📸: @emiliomadrid for @broadwaycom Sitting at lunch with so many of my heroes for @dramaleague awards was the biggest pinch me moment yet. My favorite moment was getting to reminisce with the glorious @kelliohara about meeting at my production of seussical jr when I was 13 years old. I was reminded by everyone in that room what it means to be a storyteller, how hard I had to work to get here and why I started all of this in the first place. The press aspect of all of this can sometimes make the art feel entirely commercial, but this event reminded me of the importance of community and that as storytellers we hold a responsibility and power to keep stories told to make sure none of us get desensitized to our emotions cause then we’ve lost everything. It is our responsibility as people with the privilege of being artists to tell the stories of underrepresented groups mostly. Representation matters isn’t just a slogan it’s literally life or death as we’re seeing currently. I’ve grown up in a world that’s seen the Arab culture as collateral damage in war after war after war. We have the power of fighting dehumanization directly and daily for all people, and I try to hold on to that little glimmer of hope.