Ever since I was a kid, stuff just hurt. Feet, knees, neck, ribs, back, shoulders, pelvis. Constant sciatica & bursitis, hiding behind endearing clumsiness & dry humor. I walked like Nathan Lane’s John Wayne impression from The Birdcage; people just thought I was giving them a little swagger moment. If every step you take hurts, a bone-deep, subconscious belief creeps in that everything you do is actually wrong & bad. It’s all in your head, diva! For shame! One of countless orthopedic surgeons (MAN!) said I was probably just depressed & needed to drink more water. He was right, but that’s beside the point. It wasn’t until an OBGYN (WOMAN!) advocated for an MRI & eventual proper diagnosis — a small birth defect in my hip, absolutely rocking my shit since day one. After the trifecta that was losing my mom to her long battle with poverty & addiction, pandemic WFH isolation, & major corrective surgery, the fire inside me burnt out. I felt incapable of being in my body, let alone leading a work call. It took two medical leaves, months of intensive trauma therapy, & stepping away from my corporate career to realize that stuff isn’t supposed to just hurt. I slowly put down the penjamin & picked up the yoga mat. I started singing again around the house. I started to believe that I was healing. I started calling myself an artist. I am so grateful & terrified to announce that I’m taking the leap to pursue my talents for performance & photography full time under the name Effie Mack. Life may be short, but it’s never too late. In a world that’s lost its humanity, I want to help people find joy in the little moments that make us human. I remember feeling safe with my mom when she played her favorite music. I’m choosing to create at that crossroads of grief & joy for my first big show as Effie, featuring So. Many. Amazing. Artists. MUCH more to come, but if you’re in the NYC area please come & bring a friend or three. Proceeds go to @aliforneycenter to support queer & trans youth. P.S. If you’re reading this, drink more water pls & ty 📸 @josephomalleyarts #healing #perform #artist #ptsd #pain #chronicpain #inspiration #artist #singer #music #cabaret