PEOPLE

PORTRAIT TALES
everyone has a story to tell

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CARRIE GENZEL

My name is Carrie Genzel, I’m an actor. I am storyteller. I was attracted to acting at a young age
because I got to be someone other than myself, I hated myself, and thought you’d hate me too if you
got to know me, so I would hide behind characters, it was an escape for me, I could be someone else
and I could go to faraway places, faraway from me. That worked for a long time, until it didn’t. Today, 
after many years of learning to love myself and living in the light, I still love to tell stories, but I’ve
learned that the most important story to tell is my own, it was someone sharing their story with me
many years ago that saved my life, perhaps mine can do that for someone else. I share my stories today
without fear of what you think, because what’s important is what I think, and I love myself today. I am
a warrior. I am love. I am kind. I am generous. I am strong. I am a survivor. I used to hide behind what
I loved to do to try to connect to others, now I use what I love to do to connect and relate to those who
are and where like me, struggling to see the light while shrouded in darkness. If I can be a light for
someone in the dark, that is the greatest gift I can give, a gift of life, a gift of hope, a gift of strength, 
and in turn, my light gets brighter, and that is the greatest gift of all.  

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JASON VAISVILA

"My name is Jason and I am grateful for my family and all they have taught me and allowed me to learn on my own as well.  I am grateful for the journey I have taken that has brought me to where I am today and the person I have become today.  I am grateful for the opportunity to practice yoga and meditation to allow myself to experience the present moment when I am present!  I am grateful for nature and animals and the opportunity to garden and grow things, and to grow and learn as a human. I am grateful to experience the beauty of the universe.  I am grateful to live in Vancouver and to be able to pursue the arts, and acting.  I am incredibly blessed to have an amazing human by my side to love and support me and adventure through life and to accept the love that I have to give.  I am grateful that people out there want the world to be a beautiful happy place and to help people smile.  I am grateful that we can all smile and be happy.  My name is Jason and I am grateful."

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SARAH JANVIER

"I am a 23 year old Dene woman from Saskatchewan with ever changing aspirations. Right now I feel too young to be figuring out professional aspirations so I'm focusing on being the type of adult childhood me would be inspired by. I have been privileged to grow up with a mother who was, and still is always working on improving herself. On top of having this incredible mother I have a very selfless father. He is the type of person you can depend on and expresses his care for you through acts of kindness. As cliche as it may be, I am grateful for my parents. Entering adulthood you really start to notice the seeds your parents planted during your childhood take growth. On this journey to make childhood me proud, I have been pretty successful and my parents deserve a lot of credit in that. Love you mom and dad!"
 

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ALAN COLODEY

"I am a Vancouver actor, model, & voice-over artist living in Vancouver and  share my life interests  (travel, photography, cooking/eating, cairns) with my wife, family and friends. As a cancer survivor I am grateful for medical science and all the nurses and doctors who guided my recovery and made the enjoyment of life's simple moments so special. Thanks to Kaaran for including me in this project, great fun!"

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PRINCE GILL

"It's not what you go through that defines you; It's what you do after what you've gone through that really tests you and who you are.
Yes, I am going through a hard time and I am building myself up. I am an artist who enjoys painting and nature a lot. I love to write. I have a really positive attitude towards life and I like to enjoy each and every moment like it's the last. I would like to be a very self-satisfied painter and artist one day."

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DAN MARTINEZ

"My name is Dan ... people call me Dan tha Man... for the last 10 years I've been filming and editing things for a living.. I am so very happy for all the creativity in this beautiful city and all the amazing talent.. i love helping people create the magic they see in their minds..I'm so happy I could be a part of this project!"

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ADAM WILDER

Everyone knows the feeling when you’re pretty much exhausted, or at your wits end, or just bored out of your mind… and then the first few bars of your favorite song come on and it’s like, “CALIFORNIA GURLS WE’RE UNFORGETTABLE!” No? Maybe the Katy Perry is just me.
But the power music has over us all is something that is under appreciated every day. It can change our energy in a moment, or bring us to tears with a chord. Give it some visuals and you could probably break my heart anew every day. But how many people only experience music through another’s eyes? And how many other things in our lives are like that? Things that we only view, not do. How much of this generation stares at their screens and waits? “What’s good will come,” they say, “Be patient.” Let me tell you… I’ve walked runways. I have my Master’s. I’ve hosted events and traveled the world. I have great friends and could make a career for myself.
But I always pushed back into fear, into viewing, with what I loved most and allowed voices to tell me, “You already have so much! Don’t worry!” I never wanted to be a model as child, or a scientist, or even to party. I wanted to sing. I watched Newsies endlessly, and sang along to Aretha Franklin with my mothers. I can still hear the Patsy Cline albums my mom rocked me to as a baby perfectly, and my brother screaming along to Evanescence with me in the car trips between our houses. But here I am; a model. A scientist. A partier.
The only thing patience got me was lost time. I waited for opportunity after opportunity, thinking things just fall in your lap, because all the things I never wanted did. Music didn’t. I see now that only the things we don’t want come to us without effort. And to feel emotions in new ways and to reference them uniquely through my experiences, through my lens, is a gift I cannot afford to let waste with time. What makes me happiest is music. Creation. Imagination. It is the only time when effort, feels like none. Everyday along the way it has inspired me, but I was always too fearful, to vulnerable, to let it hold.
Since I was eight, yoyo-ing anxiously as I sang, “My Heart Will Go On,” at the fireplace for our family reunions, too scared to look to the audience of only my loved ones; I didn’t join choir. Since I was 15, and hid everything about myself from the bullies of high school, and myself, so they had no ammunition; I didn’t even consider applying to music school. Since I was 20, and found the ability, for the first time, to become an engineer of sound, and not just a consumer, during college; I went to grad school. Through it all, music always was in the corners of my mind, too scared to touch. Nursing the wounds I created by ignoring it. Now it’s been so long, I almost let myself get lost as a viewer. I thought I could do blogs and be happy. It wasn’t enough. I could see more shows, or go out dancing more. It wasn’t enough.
I could fall in love. It wasn’t enough.
Maybe I’ll never understand why, or how, but just this year, fate and music have again saved me in a way I can’t ignore. From the broken heart to end them all, I found access to the many other joys and tragedies I’ve faced, and channeled something into my abilities I’m so proud of I can’t even find the fear to hide behind anymore. I love music. And I won’t let anyone forget it again, especially me. As poor as I am now, as hard as things look, as much judgment as I could get, I’ve never been happier than the days I get to spend entirely singing what I feel and making stories with sounds. Even now it makes me cry, because I wish that everyone knew this feeling. If you don’t, I really hope I can share it with you.

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ARINN WESTENDORF

"I'm a creative person but I can't focus on one thing - I do illustration, photography, and floral design.  I'm obsessed with ghosts and animals and learning, and I love the rain.  My travel dream is to go snorkelling with humpback whales in the Caribbean."

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JARIKA

"I am a young woman who has recently fallen in love with herself for the first time.
You wouldn't know by my appearance but I live with an autoimmune disorder and in November of 2016 I temporarily lost vision in my left eye due to optic neuritis. My body was attacking itself. From there I've been tested for everything; blood tests, MRIs, specialists, all with no definitive answer. 
It can certainly test your sanity, not fully understanding what's going on with your body. At first I felt lost, confused, scared, even crazy. Then I decided to take things into my own hands and research and educate myself. The doctors weren't helpful in that aspect, I had no direction without a diagnosis. I was trapped in limbo. The only consistent remedy was remain stress free. So that became my life goal. 
I've made big changes, especially with food and nutrition. I follow the Wahls Protocol, exercise daily, meditate, go for massage therapy and just simply talk about what's going on. And the support has been amazing! I feel like the luckiest girl to have such wonderful family and friends in my life!
It has also prompted me into taking charge of my own life and stepping away from living in fear/anxious states. Which has led me to exploring myself as a healthy sexual, communicative being. I have learned to ask for what I want instead of quietly always hoping. Just do. It's surprising how many things can go your way! Even the most cynical side of myself is happy with her changes. 
Six months ago I was a scared, angry, confused working class female. 
Today I am a confident, calm, self aware, living in the moment without worry, pitbull mama, webcam model, genuine human being. 

I am living. 
Many many thanks"

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MARK 

"What drives us is what consumes us the passion the fire the will and desire - there is the rub that runs us all to ruin. As the sewn are shown their seed as the root to their need as they gnaw and caw and call all to the grave the best the brave break their backs for full frontal attacks at the aim as the shamed send blame to the bounty of abuses that lends them to their unwilled unraveled ends.  The passion idare do suggest is the point to all pain and purposeless panic as the madness makes us manic for the means - aye the means that bring about the end but at what cost for what is lost is less so alive then the drive that dreams us to be kings and queens of glamour scenes all the glitter of gold is litter in the walk of life as the shinning distraction is the devils disguise daring us to draw our pen around the points of keeping. Keeping tabs and keeping up and keeping on and keeping calm and carrying the fugaisey on, onward upward inward outwards the directions are dire a fire none can flame as the blame is back upon the dream for they are too grand for the living land leave them asleep and as we creep from day to day do not be daunted do not be swayed the fray is a fight meant to stray you from your self from your source and course now follow the thin and narrow with out argument or augmented discourse as always there be a rebuttle but think not of that way stay true to a simple stew just a few varieties of meat and two veg don't feed on greed or dine on digs greater than pigs as the swine of man is something within our plan as souls shape diamonds and the cast of crowns as the sound of desire stems deep from our fire the eternal flame of name shames the son of man from out dam spot the bleeding need for what's hot I pardon your begging to be-not. Oh you lot your forgot the goods that are given at birth your soul centered worth grown out for gain in fame and fortune and flames of fire for the dirty desire sires your dreams and drives you mad as kings and queens. Forget not thou art a man and a child and at the nature wild this worth must be nurtured first and foremost forge forward for the future of thinking is in this very moment - what you need feeds you. What a worthless worry would be if we all could see a little less or perhaps a point of less is more as for like thou skuttlebugs, thee crab-walkers, thee feeble fated and feeble framed, thee less fortunate as we firmly believe those that can't walk or believe in bigger pictures for their point is plotted and their allowance allotted and they are almost angels in their arrangements as they merrily make their misery much less sympathy and sadisitc as they skip to and fro broken in tow but tarry not to carry the class of high on low as they know they are just groundlings left on the lowest rung a place to perch to low to be hung so they worry little for the larger living and are quitecontent in their forgiving of their fouls as swallowing little in following a short coming they are cool as cats complacent adjacent their own small aim and who is to blame for their beliefs being so benign not me or mine nor not yours as we are but the needy nuts who bake our own bread blood red as the greed feeds our families and starves our souls.  Make no mistake nor miss your Mark the aim you take is to blame as it is the dream the drive the passion - yes beware the brutality and bearing weight of what ye want as it is the passion that pushes us forward brave falling unfulfilled in our grave."

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ALEKSANDRA ANOSHINA

“Hey there! Thank you for taking your time to explore this gallery of portraits. I am Aleksandra, an
aspiring biology student who also happens to work as an actress at a local Russian theatre and as a
full-time sister to a year old baby brother. Lucky for me, I am very fortunate to be surrounded by people
that are supportive of my many interests and ambitions – something not everyone can say they have. This
support helps me immensely as I am able to enjoy every day and every moment of my existence. I relish
the warm touch of my partner’s hand every time he walks me home, I relish the laughter of my baby
brother as he proudly spits his food in my face, and I relish the taste of my favourite watermelon in every
bite I take. I could write many pages about myself but I do not want you to leave this gallery
empty handed, so here is my word of advice: I encourage you, reader, to cherish everyone and everything
that makes your days just a little bit brighter and, from time to time, be a little bit selfish in treating
yourself to what truly makes you happy.” 

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MICHAEL BULLOCK

"My name is Michael Bullock. I moved to Vancouver 5 years ago, and fell in love with this place. I'm beyond thankful to live in such a beautiful and diverse city, full of so many different sights and sounds. As a musician, I'm humbled to rub shoulders with so many other incredible artists, and have a chance to make some wonderful sounds together. I hope to do it for the years to come."

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DEBORA TAYLOR

"Last year, I left the USA after a tragedy I thought only could happen in the movies. I came to Vancouver, alone and with very little, to start a new chapter in my life.. I promised myself that my story will have a happy ending, no matter what. It hasn't been easy, but it is possible."
 

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ASHLEE COCKLIN

My Name is Ashlee Cocklin, 
I am 20 years young, I am proud kiwi from New Zealand. 

You can sum me up with these few words; fun, loving, reliable, sarcastic, social, humble and hungry 97% of the time. In my spare time you'll find me outside, on the water fishing, wake boarding, swimming, hanging out with cows, playing with my two beautiful puppies or with my beautiful family. I love being outdoors, and I've gone from wearing make up and  high heels one day to gumboots and dirt under my nails the next. I am a rugby player and coach, and have been for a few years, I love every second of it. I've modeled quite a bit as well, however heals still hurt my feet. 
am currently attending an acting academy as I am an aspiring actress. Two very different things I know, but thats what makes me different and I love it that way. There are similarities in the two very different paths; and that being struggle & family. During both times I've faced many hardships, times that have made me want to quit all together. My family is what motivates me to keep moving forward. 
When asked with what is the most important thing in my life, my answer is simple. Family. 
It is a challenge sometimes when my family is so spread out all over the world, for those times when you just need a hug, or be told to toughen up. However, I wouldn't be the person I am today without the love and support of my family and without these small challenges I face on the daily. I wouldn't be as; strong, open minded, caring, sensitive, and as happy as I am. We have been through so much together, that has made us stronger as individuals and a family. Its made us realize how short life is, and to always be thankful for each other and everyday we get to live. I would do everything and anything for them. 
I've experienced some truly amazing things in my 20 years, and met some truly beautiful people along the way. I am so blessed and thankful for everyone and every opportunity presented in my life. Im constantly learning, and growing and I am excited for what lays ahead.
Mad big shootout to everyone who has stood by me in my life, you are all the real MVP's.

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KARYN HALPIN

"I was born and raised in a small town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. From a very young age I was always singing and dancing around the house, and was always a part of every elementary school play, all thanks to Mrs. Kent, our music teacher who loved to encourage me. I joined the drama program in middle school (grades 7-9) and in 8th grade I was given the small role of the coroner dragging the dead cowboy bodies off the stage after the main character shot them. I decided it would be a great idea if I slipped money into the murderers hands every time to give my character a bit more meaning in the story. In 9th grade I was given the part of Penny, the swan princess in the play Honk!. I actually was sick the day of auditions, and came back to school a few days later and was informed that my classmates had decided I should play Penny. That was the first time I had ever sung in front of an audience solo. It was petrifying because when ever I sung at home my brothers would tell me I sucked. That same year I auditioned for the high school drama teacher Mr. Moroz. I sang Funny Honey from the play Chicago which was what we would be performing the next year. I was given the part of Mona and loved every minute of being on stage. We performed at the Cowichan Community Center Theater which is the largest stage in my hometown. Then in 11th grade I was a background performer and a choir singer for the play Red, Hot and Cole. Then 12th grade came along and we were to perform Annie. I was given the part of one of the orphans and was pretty pleased with all my lines and songs and solos until we started rehearsing in class and I couldn't hit this one note. I was extremely embarrassed and my confidence was shot down. Along with my sorrows of being a crappy singer I felt very alone. I didn't have any friends in that class and often was mistreated and shunned by other students. I dropped out of the class and I regretted every minute of it for a long time. I watched my class perform and I saw their excitement and energy and it made me question why I left. Because I couldn't hit a note? Because some girls that I didn't want to be friends with were rude to me? 2 years after graduation I left my small town to attend the Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts and pursue my life long dream of being an actress. Now I know that I may not hit every note, and not everyone will be kind, I may get small roles and I may get big roles. But I am here, and I am doing it and I am thankful for every moment."

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SUKHMEET SACHAL

"I am a 22 year old adventurous, hard-worker who believes in giving back to the community whole heartedly. As an immigrant to Canada, I faced challenges growing up but overcame them through the support of my parents and brother. My name, Sukhmeet, means to bring a smile to others, and this is how I hope I make everyone feel when I am with them. I love volunteering my time, whether it be doing a medical mission in Uganda or spending five months in the cold Arctic teaching Inuit Youth sciences."

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DANIELLE BERMEL

"I love to make people laugh and help people through tough times. Try to enjoy each day and have no regrets. Life is to short."

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SHENDRITA AJVAZI

"I am an adventurous, animal loving positive soul. I am grateful for my life, friends & family. Most importantly my children, Paris and Alice. (Dog & bunny) I believe my goal in life is to bring laughter and happiness to whomever crosses my path." 

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JESSE DAY

"I am an actor, rapper and speaker who has spent the majority of my career in Seoul, Korea doing travel programs and presenting around the world for LG Electronics. I am now back in Canada looking to begin a new journey in Hip-Hop music. I believe that the most important thing in life is for everyone to show kindness and compassion to one another and I hope that humanity will eventually develop a deeper understanding of one another that will allow us to move forward free from the chains of bias and discrimination."

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NEMO CARTWRIGHT

"I am a Vancouver based actor, visual artist, and voice talent. I began my performance career on stage as a clown and fire performer while dabbling in stand-up and burlesque. I have found my true passion in front of the camera and lending my voice to animation and gaming projects.."

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AXEL ZAREBSKI

"My name is Axel, I am originally Mexican Polish and move to Canada 5 years ago. I really enjoy traveling and meeting new people but the thing I enjoy the most is making people happy. I joined the Canadian military two years ago in the hope to add some excitement into my life and pay my studies. I aspire to be a war correspondent."

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EDISON LEE

"I'm Edison Lee. I grew up in Vancouver, BC. It has been a wonderful place to live and I wish more people could see how nice it is. I have been a science nerd growing up, then an aspiring actor, and then ended up in medical school in which I recently graduated from. I am starting a surgical internship in Portland, Oregon this summer but my ultimate goal is to be an interventional radiologist where my passion lies. I am very thankful for all the people I've met along the way, who taught me things, supported me and accompanied me on my journey."

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ANTONIO CAVALIER

"I am a professional Actor/Model. 
My passion is singing, be it in my band,open mic sessions, or musician Jams. 
Singing is to me , my catharsis of life as much as meditation even more so , it allows me to express emotions and demonstratively pour my soul and spirit out onto the stage. 
My genre I sing is primarily covers of love ballads by classic rock bands. 
I love to run/jog/mountain hike and have done so all my life. 
Wu Shu Gong Fu , also is a life long passion. 
I am very grateful to have had parents that set an example of what true love is, my parents met in 1954 and courted three years and then married in 1957, they remained married 58 years , to only each other , no divorce , no other spouses. My parents were 15 years of age and 18 years of age when they began courting . My mother died two years ago and my father is still alive at 82 years old, a love like that that lasts "until death due we part "though heretofore alluded me , but I am grateful to have empirically witnessed that it in deed can and does exist. 
I am grateful to have had the parents I had, whom remained committed to each other as they had promised they would in there marriage vows ,to have be raised in an environment that forged integrity and candour, egalitarianism , gender equality , there was no such thing as "women's work , nor men's work in our family home , I washed dishes and mopped floors and set tables with my sisters. 
I am grateful to have been raised by parents that did not force organized religion upon me but yet instilled in me their belief in God ( yet tolerated my years of phycology and philosophical university text book and academic readings and studies of nihilism and Fredriche Nietzsche and existentialism and my proclamations of my proposed Atheism ) but that my personal body is my temple , and I need not attend a religious building to find or commune with God ( as they had been raised in)but that God is with me where ever I am in my portable "church" as I run , hike, sing, labour, do paper work. I am in retrospect glad my parents let me live life empirically and decide on my own if I had a God or not. Yet they assuredly did and do and on my own I came to have such as well and took the eclectic esoteric learnings with a grain of salt. Ha ha
 I am grateful for having grown up in a family , whereas I did not have to acquaint myself to step siblings as is the norm. 
I am grateful for parents that told me I could be or do anything I set my mind to do, but that I must do it only own , that if I wished to go to university , then get a job or five jobs , but don't look to them to pay for it, they taught me that weakens the tenacious spirit of a person and I learned later on in life they were correct . 
I am thankful my parents had liberated minds to a point but a balanced with conservative morals. 
I am grateful my parents both stood up for women's liberation in its inception and stood up for racial equality and would not tolerate racism. 
 When I was a boy of six years if age my parents adopted my youngest sister as a baby , she is First Nations aboriginal, my mother recognized in the late 1960's what is only now coming to the conscious awareness of Canadians in that the land we walk upon as being unceded land of First Nations and my mother being Métis (my Great Grandmother was Cree First Nations born on Peguis reserve north of Winnipeg) My mother wanted to give back to the people whom walked this countries land ten thousand years. 
I am grateful that that my parents gave nothing material to me and taught me how to "swim" in life on my own . 
The metaphor , or analogy is that the First Nations would toss the infant into the lake and slowly paddle away , forcing the infant to "sink or swim" on its own , my parents have me absolutely nothing in life in the way of money or material things and I am grateful for it !!! 
Anything I have I had to work for , save for . 
My parents have me the most valuable thing anyone can give , they gave me their "time"! 
That is love . 
Bruce Lee whom held a University of Seattle degree in philosophy , famously stated " life is nothing but time, hence if you love life , don't waste time !"My mother parents taught me the greatest gift you can give a person is your "time" , as it is the essence of your life. 
Love is not material
gifts you can buy. "

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OLUWASEUN 'SHEY-WUN' ADEMUWAGUN

I am software engineer in Vancouver. You can just call me Seun “Shay-woon.” Do not call me “Sean.”

Looking back, I think it was very interesting how I got into software engineering. I originally wanted to be a doctor when I was a kid. Medicine was considered very prestigious. I did well in school so I naturally gravitated to this prestigious profession. Things changed in high school. My friends had just read Rich Dad Poor Dad. They kept talking about entrepreneurship. Something about entrepreneurship stood out to me: creating a company; leaving a legacy. It all felt exhilarating. Till today, I have not read Rich Dad Poor Dad but it definitely had a big impact on my life.

When the time came to apply for college, I decided to go with Computer Science instead of Medicine. I had never programmed. I had never shown any inclination with technology or computers. My brother was actually the tech guy at home. I just sat around and watched TV. I was fascinated by the possibility of starting a software company to solve varying problems. I took a gamble on Computer Science which could have been disastrous if I did not take to programming in college. Fortunately, I did.

I have not started my company yet. That’s still a goal of mine. I want to do something that simplifies some fundamental aspect of everyday life. I want my kids to brag to their friends that the reason that so-and-so exists today is because of something dad did. This movie is still in production. Hopefully, it pans out well.

Things I am grateful:
I am grateful for my family, especially my mom and my siblings (2 sisters and 1 brother), and even extended family, aunts, uncles and cousins. I wish I talked to them more often. I am currently reading 7 Habits of an Effective Person. One of the things that stood out to me was defining your personal mission statement. One key aspect of my mission statement is to keep in touch more with my loved ones, see what’s going on in their lives. I don’t do that enough. 

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ALIZZA ATUN

"I believe that beauty comes from the inside out. Growing up, I always was insecure about something - whether it be my jiggly thighs, thick frizzy hair, darker complexion, or acne. I consider myself to be a kind-hearted, reserved, empathetic individual who strives to help others to the best of their abilities. I dream to pursue a job either in law, psychology, or modeling. I would also like to save up to be able to move out and get myself a little pet friend and possibly my dream car, Mini Cooper Countryman."

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MAX SEGURA

"24 year old Mexican that came to Canada to become a future multicultural business man, but during that path I discovered that I was very much into arts most likely photography, modeling and painting. When a photographer offer me the chance to model, he push me into this cool, artistic world; my aspiration is still to finish my studies to become what I wanted in the first place and travel the world doing businesses but while doing that doing and living my passion which is modeling."

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LEANNA

"When I think about my life I can say currently what it revolves around is love and resistance. These things mean a lot to me."

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CLIFFORD UPHAM

I have never been a natural at anything. Whether it's making someone laugh, surfing, acting, guitar, snakeboarding (if you're not sure what that is you are not alone...) managing, biking, or relationships. Everything I am remotely decent at has taken me years of practice and even then I have a long way to go. On this journey I have fallen many times but I always find a way to get up and keep going. I have been overlooked, undervalued, prejudged and tossed aside but I have no thought of stopping because one day I will show everyone who I really am. If you love something enough and you work hard enough, you can achieve greatness. I don't give up ever if I love something because it doesn't make sense to give up on love. I commit almost to a fault as I can sometimes get lost in doing the work. I had a boss once tell me "how you do anything is how you do everything" which I firmly believe and apply to my daily life. I am constantly changing, growing, evolving and never feel like the same person as the day before. 
I'm not saying I don't have hard days where those doubts are tough to shut up because I do. However, in my hours of need I am reminded how lucky I am. I have an incredibly supportive and close family who constantly cheer me on. I have a beautiful and hilarious wife who is also my best friend. She pushes me to do things even if I'm unsure because she knows it will benefit me. My friends are some of the most amazing and fun loving people on the planet. With a team like that in my corner there is no way I can fail and if I do it will only be a minor set back in story. 
For all the reasons I have listed above and more is why I have chosen to be an Actor. There is nothing quite like the feeling you get when you embody a character and lose yourself in their shoes. Acting is about making a real connection with someone and feeling what is in them. It's crazy how rare it is to find connections like that in today's world especially with everyone looking down at their phones. Acting is something that terrifies me and calms me at the same time. It's a thirst that will never be quenched because there is always something more you can do. As an Artist you must trust yourself to let go and let the process lead you. 

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JEZABEL POIRIER

I am, therefore I think. I've been described as a deep thinker, and I'm an analytical type of person. I find inspiration in every religion and tradition. I also have a deep reverence for Life, human and animal, and at all stages of development. That's why I became vegan and came to describe myself as “pro-all-lives”, although I don't think of labels as being of much importance.

I grew up in the countryside, and generally prefer the quietness of rural villages over the busyness of big cities. However, I do like the Greater Vancouver area for its many good plant-based restaurants and other food options, parks, thrift stores, and various places of worship. In my spare time, I'm usually reading something, exploring another neighborhood, taking a therapeutical walk, or wandering in a thrift store. Or maybe I'm writing a poem or wishing I was taking a cross-country trip on an Amtrak train, which I have had the chance to do a few times, seeing various landscapes in North America. I'm a big fan of trains and train travels.

Avid learner, seeker and natural health enthusiast, I believe in “a healthy mind in a healthy body”, and that you'll feel right if you eat right. And after eating something (hopefully) healthy and delicious, I'll use a miswak over an artificial toothpaste (seriously, knowing about and using a miswak changed my life, or at least my dental hygiene life). And of course, keeping positive toughts is also essential to true well-being, not just of the self, but of the world. Because how can there be outer peace without inner peace? And how can there be a change without if there is no change within? This is why I believe that the fight is not a political, religious, ideological, or social one; but a spiritual one.

I'm an aspiring artist, and would love to inspire others as I have been inspired myself. I'm a natural writer, and I have been involved in theater before. I'm currently getting into acting as well.

But underneath it all, the most important question is not “WHAT will I do?”, but “WHO will I be?”.

Blessings.
 

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MILES ELLIS

"Several years ago a photographer was nice enough to retouch one of the photos that he took of me. I remember being excited about looking a lot better but then when I saw the end result I decided to go with the original photo. All of my flaws that make me me were Photoshopped away and I just looked like everyone else. I am grateful that I still appreciate and celebrate all of my beautiful flaws."
 

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