Today we’d like to introduce you to Amarna Miller.
Amarna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Amarna Miller (October 29th, 1990) and I’m a Spanish activist, writer and digital content creator. A year ago I decided to move to my van, a GMC Safari from the 99, to travel around the United States while showing my adventures and my alternative way of life through my social networks and my YouTube channel. I also talk about things that interest me and I feel the world needs to know: ecology, sustainability, emotional intelligence, feminism, sexual freedom…
Right now I’m very focused in my work as an activist, giving talks on ethical porn, feminism and motivational talks about how to fight for what you truly want to do with your life.
In addition I write guides related to feminism and gender theory through my Patreon page, like “The responsible Guide to Talk Ethically about Sex Work in the Media”, a manual of good practices so that journalists don’t perpetuate stereotypes or prejudices about sex work when they write their articles.
I’m graduated in Fine Arts, specialized in photography and video art. I love adrenaline and strange propositions, antiques, kittens and getting in trouble in cities no one has heard about before. I sold most of my stuff to be able to travel around.
In my spare time I plan to conquer the world.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
A large part of my work is based on the development of creative processes. Writing, recording videos, making scripts, taking photos… are actions that require my brain to be in the right mood to be creative. Nevertheless, until very recently I was spending more time and resources on simply looking for distributors and sponsors instead of doing what I really had to do: CREATE.
I was feeling very frustrated, and I couldn’t maintain a good balance between making money and doing what I want to do: dedicate my life to feminist activism while traveling around the world. Then I discovered Patreon, a micro patronage website based on the idea of having “patrons”. This means that my followers and the people who are inspired by my work can contribute with the amount of money they decide each month (from $1/month!) and in return they receive different rewards like postcards, unique content… and my eternal, undying love.
By this way my articles, my YouTube videos and my work can keep being independent, diverse and risky. Controversial, without compromise. Self-managed and self-funded. Free from the limits imposed by brands and distributors.
Now I don’t have to think in “what sells best”. Also, in this way all the content I create is free and available on the internet. And that’s incredible!
In the personal field I think moving to my van was a decisive step in my life.
I have never been a possessive person or accumulated many possessions, but having to put all your things in a car implies getting rid of a lot! Learning to live in a minimalist way has been intense, but very rewarding.
I’ve always been a traveler, moving from one country to another and exploring new places. But this has been the next step: living on the road. I’m a very positive person and I think that has helped me making the path smoother.
Amarna Miller – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My work is divided into three different branches:
1. My feminist activism, through which I write articles and guides and give talks. I am specialized in pro-sex feminism and the fight for the rights of sex workers. I think it is very difficult to find voices of sex workers who feel proud of being part of the industry. There is still a lot of stigma and a lot of misinformation in the business. What I try to do as an activist is to offer my vision, giving information and contrasted data so that people who have never had contact with this business understand the reality of it.
2. My work as a creator of digital content, especially through Instagram and YouTube. I use these platforms to show my lifestyle and encourage my followers to fight for the things that make them happy. I sold all my things, I bought a van and I threw myself on the road to live my dream. And now I’m very happy… It is possible, I promise! I think I try to tell people what I would have liked to know at the time. Is it possible to live on the road? How do you get the strength to do what you believe in? Many times we are paralyzed by our own fears and that prevent us from making decisions that we know will make us happy. In that sense I believe that a large part of my work is motivational.
3. Artistic creation, especially as a writer but also as a photographer. I travel to places in the world that are absolutely incredible, and I document everything in photos and video. I dived with white sharks in South Africa, sunk in quicksand in Australia and almost died a couple of times lost in a cave here in the United States. I have enough crazy things to tell! Sometimes I see myself like a little explorer, getting into trouble with my van. And I love it!
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I think that for many years I thought that success meant having a lot of money, getting interviews in the newspapers, having the media aware of your steps. That’s the idea they teach you since you’re little, right? Then I realized that most people work in a certain way and in certain things because that is what is expected of them. They really don’t like what they do, but they get enough benefits (money, status …) to continue doing it.
I was lucky enough to start thinking about these issues from a very early age. I asked myself what were the things I really wanted to do, and tried to see if they fit with what was expected of me. Hint: no, they didn’t fit. I wanted to travel, I wanted to live, and I wanted to have experiences that didn’t fit in a “normative” job.
Then I felt scared. Because when you decide to do things differently, you become the black sheep. They criticize you. They don’t believe in your choices. So many people told me I was going to fail. I can’t even remember! But with work, effort and perseverance I’m still here, doing what I want. And I’m very happy and proud of it.
I think that my idea of success is very related to courage. The courage to choose the profession you really want, the lifestyle that makes you happy, above what is expected of you.
I’ve pondered a lot about how I got to this point in my life. What do I want to dedicate myself to? What do I want to sell? How do I define myself? Traveler, blogger, youtuber? Artist? Writer? I have recently come to the conclusion that I have nothing to sell, but things to tell. I’m a born communicator.
I started all this madness not because I wanted to be rich but because I wanted to be visible in order to share the things that I feel are important with the people who follow me.
In that sense, I think that my idea of success is to be able to have people who feel moved by what I do. It’s incredible to think that my articles or the videos I record for YouTube can affect people’s lives.
When someone sends me a message saying “Your speech has marked me”, “You have put into words what I feel” …wow. That has more value than a thousand interviews and all the money I can earn in my career.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram: www.instagram.com/amarnamiller
- Facebook: Youtube: www.youtube.com/amarnamiller
- Twitter: Twitter: www.twitter.com/amarnamiller
- Other: Patreon: www.patreon.com/amarnamiller
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
