in-school digital storytelling program.

She and her whole team are committed to the writers and the storytellers and have no intention of ever straying from this vision. Most of AFF’s future growth centers on bringing in elements that are tangential to the writers. Recently, the festival

introduced the art of gaming to the event, including panels such as “Writing for Video Games: Cohesion and Collaboration” and a game-writing competition during the 2021 season. Acknowledging the craft and skill of developing art forms is one of the ways AFF is preparing for the future.

Morgan is hopeful for what will follow in the years to come. She’s thinking constantly about what the next five, 10 or 20 years will look like for her career and the festival. “Anybody in this space right now who isn’t thinking [about the future] is either ready to go or they’re foolish.” Her advice for those facing the future of their careers: “Persistence over passion. Look forward to what you could have, be persistent and evaluate what keeps you going.”

Barbara Morgan interviews the cast and crew of The Baker at the 29th Annual Austin Film Festival.

Barbara Morgan with two time UFC Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas and director Marius Markevicius for the documentary Thug Rose: Mixed Martial Artist.

Statistics show that women control more than 51% of all the personal wealth in the US. As a female advisor, I have a passion for serving women and helping them achieve their financial goals. As a mom, wife, and entrepreneur, I care about the success of my clients and am a fierce advocate for financial wellbeing. Through proper financial planning, I empower my clients to dream big and live boldly.

At Venturi, we walk side-by-side with our clients, guiding them every step of the way as they navigate some of life’s most challenging decisions. That includes clarity around their path to financial wellbe ing, education on their best areas of opportunity, and confidence in the execution of their customized, personal financial plan.

ASMBLY Makes Space for Creatives

ASMBLY Makerspace gives creatives in Austin a place to play, explore and imagine without boundaries.

BY CY WHITE

ASMBLY Makerspace is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit space for creatives in Austin. With everything from woodcutting to laser work, embroidery to welding, the space allows adults over 18 the opportunity to flex their creative muscles and expand their minds in mediums they’ve never tried before. President and Executive Director Valerie Wilmot took Austin Woman on a tour of the facilities and introduced us to some of the women creating some truly remarkable art.

The Shop and “Snuffleupagus”

Photos by Cy White.

“India Cardona did all of the artwork inside the lettering, and I did the digital design for it. Kind of riffing off that Greetings from Austin mural.

—Valerie Wilmot

(l to r) Ashley Lee, Valerie Wilmot, Anna Blake, Sarah James, Jordan Varat, Hanna Kessler, India Cardona, Mollie Doyle

Q&A WITH VALERIE:

How did ASMBLY Makerspace come to be?

This space used to be ATX Hackerspace, and that had been operating here for about 10 years. About three years ago, a couple members from that space broke off and said, “I want to make an actual nonprofit organization.” ATX Hackerspace was an LLC, but it was running in that nonprofit vein. They formed ASMBLY, but they didn’t actually ever get the funding to buy all the equipment and have the space. During the pandemic, we found ourselves coming back together and saying, “Our priorities are really more in line with what ASMBLY is trying to do. Let’s merge these organizations back together.” So April 2021, we started operating as ASMBLY in this space.

How did the makerspace come together?

The woodshop was always in the woodshop, but it was a bit smaller. The lasers used to be in that main shop area, and they were underneath a loft, so it was kind of dark and cramped, and everything was covered in dust. [The laser-cutting room] used to be two separate doors, and a room that could have a divider in it for a classroom. Another big thing for a lot of us in the space was increasing the brightness and the openness and visibility. In the former space, there were a lot of dark nooks and crannies, which can be a little anxiety-inducing when you’re in a shared space, especially if you’re in a shared space late at night. The electronics lab off the lobby, we added that big picture window so that we have total visibility of what’s going on in there. It feels safer.

When I was designing this, what really kind of jumped out at me was the idea of this really masculine traditional style of armor.

I wanted to create something very feminine within it. I really liked that juxtaposition of the flowers and the bees, where everyone else was doing Celtic designs, scales and things like that.

Sarah James is a costumer and consultant for films and Netflix shows such as Fear the Walking Dead, We Can Be Heroes and the upcoming fifth installment of the Spy Kids franchise.

Kelly Allen-Savietta working with the large CNC machine in The Shop.

Photos by Cy White.

Applications open to all business owners and nominators for the 8th Annual Austin Woman Woman's Way Awards.

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ATX WOMEN to WATCH

Our pages are full of stories of Austin’s most engaging, empowering and successful women, and this section is specially designed to provide you access to even more incredible role models and success stories. Be part of this amazing group and share your story with thousands of women. Contact us at sales@awmediainc.com or call 512.328.2421 for more information.

ATX ATX WOMAN to WATCH

CAROLYN HANEY FOUNDER & CEO | HANEY HOME CONCIERGE

C arolyn Haney has always been a visionary. Before starting Haney Home Concierge in 2020, she ran a very successful nonprofit here in Austin. In the summer of 2019, Haney saw an opportunity in the Austin market to help others in a different way. As a mom of three, managing her family while working outside the home, she regularly felt the pressure to get everything done all on her own. She could do it all, but for a finite amount of time. That lifestyle was not sustainable, and not conducive to a life she wanted to live. She knew she had to rely on others and regularly uses the phrase “It takes a village.” Haney graduated with a B.A. from Wesleyan University in Connecticut in 2001 and received her MSSW from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006. She and her husband, Matt, have lived in Austin since 2004.

Photo by Joi Conti Photography LLC.

ATX ATX WOMAN to WATCH

FOUNDER

SKELLENGER

& CEO | SKELLY BUILD

LLC. D iana Skellenger is the founder of Austin-based residential construction firm Skelly Build. She enjoys creating beautiful, functional spaces that fit the homeowner’s lifestyle. As a female leader in the construction industry, she brings a special viewpoint that allows her passion for quality renovation, teamwork and integrity to be integrated into every project. Skellenger graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in public relations but found her true career passion when handling marketing with a title company, followed by a business development role at an Austin building and design firm. She founded Skelly Build in 2017, and soon after, her husband, Sean, joined as CFO. The firm employs a majority female workforce from project managers and materials coordinators to the estimator and permitting expert, a rare ratio in the industry. In her free time, Skellenger enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters (Atlas and Cleo) and traveling. skellybuild.com

Photo by Joi Conti Photography

DIANA

ATX ATX WOMAN to WATCH

ALANA WEBRE & ALEXANDRA WORTHINGTON OWNERS

A ustin’s Alana Webre and Alexandra Worthington launched Culinary Cowgirls Queso, the first real dairy queso with freshly roasted peppers, in 2017. The duo had the idea at a football tailgate party when they realized queso had been made the same since the ’60s, with block cheese and canned peppers, and thought they could do better. Texans couldn’t heat it up fast enough! In 2018, H-E-B awarded them a diamond rodeo belt buckle for entering their “Million Dollar Club” for selling $1 million worth of queso their first year. Since then, they have opened their own queso factory in Lockhart, Texas; expanded the brand in grocery stores nationally; opened a gourmet market, The Culinary Room, on Lockhart’s historic town square; and Worthington has opened a restaurant (Little Trouble) and event space (The Eldorado). In 2021, their queso hit the Circuit of The America’s Formula One Racetrack as a featured vendor. This year, the duo served hundreds of thousands at the track once again and made it to Forbes’ national list of the best foods at the racetrack. Culinary Cowgirls Queso can be found in the dairy section of every H-E-B.

JENNIFER DEVENING FOUNDER & CEO | YOURHEALTH

LLC. J ennifer Devening is the founder and CEO of YourHealth, a platform that empowers people to control their own health and wellness. YourHealth makes it easy to manage, summarize and share health care information in an emergency or life-changing event. As a 10-year cancer warrior, Devening personally experienced the frustration of having to juggle and make sense of multiple doctors, patient portals, changes in medications and too many medical records to count. This was the inspiration and foundation of YourHealth. Prior to starting YourHealth, she served as an executive at LiveSafe, Caringo and UnwiredBuyer, and in critical impact roles at Oracle, HP, GO Corp. and Sprint. Devening has degrees from UCLA and La Sorbonne. She is a competitive equestrian, and when not working, you will find her at the barn. She has a lifelong passion for French architecture, gadgets that make life easier and Star Trek. yourhealth.app

Photo by Joi Conti Photography

ATX ATX WOMAN to WATCH

LISA LADEWIG DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING, LAURA LADEWIG LANDERS DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND EVENTS | MUTTS CANINE CANTINA AUSTIN

Twins and Texans for life Laura Ladewig Landers and Lisa Ladewig have combined their professional strengths and personal passions into a new business venture, certain to capture the hearts of dog lovers throughout the Austin area. With the first Austin location of MUTTS Canine Cantina scheduled to open in early 2023, it is only the beginning. The pair has their sights set on multiple locations in Central Texas. Bringing extensive sales experience, Ladewig serves as director of sales and marketing. Landers will apply her years of entrepreneurial and community service know-how to her role as director of business development and events. This unique and powerful combination of talents is focused around a core belief that alone we are fierce, together we are unstoppable. The team is enthusiastic to serve as an outdoor gathering place for exceptional communities, built around a shared love of animals.

muttsaustin.com

A WORLD OF PURE Imagination

BY KATHRYN FREEMAN PHOTOS BY JOI CONTI WITH ASSISTANCE FROM VALERIE BIZZARRO (@COLORVALLY).

STYLED BY ASMA PARVEZ (@STYLEDBYASMA) WITH INSPIRATION FROM NORDSTROM, ARBOR EYE CENTER AND CHARM SCHOOL VINTAGE.

MAKEUP AND HAIR BY NIA FORD (@IBLESSFACES_ARTISTRY).

NAILS BY EY NAILS (@EYNAILS22).

PAPER WALL ART BY AMANDA WITUCKI (@THEPAPERCOMMITTEE).

SHOT ON LOCATION AT CINFUL SWEETS.

It is often said “good things come in small packages.” In the case of pastry chef and chocolatier Cinthya Romriell, they come in small chocolate confections with perfectly blended notes of milk chocolate, banana, guava, coconut and pineapple. “I put a lot of thought into my flavor pairings, so I want my clients to feel that wow factor as they enjoy my creations. It gives me joy when my clients can be like, ‘Wow, I do taste all [those] flavors,’” Romriell shares on a gloomy afternoon that was anything but joyful as we sit down to talk about finding joy in her work.

During all this social, economic and political upheaval, it is easy to lose sight of the joy found in the small, quiet things that give our lives meaning—meals with family and friends, a favorite dessert, smiling customers, adventures with friends to far-flung destinations. It can be easy to look at things like Romriell’s perfect bonbons and see something small and inconsequential. But in both her flavor pairings and her chosen career, Romriell shows us that those little things make a life. Just as a surprise box of chocolate chip cookies can provide comfort after receiving a layoff notice, these seemingly trivial things connect us to one another. They give us joy; they comfort us in times of grief.

Romriell, owner of Cinful Sweets, did not set out to be a purveyor of chocolates and pastries. Instead, this daughter of Honduran immigrants was purveying homemade cookies to 82 hungry middle schoolers distracted by their hormones and the growls of their empty stomachs. She was a teacher because her mom had been a teacher. In fact, as a child, Romriell helped her mother get a bachelor’s degree in education, because English was her mother’s second language. Romriell enjoyed helping her mom, so when she received a full ride to the University of Texas, she chose education. After starting with sharing boxes of animal crackers, she tried her hand at baking the famous Nestlé Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe on a whim. She found herself staring into dozens of satisfied and grinning faces after making them a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Soon, the students brought her a list of cookies they wanted her to try.

“I love a good challenge,” she admits. “There were cookies on the list I had never heard of like oatmeal raisin and white chocolate macadamia nut, but in putting them together I discovered I liked them for myself and not just my students,” she laughs. The cookies addressed a felt need for sustenance, but they also brought Romriell and her students joy. For Romriell, the joy was a bonus. “It was the fact that I had made them feel so special, and I had never associated feeling special with a dessert.” The gift she gave her students was small, but it changed the way they thought of themselves, of her and the way she thought about herself.

Romriell left the classroom behind, but not her love of making people feel seen and special. She enrolled in culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu, and wouldn’t you know it? Her first assignment was making chocolate chip cookies, this time with the really good stuff: Valona chocolate. She describes her first taste of high-quality chocolate “There was a symphony of notes in my mouth as I had that curvature. It was just so amazing how there were so many flavor notes. It’s floating in my mouth, and it’s just chocolate. So I just really fell in love with chocolate.”

The ways Romriell describes chocolate would make even the most anti-dessert person line up for a taste of her confections. It is not just her love of chocolate that comes through in our time together. “[In culinary school], we only had four days of chocolate work, and my curiosity was ignited. So every job I took I asked what brand of chocolate they were using and how they were using it.” Romriell’s curiosity has meant learning skills beyond just what she was taught through her formal education. She talks of spending years doing chocolate work on her own time when her jobs in hotels did not allow her to use her chocolate skills. “I have gotten so many ‘no’s in my career,” she shares. “The more ‘no’s I get, I want to figure out a way to get a ‘yes.’ I just don’t give up.”

Good things come in small packages, but sometimes those packages require tenacity. Romriell advises anyone looking to make a change in their career to take the time to get the education they need and find ways to get to a “yes,” even if it requires working side jobs or holding off when your friends go on exotic trips. “Do not accept no for an answer.”

Her inquisitive nature and ambition led Romriell to visit kitchens and restaurants around the world. Even now, as a successful chocolatier and business owner, she’s still learning and discovering new flavors. When she feels uninspired or fatigued, she takes time off to travel to learn from other master chefs. Rather than seeing competitors, she sees potential collaborators. The creativity of others “immediately ignites me because what they are and what they do for their community, that is what I want to do for mine.” Romriell also takes great pleasure in surprising and delighting her customers with her unique flavor pairings. “I love hearing when my customers ask me, ‘How did you come up with those flavors?’ Or, ‘How did you learn about these ingredients if they’re from Asia or France?’” The ability to surprise even her most loyal customers every time, “it just ignites my passion to continue to do it.”

I love hearing when my customers ask me, ‘How did you come up with those flavors?’ Or, ‘How did you learn about these ingredients if they’re from Asia or France?’ It just ignites my passion to continue to do it.

—Cinthya Romriell

“

Even as her skills and ingredients have come a long way from their simple beginnings of Nestlé Toll House cookies and feeding middle schoolers, Romriell’s roots are never far away. Her parents are immigrants, and she did not inherit her skills or love of baking from her mom. Romell shares, “My parents were in their early 20s when they moved to Houston from Honduras. Between their jobs and English classes at Houston Community College, they worked very hard and were very busy, so they made very simple meals that did not require recipes.” Because her mom made only the meals she learned from her mother, Romriell assumed that being a good cook was an inherited skill, not an acquired one. The meals were simple, but dessert was almost nonexistent in her childhood home.

“We had Blue Bell cookies and cream ice cream every six to eight weeks, and only if we got excellent grades,” Romriell says. The memories in and around her childhood home have found their way into her chocolate flavors. “I had to include the cookies and cream into my [chocolate] collection. I am very fortunate to have had a happy childhood, so it made me happy to recreate those memories in my work.” Her background shows up in other small ways. Romriell is Honduran American, but growing up in Houston’s vibrant and diverse food culture exposed her to all kinds of cuisine. She loves Mexican street corn and pan dulce, having grown up surrounded by panaderias (Mexican bakeries). Romriell includes a tribute to her childhood neighborhood in bonbons infused with the flavors of Mexican street corn, “because it was my favorite after-school snack as a kid.” She also works with the cacao found in her parents native Honduras. Bringing her full self into her work truly makes her creations special.

Romriell inherited her parents’ adventurous spirits. They left Honduras in their early 20s to see another country and fell in love with Houston. Romriell left teaching to study to become a pastry chef, but those four lessons on chocolate were not enough. So, she traveled to Chicago to learn from Norman Love about making chocolates taste and look fantastic. “I love to travel to learn from master chefs; it’s an obsession. I am always thinking, ‘What more can I learn?’ When I learned about cassis, I

wanted to travel to France to learn about other fruits I had never been exposed to.” Her passion and excitement about exotic fruits and flavor combinations radiate through the computer screen. She talks excitedly about the differences between plated desserts and the challenges of bringing flavors, colors and textures to such a small plate.

Romriell even finds joy in the sometimes lengthy and tedious recipe creation process. “Working with flavors makes me happy even as I spend weeks tweaking a recipe to bring out the complex flavors of Mexican street corn and chocolate, but I cannot stop until I get it just right and my customers marvel at my ability to capture the joy of Mexican street corn in one small bite.”

Ironically, she says the simplest recipes are often the hardest to create. She exclaims, “There are only so many times you can tweak vanilla! But I love a challenge, and I never settle. I won’t sleep or eat until I am happy and I am sure my customers will be happy.” Her cookies and cream bonbon did not come together until she discovered an Asian tea that had chocolate and coffee notes. “I had never heard of a tea that had chocolate notes, but when I smelled it, I was just like, ‘Oh, I bet this would taste really good with chocolate.’ So, I put 10 grams of that into my chocolate and cocoa nib sable, and suddenly this simple thing had a real wow factor.”

Working with flavors makes me happy even as I spend weeks tweaking a recipe to bring out the complex flavors of Mexican street corn and chocolate, but I cannot stop until I get it just right and my customers marvel at my ability to capture the joy of Mexican street corn in one small bite.

—Cinthya Romriell

“

If you ask her customers, Romriell’s hard work pays off in every bite. One described her chocolates as “decadent, but not exclusive. Anyone can partake in her treats and feel like they’re taking a bite out of something luxurious.” Romriell’s love for her work, her customers and her family emanates from her store, Cinful Sweets. Her shop is a welcoming place, and her employees seem happy to be there working to bring their boss’s creations to life. “You can really feel the love Cinthya puts into her creations. [Time in her shop is] definitely a lovely and loving experience.”

Romriell loves making desserts, but like the rest of us she still has a preferred holiday home-cooked meal. “My mom’s tamales bring me joy. She makes them with beans and cotija cheese and then wraps them in banana leaves. It is the only dish that she makes that does not follow her usual pattern of quick and easy.” Her mom’s tamales are special precisely because they take time and they are made with love. It is easy to disregard the small things in life—Christmas tamales, laughter over a cup of coffee on a rainy day, the hours studying toward a degree, the burnt brownies when attempting to create an epic recipe, the smiles of satisfied kids.

But these small moments often contain a quiet joy. There is a peace in knowing the small things can add up to big things. You could be making chocolate chip cookies and the day seems long, but maybe it leads to the thing you were always meant to do—thrill multitudes with a small bite that took hours to perfect. Romriell’s story is a reminder that wonderful things often begin with small acts of kindness in the small moments between meetings or after work. There is joy to be found in these things. While not everyone will quit a job to chase flavors across the world like Cinthya Romriell, we can find joy in our passions and the small bites of our lives. They might not contain the perfect blend of Mexican corn and chocolate, but they will be sweet and exciting all the same.

You can really feel the love Cinthya puts into her creations. [Time in her shop is] definitely a lovely and loving experience.

“

LOCATION: CINFUL SWEETS

Pastry and baking are my happy obsession! I believe pastry to be a form of art: It’s science; it’s a moment in time; it’s a passion and a pleasure. I want to make every day a delicious one. How do I do that? By providing my customers with all aspects of pastry. I want to give you an array of options to choose from: bonbons, cookies, small travel cakes, verrines, tarts, entremet sheet cakes, eclairs and more that look good and taste cinful.

9415 Burnet Rd., Suite 106 | cinfulsweets.com

Holiday Gift Guide

Gift ideas for the ones you love.

HANEY HOME CONCIERGE

Give the gift of time. Buy yourself hours or give a gift certificate for Haney Home Concierge to come and simplify your or someone’s life. We are a full-service home concierge company that can customize our services to anything that you need to make your life more enjoyable (especially during the holidays).

Price: Hourly rate, haneyhomeconcierge.com, @haneyhomeconciergeaustin @haneyhomeconciergeaustin

LETTERPRESS PLAY!

Comfort never looked so good. Designed by Founder and Creative Director Kyle Hawley, this 100% organic cotton kaftan is everything you need in a garment: part tunic, part dress, part robe. Take it on a beach getaway, run errands in comfort or lounge around your home in pure elegance. Your imagination is the limit. Sustainably hand-crafted in the USA and available in six different prints. Learn more at letterpressplay.com or inperson at 2002 S. Congress Ave. Price: $325, letterpressplay.com, @letterpressplay @letterpressplay

COPENHAGEN IMPORTS

Give the gift of design this holiday season. From the creative Italian minds at Ambienti Glamour comes a whimsical collection of uniquely decorated sculptures in vibrant colors sure to add life to any environment. Featured here is the “Relaxed Girl” measuring 21 by 14 by 21 inches tall and sold at $445. See the Ambienti collection at Copenhagen at 2236 W. Braker Ln., or online. Price: $129-$1,369, copenhagenliving.com, @copenhagenImports

@copenhagenliving

ASMBLY MAKERSPACE

Find the perfect unique gift for everyone on your wish list at this special holiday market. Asmbly Makerspace will close its shop space on Dec. 10 (12 to 6 p.m.) and 11 (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to host vendors selling handmade custom items. They’ll have a wide variety of items from wooden cutting boards to small furniture, jewelry, gaming dice and more. You can also find special-edition gift certificates for Asmbly classes and membership. Come enjoy food, beer and wine, and stick around for live music sponsored by KOOP radio. Price: $5-$500, asmbly. org/asmbly-maker-marketholiday-edition-2022

@asmblymakerspace

@asmblyaustin

PIXSEE

The Pixsee smart baby camera not only contains all the smart features of an AIpowered baby monitor. It also focuses on creating memories with its ability to automatically capture memories between you and your child. With a cry decoder, facecovering detection, environmental sensors and the ability to automatically collate memories, what else could you ask for?

Price: $299, promo.shoppixsee.com @pixsee.global

AUSTIN WOMAN SUBSCRIPTION

Give the gift of community. Austin Woman subscriptions are the best way to stay connected to our local movers and shakers. Price: $30, iamaustinwoman.com @austinwoman @austinwoman

Pride and Mistletoe Shines a Light on Millenial Financial Woes

A new twist on an old story we can all relate to.

BY JENNY HOFF

In addition to showing movies from filmmakers around the world, the annual Lake Travis Film Festival, which takes place in Bee Cave and Lakeway, puts out a call for screenplays from seasoned and budding screenwriters to submit a script for a live narrative read before an audience. The screenwriter with the winning screenplay gets to see their story come to life as actors read the screenplay in its entirety, without sets or costumes or background music to enhance or distract, sitting in an intimate space with festival attendees. In this performance, it’s the words that matter. For fans of Jane Austen, festivalgoers got a treat this year with Gretchen Hardin’s Pride and Mistletoe—a modern holiday-themed millennial take on Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

“I was so excited when Pride and Mistletoe got picked,” says Hardin, as she sits in her office at the City of Bee Cave Public Library. By day, she works as the library’s public services manager, designing programs throughout the year to encourage the love of literature in future generations. By night, she creates food art that accompanies her favorite reads for her Instagram account @eatingreading, to tantalize the senses and make one want to cozy up with a tasty treat and a good book. “Beyond seeing my script come alive through the actor’s interpretations, it was so inspiring getting to work with so many women in the industry. From the director of the live narrative performance to the founder of the Lake Travis Film Festival, my whole team was female.”

Pride and Mistletoe is equally female focused. While there are romantic prospects, as any good holiday film demands, the heart of the story is about each sister discovering who they really are and where their talents lie, as they navigate a modern world that celebrates success over substance and wealth over well-being.

“In Pride and Prejudice, it’s fascinating because the five sisters come from a time where it’s really important for them to find a wealthy husband so they can be provided for the rest of their lives,” Hardin recounts. “My take on it is that Beth, the main character, has lost her job and has to move in with her parents. It has a lot to do with financial security and the future you want to have. In that way, it pays homage to the original story while still fitting the time we live in.”

The characters’ backgrounds also fit the times we live in. Instead of casting white gentry in Regency England, the characters are a racially, ethnically and sexually diverse group of friends living in modern-day America.

For instance, in Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte is Elizabeth Bennet’s best friend, and she believes marriage is less a matter of the heart and more one of a sound mind for financial security. In Hardin’s adaptation, Charlotte is a successful business owner who stays true to the character’s rational, sensible approach to life and also happens to be a lesbian dating Beth’s social media influencer sister.

“A story is powerful when it’s relevant to the reader or viewer,” says Hardin. “It needs to reflect society today. As a librarian, I know how important it is for readers to see themselves represented in a story.”

Photo by Gretchen Hardin.

TheLast FiveYears

Dec. 2 to 18

An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two New Yorkers in their 20s who fall in and out of love over the course of five years, the show's unconventional structure consists of Cathy, the woman, telling her story backwards while Jamie, the man, tells his story chronologically. The two characters only meet once: at their wedding in the middle of the show.

TheMutt-Cracker(SWEET!)

DEC. 16 to JAN. 1

The VORTEX

The Mutt-Cracker (SWEET!) is back! Our favorite canines and circus artists transform The VORTEX for the holidays with a fabulously fun show for all ages. The Mutt-Cracker (SWEET!) provides the most original holiday entertainment in Austin, starring brilliant and talented rescue dogs including two new puppies, Dragonfly and Firefly, and Lauren Macaw, a talking scarlet macaw. Bring the whole family and enjoy an extraordinary show full of juggling, songs, interactive play and amazing circus tricks!

MedievalXModern

DEC. 10, 2022 to JULY 9, 2023

The Blanton

Medieval X Modern presents the work of modern artists from Europe and the Americas who created prints, drawings, paintings, illustrated books, sculptures and decorative objects informed by the spectacular craftsmanship and compelling historical figures of the Middle Ages. Drawing primarily from the Blanton’s permanent collection, Medieval X Modern offers a wide array of artistic responses to the European Middle Ages, including one of the museum’s most iconic works—Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin

qrco.de/muttcracker2022

Photo courtesy of Blue Lapis Light.

A More Inclusive Tradition

Chef Blanca Zesati blends traditional flavors and dietary inclusivity.

BY MOLLY JO TILTON STYLED BY ORIGIN MEXICO AND OWNER YAZMIN CASTANEDA.

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Blanca Zesati was no stranger to home-cooked meals. She vividly remembers her grandmother preparing authentic Mexican meals for 20-plus people in a matter of minutes, something she calls “magic,” so it’s no shock that she would eventually become a chef at one of Austin’s most iconic Mexican restaurants. Zesati began working at 15 in a bakery, where she would eventually work her way up to cake designer, as a way to put herself through college. She recalls her first few years being difficult, often being the only woman in her classes and internships. After graduating from Kendall College, Zesati landed at Congress, where she studied under Rebecca Meeker. There she learned knife technique and how to experiment with recipes and ingredients. She then moved on to work at Miraval, a resort in Austin, before becoming co-executive chef at Fonda San Miguel. There she has worked to craft a more inclusive menu while still honoring the restaurant’s traditional Mexican roots.

Photos by Joi Conti.

You’re around food all day. Who’s the chef at your house?

We do a lot of stuff together. That’s something that has always been important to me to do. My daughter loves baking, and she helps me in the kitchen. She’s about to be 6. My husband will be the grill master most of the time, and I laugh because, at first, I think he was a little bit more intimidated to make food. But I was like, “Believe me, anything that’s made for me I appreciate and I love regardless.” There have been little missteps here and there, but I’m happy that he’s trying. We’ve done a lot of dinners together for the most part. We’re trying to get beds outside so we can start growing our own produce. We did it at a previous residence and we were able to eat what we grew, which was really important to me.

What does the phrase “comfort food” mean to you?

Home. Champurrado to me, my grandma would make it mostly around Christmastime, so it also kind of just reminds me of the holidays. We were very active in our church when I was young. So it also reminds me of Las Posadas. We would go around with Mary and Joseph, what they did back in the day while she was having baby Jesus, the steps they made. As I remember, at every stop, they had champurrado to keep everybody warm because it was midwinter and [there was] so much snow on the ground. So, to me, it reminds me of the holidays and just reminds me of being young with my entire family, which is a really big family. I have lots of cousins, and we would be together, so it just kind of reminds me of happier times.

What makes this dish special to you?

Making it with my grandma. She had the really big clay pots that you would see in Mexico, and anything made in those comes out so different than what we make in a stainless-steel or aluminum pot. Whatever comes off of that the flavor is always so different. We always made it in the clay pot around Christmastime. She taught me how to cook it, and here at Fonda we’re using her recipe. She always said, “A little bit of this, a little bit of that.” It was never to a tee, but over the years, it’s writing it down and rewriting it down because she would change something or add something or kind of do substitutions. From her [recipe] I kind of got my own little one. I think I add a little bit more sugar than she does.

Is there a certain ingredient that makes your version of this dish different than other versions?

[My grandma] would always use a fresh masa over the bagged masa that you can get at the grocery store because she said that it always makes a huge difference in flavor. I think when you use bagged masa, you can actually taste the corn, the cornmeal in it. When you use fresh masa, you end up cooking it out, and that flavor kind of goes away. So the chocolate gets enhanced; the cinnamon gets enhanced. And I always add a little bit of extra chocolate as well.

What meal goes best with this beverage? (Or what meal do you prefer to eat with this drink?)

I go back to Christmas—it’s gonna be tamales, conchas, any kind of pandulces, Mexican sweet bread. Any of that you can, you know, dip it in there, and then you take a bite.

CHAMPURRADO

Ingredients:

4 cups water, separated

3 cinnamon sticks, wrapped in cheesecloth

14 oz piloncillo

1 lb prepared masa

4 cups whole milk (sub almond milk for a dairy-free option)

3 Abuelita Hot Chocolate tablets

Directions:

In a medium size saucepan, add 2 cups of water, cinnamon sticks and piloncillo. Bring it to a soft rolling boil until the piloncillo melts, after about 5 minutes.

While the piloncillo is melting, we need to prepare the masa. In a blender, add 2 cups of water and the prepared masa. Puree until smooth and set aside.

Once the piloncillo is melted, add the milk and whisk. Once the milk is scaled, add the chocolate and whisk until it’s all dissolved. Move the mixture often so that it does not stick to the bottom of the saucepan.

Once this mixture is hot, add the masa and water mixture and whisk constantly. Cook for about 10 minutes (the masa has to cook or it will go sour) or until you reach desired thickness. Add a little more milk to thin it out if you like. Whisk often to prevent it from boiling over.

Serve hot and enjoy.

Buen Provecho!

The Fleeting Season of Motherhood

BY JEN PINKSTON

If you happened to be riding in the passenger seat with Jen Pinkston, founder of La Paloma, on one oddly cool night in May 2019 from Sour Duck to her home in Crestview that she shares with her husband and two daughters, she might have revealed the thoughts that were bubbling to the surface that evening. A handful of hours earlier, she had scooped up the kids from preschool, drove to Milk and Cookies to refuel and then let them run wild on the fossil-filled banks of Shoal Creek. Once they had chased enough dragonflies, pleaded to take home enough “gems” (i.e. rocks) and got their small trainers sufficiently drenched, Pinkston drove to the east side and enjoyed dinner with friends while the kids played with chalk nearby. Had you been sitting next to her on that car ride home, she might have told you how magical that day was or of the gratitude she felt to have spent such a lovely evening with her children and friends, gratitude for the seemingly fleeting season of motherhood to small children.

It was only an hour later, while yanking a pillingpajama over her youngest daughter’s head, that she felt the incongruence of this magical season with the pajama options that filled their closet. “My oldest daughter has always loved art,” Pinkston says. “She enjoys going to the museums, to art camps. She decided on her own to be Frida Kahlo last year for Halloween. But when I went to the internet to search for high-quality sleep or loungewear in modern, artful prints, it didn’t exist. Everything felt like an ode to yesteryear or super juvenile and not

La Paloma Founder Jen Pinkston muses about the beautiful moments with her family as she builds her successful business.

inspiring. Most people have an idea and then do the research, but when I had the idea I had already done the research. I had been searching for weeks for the things they wanted to sleep in and knew there was a hole in the market.”

La Paloma launched their website in May of 2020, just one calendar year later, but in a world that would have been unrecognizable 12 months earlier. She had one kid doing kindergarten over Zoom and hadn’t spent an hour away from either of her children in months. “It felt like a strange time to launch a new business, but we were so far down the track at that point that there was really no turning back,” she says. It turned out to be a great time to be in the loungewear business.

La Paloma launched with just one style: their signature 100% cotton house dress for kids that features a three-quarter-length puff sleeve and elastic neckline that allows kids to get themselves dressed with ease. Over the last two years they’ve added classic organic cotton pajama sets in long and short versions, twopiece ribbed knit sets, matching house dresses for women and other coordinating accessory items like mini pillows and padded headbands. The brand launched nationwide on J. Crew in September and can also be found in idyllic shops like Poppy Marché in Montecito, Pitt Street Kids in Charleston and The Getalong in Nashville, among others.

“It’s pretty surreal to see the way people have taken to these pieces. We’ve never used focus groups or market research; they’ve simply been developed with myself or my own kids in mind. Our women’s house dress is great because kids love to match their parents; it’s wild to see how giddy they get when they see we’re wearing the same thing. But it was actually born from years of sharing vacation homes with friends and the conundrum of which pajamas you should pack that you can look cute in when you’re hanging out after the kids are asleep and feel appropriate when you wander into the kitchen the next morning to make coffee.”

When asked what’s next for La Paloma, Pinkston says she’s focused on growing a sustainable, profitable business. “We’ve seen triple-digit growth almost every month for the last year. It’s exciting but can be tenuous, too, for a business that’s selffunded. We’re always having to think about cash flow. I’m pretty enamored by the idea of a La Paloma brick-and-mortar shop at some point. Fabric this soft is meant to be felt in person. Right now, though, we are really focused on the digitally native side of our business and our drop ship partners like J.Crew this coming year and hope to be able to do some exciting things in the brickand-mortar realm in 2024. There are so many other products that we are chomping at the bit to develop, but for now we are focused on our core business and will see what’s in store after that (pun intended).”

Photos by Aaron Pinkston.

La Paloma is available to shop on ShopLaPaloma.com and can be found on Instagram at @ShopLaPaloma.

Finding Joy Within

Actress Maya Koshaba creates her

own moments of joy.

BY MAYA KOSHABA

Iwas born and raised in the barrio of an oil town in the heart of West Texas, which is where I first discovered my love for live performance. I felt defiant in the face of an art-deprived community and eventually decided to do something about it. I knew I couldn’t wait for opportunities to fall into my lap. I had to seek my own opportunities. With my last few dollars, I packed one bag and purchased a one-way ticket to New York City, where I could fully embrace my calling. I found my own joy by creating my own environment instead of conforming to the one around me. Little did I know, I’d eventually be called back to Texas in a way I never could have foreseen.

I began performing at a young age, creating small plays in my room with my favorite stuffed animals and acting along with the characters from my favorite movies. I still remember watching Beetlejuice and singing and dancing along with the dinner scene “DAY-OH, DAYYYY-OHHH!” over and over until the VCR tape literally broke! I pursued dance at the age of 7, eventually moving on to dance on my high school dance team and a little in college.

Growing up half-Hispanic and half-Middle Eastern in a small town, I was never really exposed to the arts, and I endured most of my upbringing feeling like an outsider in my community. There were very limited resources available to me, but acting eventually found me. It embraced me through great movies, playwrights and musicians, holding my hand through my acting journey.

When I think back on my move to New York, two of the crucial lessons I learned during that time were, first, the importance of taking a deep breath before making a life-changing decision, and second, remembering to trust in the magic of yourself. When I feel doubtful, I look for that magic.

I began to see success in my personal and professional growth throughout my time in New York City, when the pandemic suddenly launched me into being an Austin woman—an edit to my life path I never could have predicted. Today, I split my time between both locations, acting in each city’s prominent community and always making it a point to incorporate joyfulness into my work, travel and life. I have taken on a wide variety of New York City’s acting scene—most recently, my involvement in the play Dining for One, which was featured in the famous Secret Theatre’s The Act One: One Act Festival. Currently, I am filming a feature film in Austin and am planning on acting in, directing and filming my own project in Austin, a place I believe has a special quality that has absolutely captured my soul.

Years of training have led me to take on various roles and transform into many characters, which allowed me to become a more empathic, experienced actress among the New York and Austin performance scenes. As a person and as an actor, you must find the courage to look deep within yourself, often looking at parts of yourself that are scary to confront in order to grow and increase self-love.

I am deliberate, diligent and dedicated. I immersed myself in my craft early on, studying with many of the best actors and teachers in New York City. I have a deep appreciation for the artists who came before me, for each acting methodology I’ve learned, for every opportunity that’s come my way and for every character that I’ve had the privilege of portraying.

Today, I am inspired by the truthful moments in life: the challenges, the triumphs and the bounty of lessons life teaches us. I am inspired by great storytelling. It’s honest; it is a portrayal of life and love. It has the power to move people’s hearts and change minds.

Another thing that inspires me is seeing growing diversity in artistic representation, which has been lacking for the past several decades. Diversity is valuable for society as a whole to continually grow and educate ourselves about one another. We have the choice and the power within ourselves to increase self-acceptance and selflove, which in turn allows us to be more empathetic people.

I see and feel the industry shifting, and that gives me great hope. More roles are going to women and people of color. I want to see more films and TV shows that promote forward, inclusive and inspirational content—content that touches, enriches and inspires joy in the entire globe.

It is my mission to bring forward, inclusive and inspirational content to the screen and share it with the world. I’ve always believed that we are all multifaceted human beings. It is my hope that we can all learn to be better versions of ourselves, while using our art and talents to change the world for good and ultimately make it a more peaceful and joyful place.

Photo by Sergio Garcia.