I have been involved in the Connect Project with Kanika for a long time, even long before its implementation. I strategically and resourcefully visualized different possibilities within the Connect Project for the Deaf-led turned multiple-perspective Creative and Access Team. I entrusted the members of the Creative Team with unstructured, optimal opportunities for them to demonstrate their innate artful talents with the consideration of access in their project-related tasks. Favourite Book: Becoming by Michelle Obama.
My involvement in this project began when Jenelle and I encountered a barrier we were curious to tackle with creativity. The early days of creating offline, exchanging meaningful correspondences in the mail, and building our friendship were nothing short of magical. As we realized the potential of our work was far greater than we initially imagined, my role evolved from artist to co-director. In this new capacity, I took on the responsibility of co-leading a team of artists, driving innovation, and creating groundbreaking work. Throughout this process, I’ve been deeply engaged in every aspect of the project, from creative direction to administrative tasks. Favourite Book: Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
Our role was to provide interpretation, American Sign Language and English, between the Deaf and hearing partners within the team. As well as supporters, collaborators and sponsors. This project has been a beautiful journey, as a witness to the highs and lows. The end of the film is a beautiful testament of the incredible strength and resilience where the team members reminded themselves of the end goal on how the potential of an accessible film impacts the wider society. Favourite Book: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Kalhed Hosseini.
Our team had many different dynamics, and we had to figure out how to work, communicate, and bring our ideas together. It was not always easy, but the process taught me a lot about navigating creative spaces with others. Favourite Movie: Son of Rambow ,because it's about a boy who is so different from a friend he meets, and it shows their two contrasting worlds. It's also about them making a film together and how they collaborate and highlight the honesty between them and growth of their friendship.
One of the biggest challenges was working remotely while juggling our own artistic practices. Balancing schedules, communication, and creative input was not easy, but it pushed us to think differently about how we collaborate. In this instance, we wanted to include as many access features in the film as possible for diverse audiences of different abilities. The ideas were endless; we explored, tested, and reworked them. Some things did not work, but other things surprisingly worked well for us. Through trial and error, we streamlined our vision without losing our creativity. Favourite Book: The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest.
