Hello Friends, I think today’s episode of Welcome to the Garden is so, so lovely because I’m chatting with one of my very favorite people in the whole wide world. Tanya O’Debra has been one of my dearest friends for two-and-a-half decades now (!), and we’ve seen each other through so very many joys; and some of the worst, most terrible heartbreaks. Through it all, we’ve chosen to be family, and we’ve learned so much about love — especially the fact that love is a choice, and we get to choose how we want to love. We have and will always continue to help each other become the people we want to be. So, we talk a lot in this episode about love and what we’ve learned together over the years. Tanya also talks about her 25-year career as an independent artist in the New York City theater scene, how the institutions have changed, and why that played a part in her branching off into independent filmmaking. I’m especially excited for you to hear all about the movie she’s getting ready to make. “It’s called half-pint,” Tanya tells us, “and it’s the story of an 11-year-old dork who pretends to be a vampire in order to scare the neighborhood bullies. And it’s very, very tender.” It is. So tender! I got to read the script before our chat, and I had to just hug my phone when I finished because I love the story, and Tanya, and her main character, Darla, so much. We talk a lot about other choices, too. What we choose to do in life, and the reasons it’s so important to make choices right now — in this current political landscape — even when none of the choices available seem like good ones. Tanya reminds us of the importance of art, and storytelling, and why creation, in all its many forms, is vital right now. As I listened to our conversation over again, I felt inspired and hopeful, and I think you will too. And my goodness, hope sure is at a premium right now, isn’t it? You’ll also hear about how you can help Tanya get this movie made! “There is a crowdfunding campaign that people could donate to, if they so choose,” Tanya says. “It feels weird to be asking people for money in this political landscape,” she adds, “but I also feel like, if we don’t have art and we don’t have stories, what do we have? I’m just not going to give this administration my whole life, you know what I mean? I’m going to keep living my life. They can’t have it.” Hooray! The link to Tanya’s crowdfunding campaign is here: https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/tanya-o-debra/campaigns/7010?fbclid=IwY2xjawJsoZFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHq2Qm_cBtIVr9MTkxDV-OjNzcO2uiBohnrHpuZG6agHV-ML_R8Br63URvxlL_aem_y9MYre2WcwpBc3yEdPAzuw And once you hear more about the script, I know you’re going to want to be a part of this project. Personally, I’ve never wanted to see a movie more in my entire life! The story of this misfit girl standing up to bullies resonates so strongly right now, and is an empowering reminder that we who are different — who will be othered by those who are trying to force the world to be remade in this weird, creepy image — we are inherently in community with each other now. And we do have power over our own lives. We get to make choices. And we get to make art, and create things. And we get to keep loving each other. So, friends, I hope you enjoy this conversation with my very dear friend Tanya, and I hope you leave this space feeling the same hope and inspiration I felt talking about all these many things. I’m sending you all tons of love from here, Jodie p.s. Here’s the rest of the links we talked about: ✨ Tanya’s website is: http://tanyaodebra.com, where you can read all about her adventures in life and, under the Upcoming tab, read more about her film, half-pint. Be sure to sign up for her email newsletter while you’re there! Tanya is a prolific creator, and I’m sure you’ll want to keep up to date on everything she’s got planned. 🌱 In the episode, we mention another recent episode I did with my friend, Ade. You can listen to that episode here: https://jodiefletcher.substack.com/p/balancing-instead-of-bypassing-with 🐝 If you want to hear from me regularly, you can subscribe at: jodiefletcher.substack.com and you’ll receive each new episode of Welcome to the Garden, and each new issue of the companion newsletter, Notes from the Garden, right in your email inbox. 🦋 And if you’re interested in booking a reading with me or purchasing one of my books, you can find both those things on my website at www.thedevicconnection.com. Thank you so much for listening, and I’m so glad you’re here! 💚 Did you know that on Substack you can comment on podcast episodes?! I’d love to hear if anything about my chat with Tanya really resonated for you! Feel free to comment and let me know! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jodiefletcher.substack.com
