Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie Soledad.
Hi Marie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, my imagination and storytelling ability was my favorite pastime and greatest strength. I spent a lot of time alone as a kid waiting for the day I’d be able to leave my small (and shitty) hometown. Biding your time as a disabled closeted queer of color in a conservative rural area gets boring fast, so I turned to books, movies, television, music, video games, and literally anything that could emotionally transport me to another place. I was inspired by the artists that helped me pass the time before I could start my own life. I was determined to be just as captivating in my storytelling and art. Writing and stand-up comedy were my first and most consistent mediums because they don’t cost any money. When you’re broke, you try to see how far you can go without many resources. Luckily for me, I’m an incredible writer and a funny person, so I’ve been able to have fun for a long time with these art forms. I have also performed, directed, and produced for live shows and digital content, but writing will always be my first love. There’s just something so powerful in being able to conjure emotion through written and spoken words alone.
In 2013, I started college and stand up in Orange County and LA. I performed standup consistently, produced shows, and collaborated with fellow comics on digital content until COVID shutdown in 2020. When it became clear COVID was going to be a thing for a lot longer than a few months, I moved to North Carolina to get closer to family. Even though I was across the country, I still managed to perform in and produce virtual comedy shows and collaborate with other writers. Now, I’m moving back to beautiful SoCal to continue working with my artistic community IRL (once the WGA and SAG strikes are over, of course).
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’m a disabled queer of color and a woman in certain contexts. For most of my life, my identity was literally a punchline. Luckily, I learned how to send those punchlines right back.
The road has definitely not been smooth, but my mother didn’t raise me to expect a smooth road. She raised me to know that the road ahead would be rough and scary, racist and sexist, but to take it f*ck*ng anyway. What other choice do we have?
I work hard as hell to achieve my goals and never intend on stopping. There have definitely been times where I’ve been pissed and angry that I have to work harder than folks without the same oppressive obstacles, but I keep going. I’m an Aries sun, Leo rising, so I don’t think I could even stop if I wanted to.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a writer, actor, comedian, content creator, sensitivity reader, and creator of #HourglassSyndrome. I am very proud of my identity as a queer disabled mixed-race Filipina American. I’ve spent years studying race, culture, queerness, gender, sexuality, and disability from an intersectional feminist perspective to better understand myself and the world around me. I use my education and experience to create art that discusses the complexities of identity from a personal, cultural, and political perspective.
I love to educate people on complex issues in simple terms and using humor to get the information across. I didn’t come into this world knowing all the things I know now about social justice – and I’m forever going to be learning. The knowledge and insight I have now came from listening and being in a community with other queers of color, especially queer Black feminists. I never take for granted the kindness and patience people gave me as I was unlearning cishetero white supremacist patriarchy and I try to keep that spirit up. Although, I do allow myself (and others) the space to let justified anger, rage, and resentment come through.
Overall, I’m proud of my choices to live loudly and authentically me without shame.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Work hard, be kind, and show gratitude. I’ve always lived by those values and it’s helped me succeed academically, professionally, and creatively. People appreciate hard workers and like to be around nice people. Rarely do people actually express their gratitude, so it makes an impression when you let people know how much they mean to you.
I can’t network just to network. I don’t see the point in that and I’m pretty bad at faking interest in people. I only reach out to people if I truly resonate with their work or their vibe. And usually, I wait until I’ve made some type of impression on them (usually through work or a performance) before reaching out. However I end up connecting with someone, I always make sure to treat that person as a person and not just a step on a career ladder.
It may not get me the longest list of contacts, but I’d rather have a short list of real connections than a long list of people I barely know and who barely know me.
Contact Info:
- Website: mariesoledad.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/itsmariesoledad?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsmariesoledad?s=21&t=DtnHFXQGZMLgxiwZ1FaS7w
- Other: https://tiktok.com/@itsmariesoledad
