Adela: 0:09

Hello, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Artist Within podcast. I am Adela Hitel, your host for this season. This season is Road to Resilience and it is produced by Project Human Think a new way to think about mental and emotional health and our whole mission is to advocate, educate and inform you of your individual rights and worths and ways that you have the ability and the power to change your life. We're just here to advocate for that. We are not medical professionals by any means, so please seek medical professional help in any shape or form that you may need to. You can find resources on our website or you can reach out to your local services as well as 988. That is an amazing resource that you guys can call right away if you need instantaneous help or conversation. And I'm really, really excited, I'm really really excited about my next guest.

Adela: 1:02

The reason why I'm excited about my next guest is because I met her about five years ago and it was on my journey with Leilana Hurley with the Parachute Goddess Project, embrace Beauty Magazine, and when I started just my whole space and finding my place in the art world and where I was going to be and what I was going to do, and I happen to have come across amazing humans, but this particular one just is her joy, her light, her just her presence. It infuses me with just so much happiness and I can't wait for you to hear her story. I can't wait for you guys to you know, speak with her or hear her speak with you too. But just so you know, this is our second meeting now. We met one time for maybe an hour and we've connected on a beautiful level that has obviously transcended the time and space.

Adela: 1:50

And through all of this, and I've had the privilege of watching her go through social media here and there and see what she has been able to accomplish and achieve not only for herself as a influencer, but as a model and as an advocate in her space and place, but also as a human who has some challenges she's overcome and is going to continue to overcome, but her spirit is just beyond resilient. It's literally the epitome of the season. So, without further ado, I would love to introduce you to Shendell Friedman, and she is coming up on our screen right now. Here's our gorgeous face. Please do me the honor and introduce yourself a little bit better than I did and give our listeners a little bit of a background story of who you are, how you've come to where you are right now and then how we met.

shendel: 2:54

Well, first of all, I just want to say I think she kind of summarized that better than I could, Like I'm literally about sitting here about to cry, like that was so beautiful and I'm really thankful that we got to meet again. And I think, by the the way, it was more than an hour and it was because you did my makeup for me for that photo shoot, so that was like we were connecting, because beauty is beauty. So, um, yeah, so I um, work in public relations and media. Currently I am 24.

shendel: 3:25

I was born and raised in Los Angeles and at the age of two I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy in a really, really mild and rare form, where my only real issue with it is balance and mobility, for which I use canes, walkers, wheelchairs, again, depending on the place, the time, the need, etc. And growing up I was really really struggling with, like finding myself and kind of finding my identity, because you kind of are in a space of like everyone around me is functioning as like for lack of better term normal and you have this thing that makes you a little bit different and society historically has not reacted well to people with disabilities or disabilities generally. So when you're kind of thrust into it, it's like, okay, well, now we gotta kind of thrust into it. It's like, okay, well, now we got to kind of find our way and adapt and deal. So I went to school, did my whole thing with school academically, public, private college and I kind of realized when I was 18 or 19 that I definitely want to have a career where I can use my voice in a way that is inspiring to people, but also do it with other people's voices as well, which is again why I joined public relations and media, because it kind of fuses it together, because you work with the brands and the people and helping them find their voice in their place, while you know representing myself and like putting a piece of myself into that work.

shendel: 5:06

So I started with that and then, most recently, I signed with two agencies, one in Canada well, one in Canada and one in the US and also in Europe and it is one of the biggest I yeah, one of the biggest inclusive modeling slash talent agencies in, I think right now the only one, so, um, other than the Canadian one. So that is kind of like a new thing. Congratulations. Where that goes, we'll see where that goes. You know auditioning and doing all of those things, so I don't know when my moment's gonna be, but I it's. I guess it's on its way. So, um, yeah, so that's a little bit, and I love that.

Adela: 5:54

Like gosh, I just love listening to you talk. It's, it's so thank you, I know I'm like just, oh yeah, it's like butter, like it's beautiful. I hope you guys are listening.

shendel: 6:06

Literally, literally.

Adela: 6:07

Like it's oh, thank you, Believe me everybody. People say that to me too. They tell me that my voice, my cadence is soothing to them and they can listen to me and I'm like really Really. It's Adela, though You're like hi hi, I'm like yeah yeah, right, totally.

Adela: 6:25

Um. So, uh, let me ask you before we get into the questions of of our core conversation uh, when you and I met, uh, you said you and I bonded over makeup. So uh, when, when we met, I, I was it was my very first time on my very travel trip, just in general, anywhere like on work or any of that sort of race.

shendel: 6:44

I was like, oh my god, yeah, um and LA being your first trip, that was kind of like a big one girl.

Adela: 6:50

LA's well-living right girl, I I've been blessed by all means and shapes and forms of being able to, like I said, get in touch with just people, humans and and opportunities to to experience and try and, you know, learn what I want to learn so that I can become what I want to become. So that trip was extremely special to me and meeting you and meeting some of the other humans that we met in that. What can you tell me about that trip for you, or our meeting? What was that like for you?

shendel: 7:24

So I was 18, going on, 19 because we filmed it in January and my birthday is in April. So I was literally I'm still young, but I was younger and I think I was in that weird space and time where you don't really know what you're going to do yet and you don't know where you're going to go. But I always kind of knew that, like, not specifically parachute goddess project or meeting you early, lana, or any of the people involved in that, but just the whole thing of like, what we created in like and how much it impacted people. I think I always kind of knew that that would I, that's what I was gonna do, and if I got the opportunity to make my platform bigger or got an opportunity where my platform would expand like, that's that's how I would want to reach people, not in some superficial way, but in like. I'm in I'm making impactful media. So, like, impactful like. The reason why I would do, for example, a Sephora campaign is not because I need to be in a Sephora campaign, it's because Sephora wants disabled people or, you know, any brand.

shendel: 8:36

So I think our project that we did even though it was kind of you know last minute and she ended up doing my makeup in a back of like a Yukon, but it was the best, and like I was wearing a sweat set from Gap which I still have, by the way and like it was just like it was like an hour and a half of like a 24 hour weekend and it was just crazy, but I think it like my picture specifically. I look back at that and like that's a good, not only like facially and like body wise, but also like how much I've grown and how much more comfortable I've become with it. And you know then. You know I wasn't interviewing, I didn't work yet, I didn't have it. It I had connections, of course, because the reason I got the Paris to product goddess project was because of, like, the connections that I had then.

shendel: 9:31

But you know it, just it kind of opened the door like maybe I can do this, and because of those pictures and other ones and recent photo shoots I've done like that's one of the reasons why the agencies ended up signing me and and all of those different things. So I think, even though those were pictures and we didn't really have any video evidence of it other than, you know, small Instagrams, I think that time and those pictures and that hour and a half on the beach in January like made like a bigger impact than I thought it was going to be, which is exactly what I thought it was going to do, and I think, yeah, that kind of I guess that kind of started it, but I could say I could say that for a lot of things, but that was one of the many.

Adela: 10:17

So yeah, I've seen. It's beautiful because, again, what you realize through these moments, you know it takes one human or one brand or one thing for you to, for you to be believed, you know, and just for them to see you and see who you are, and not necessarily just as I'm a pretty face when I am this great thing, but as a human being with a story, with a heart, with passion and with commitment to something that it might be different or or it might look different or might sound different, but with the understanding that we're human beings and that art has a way of connecting us and creating pathways for us that are just so.

Adela: 11:03

Again, this is our second conversation, like a full conversation another hour another hour and a half, and this time again on a different level and not on a beach or the cool thing we're known for an hour and a half spurts every five years, but that's okay that's, you know, maybe not, maybe not, but, but you know.

Adela: 11:22

But, but you know, I love that, like you know, and part of that is that our, our meeting and our connection transcends age, time, space and all of that. Like I'm 37. I want you guys to know she's in her bones, no one's counting, but but it goes to show you that when you see humans for humans, and see their souls and their energies, and art can connect you in a way, whether that's through photography, through makeup at the time that it did for us in that way or through, you know, whatever you create it, it really transcends past anything because you can pick up where you left off, with the same passion, with this energy that's infused in your cells. Right, I talked about that joy in the beginning. It really is so joyful to be on a call with you and to conversate with you and to see your smiling face and to see and for it to transcend, right, Because it's so hard.

Adela: 12:25

You know, COVID and all of these things that are coming in, technology, just all these, everything that's happening is separating us from just these connections. Right, it really is. And we, if anything has taught us if, at least from my perspective now, art is one way that we can imprint and we can communicate and we can feel each other, even when we're not together, and feel the thought of that human and smile or think of a memory or just something can kind of click on that. So I want to ask you how do you believe art influences our understanding of our human existence and how do you think it contributes to our overall health?

shendel: 13:10

well, first of well, first of all, when I was growing up and when I was um. I still do it. Actually, one of the ways I connect with a lot of my friends, especially my friends, is through art and in the school and through my academic journey, which also became my professional journey, I went down the path of creativity or creative subjects or creative jobs. For example, like I was never good at math, I was okay at science, but english and social studies and art, history and all of those different things like that's where I flourish. Like I can write you a five-page paragraph on, like the difference between jeff koons and dolly, but I can't you know ymx plus b. Like girl.

Adela: 14:05

The only, yeah, the only the only algebra math equation I know is that accountability plus responsibility equals consequences.

shendel: 14:15

That's it, that's the only equation I know and understand of life, don't don't ask me what the slope of a line is. Don't ask me like you know yeah like you know, all of those things.

shendel: 14:28

I mean I have to do them, but, um, it was very hard. And then, um, I again back to like my friends and my family. Like one of the ways that we do that is either museums or operas or performances like musicals and stuff like that Sing-alongs sometimes, because in LA they have like something every week, as you I'm sure you knew because, or I'm sure you saw that because you just came back from your most recent trip or like TV shows is a big one, like a lot of us like watch the same tv shows and we're into the same actors and where you know those, that weird group of girls who like google somebody and like and who they're married to and and how many kids do they have, and go follow them on instagram and all of that stuff and like, not in like a stalkerish way, but like a like a fan.

shendel: 15:26

Fan based Fans. Guys, we're fans the fandom space, like with books and movies, and books that go to shows and stuff like that.

shendel: 15:35

So for me that was kind of like a way to deal with everything going on. I definitely think that things like books, movies, tv is like another world that you can go into. And I mean, I've always wanted to like act and you know, like my biggest, I guess my biggest like dream, in a way, is like to like be on a show or like you know and and I'm not saying that that wouldn't happen, but like that's yeah so we all gotta start somewhere in dreaming I mean, all right, I know, and like now, with the agency, you never know what can happen, so I'm not saying no to it, but I'm also not saying yes, um, so, um, like stuff like that, where, like, art transcends and like and like.

shendel: 16:21

One of the best feelings for me, I think, in my emotional, like well being, in my mental well being, is like when you read a book and there's like a scene in a book and like I don't know whether it's well written, or if the actor who's playing that character, like said the monologue in a certain way, or or if, like, something crazy happened, like in a book or a movie or whatever, or like a adaptation, and like you get to see, like the different perspectives of like people. Like you ask, like someone, um, like, what do you think of this and what do you think of this? And everyone's opinion is different and you know everybody like, likes different characters and and likes that character for their own reasons. And it's like you connect but you. You connect because you differ, but you also connect because it's like the same topic. Does that make sense? Well, you find.

Adela: 17:15

You found you find grounding and commonality. You know in in something that everybody can can connect to, despite it being different in perspectives.

shendel: 17:25

And that's the cool thing about it you get to learn about human beings because of their differences and not only that, but like the best feeling is when you get like your really close friends into it and then, because you guys are so close, um, like you guys fangirl over the same thing, and it's just like this little thing that like exists because of you know, like the 500 people on the set somewhere, like you know it's crazy, and like it's with books, with movies, and it definitely helps your wellbeing because it connects you with people.

shendel: 18:02

And connection like helps your mental health, your emotional health. Um, and also I think one of the big reasons for me even though like physicality isn't really in that it's that you know I can't really do sports, I can't really have, you know, that group thing that you would have with sports or with you know the different extracurriculars that you would physically be able to do. So one of the ways that we kind of made it my thing is like how can I take this book that I'm reading, or how can I take the show that I'm watching, or whatever is a movie that I just stumbled upon randomly scrolling on Netflixflix? Like how can I connect with people? And you know my friends over it?

shendel: 18:48

and that's how we've connected like literally and because of those things, like I've also met like actors and and friends and and it's gotten to the point where I have friends who are actors and who are in tv shows, and it's like and it and it's gotten to the point where I get texts like oh, did you watch tonight's episode at like 8 pm and I was like well, duh, obviously Like questions like so what'd you think, Like how was it? And I was like you did, fine, You're good, Like it's okay, Like you know stuff, like that. So it's kind of grown, I guess, into this community. But it's interesting because everyone's opinion is different. But it definitely helps make connections, which is what, like the human beings are supposed to do. So, yeah, it's one of those.

shendel: 19:35

I hope you got it?

Adela: 19:38

Yeah, no, it's one of those things where it's what I found to be the one thing art that literally bridges every part of our being our physical being, our mental being, our emotional being, our spiritual being and it connects the conscious level to our existence so that the subconscious doesn't have the ability to necessarily control everything out of it. You know, because when you're conscious about your state of being, of where you're at and what, who you are, you know what you want, you know what your limits are, what your capabilities are, what your potential is. When you know your potential that surpasses any limitations you have, and when you understand that, then you can really consciously work in conjunction with your whole other existence, no matter what, again, the limitations you may possess or may be there, to push through and break barriers and break grounds, past again what society tells you you should be, where you could go, what you you should do, how you you should think, yeah, and? And when we don't allow ourselves to experience our own thoughts and our own individuality through this collective being as a society, being, being the being, then what we do end up is turning against each other and using our differences for weaponizations against each other, versus going like holy crap, I really like your perspective. It's come, I didn't even think about it, like how could I have not seen it from that or what can we try that like the offense we take when somebody has something to say to improve our ideas or our stances on something, or just to even add, we don't look at it as value, we look at it as, again, an offense.

Adela: 21:20

And art has a way for transcending that offense and and creating a space where we can go. Well, this TV show, this book, this film, this project, this art piece, it is subjective but it starts a common conversation and it starts a common conversation about places and spaces and important conversations we need to have, and it gives us a space to have those conversations because, well, it's art and the way we would look at it when people go well, it's art, well, yes, it is art, but it's art in a way that, again, can absolutely heal and provide us with a pathway that man can change our lives, and not only that.

shendel: 22:02

but for me, you know, know because I went to school with a lot of artists and I went to, you know, I know a lot of artists in their own, in their own way, and the best thing is when you've known someone for so long and they have their moment in, whether it's a like an adaption of, like a book that they like read when they were like in high school, or something really popular and like you would think like obviously they're the bigger the book and the bigger the fan base, like you know, billboards and all of that stuff everywhere, which is cool.

shendel: 22:38

But also like having that conversation of like what did like a character do, or like your favorite character, do that I like portrayed, like knowing that, like we know each other, like face to face, like how, like, how did that make you feel? And like stuff like that, like why is this your favorite? Or why is this your favorite? Or like, and sometimes the answer is not even like something crazy, it's something like oh, his hair is blonde. It was like okay, good for you. Then I guess you have a like. Yeah, I guess you have a type if we're like going there, like you know, and or like you're into fairies or zombies or whatever, or like fantasy or you know, it could be law and order, like we could have a whole conversation about like special victims unit and why special victims unit has been on for like 20 years, you know.

Adela: 23:27

Yeah, well, I want to tell your point on that. One of the things you you, when I, when we wrote these, when you wrote in here and said that is, is how art has the ability to again provide education, emotional healing, but and it can stimulate your growth and your cognitive, your cognitive growth, your in, it can stimulate your growth and your cognitive, your cognitive growth. You're in every shape or form just because, once you start learning and seeing different perspectives again, those different views you get to see, you get to start forming different perspectives for your own life. Uh, but in here, what really kind of got to me as someone who, uh, I just recently underwent a huge health uh thing and I got my my A++ clean bill of health, which is fantastic, so I'm very, very excited about that Just had my last week follow up, so those are all great things.

Adela: 24:15

But one of the key things that I didn't know or didn't recognize or we didn't have was the stress levels that you know we are under constantly, especially if you come from a traumatic past or if you have experiences in your life that you've had challenges to overcome, or you do have a disability. Again, these are all, one way or another, traumatic portions on your body or in your mind, on your soul, and all of that. And art has a way of having the ability to genuinely create a space and place for you to reduce your stress by allowing yeah.

Adela: 24:54

One of the things. Again, we're not medical professionals, but we're going to get into some words that are said out there, so that way you understand for your own self. But you wrote in here the cortisol levels, um and uh, that piece cortisol. Cortisol is one of the it's our, it's the stress hormone. It's the thing that makes us like all obviously excited but also stressed, and it makes us, it makes the adrenaline go, but also can be very detrimental. Uh, in our, in our society.

Adela: 25:25

What do you think has has been the greatest impact to creating the levels of stress that we have right now, you know? Do you think it's expectations of what, what we should be, could be? Or you know our potential, where we'll be, especially in America, because we're so privileged, like, let's be real, um and then, but on, uh and then and then. How do you think they are those desires? Or maybe that's a societal expectation? Um, how can we, as a collective, use our arts to maybe lower that right, like, lower the heat and put ourselves down, and because it really can kill us? Um, and this isn't just for artists, this isn't just for this is every single human being, you know, going through something. Your stress levels are so impacted on a daily basis. Um, you know.

Adela: 26:17

So what do you think personally? Because you're, you live in a, you know, you live in la, you live in a space that's in a place that's very fast paced. That is just constantly like listen, I just came right, I just I just came back from it and people are like Adela, you're moving here. I was like no, no, no, no. I like my little countryside, south Florida, like space. So how do you think that contributes to? Yeah, well, how do you think that contributes to that and how do you think we can use art?

shendel: 26:46

to maybe as a collective bring that down.

shendel: 26:51

Yeah, so here's the thing. So I was born and raised in LA, so for me everything that happens in LA completely normal, because I've been living there since, like, born in Northridge, which is a suburb of LA, um, so I'm used to the traffic and I'm used to the big streets and I'm used to the people and all of the stuff, all of the stress that comes with, just like being there. That's not even like the work part, um. But I think one of the ways that I stay really grounded is, first of all, we don't live in LA. La we kind of live in the valley, so there's either one side of the freeway or the other side of the freeway. So I live in the valley, where it's a lot more quiet and a lot more community based, so not in the hustle and bustle every time. And it and it's actually really stressful to go into the hustle and bustle because it's like you go to like Beverly Hills or you go to go to Hollywood and it's like everyone's everywhere and you're just like what?

Adela: 27:55

yeah, it's overwhelming.

shendel: 27:57

I got the Erewhon and supermarket and all of that stuff. I'm like you know.

Adela: 28:01

I don't know if you went to Erewhon, but you know everything's just overwhelming, and I mean, and I think Jacksonville over here can be overwhelming.

shendel: 28:09

I'm like oh my gosh that.

shendel: 28:11

I believe I'm like nope, I'm good, but I think one of the ways that I kind of got used to it is and this is a more personal approach to it is my family is really grounding and that is because they're Eastern European and they survived communism and socialism and all of those things that, you know, not a lot of people are used to.

shendel: 28:40

And even though I was born in LA, like we come with like a huge history of like the things that my family went through and and also like the place and how historically significant it is. So if anyone's wondering, it's it's Russia, ukraine and Hungary together and on both sides, and and it's just, it's really grounding. So like when I you know, come home from a photo shoot or something crazy like that, or even if it's like if I, you know, I work from home and and I do all of my stuff from home, but it's like I can like go downstairs and like eat like the Russian food or the Ukrainian food or the Hungarian food or you know all of that grounding stuff, and like I walked downstairs and it's like my dad's watching TV in Russian.

Adela: 29:33

Yeah, can I ask you about that Because you know I come from, I come from Europe, I'm from from Bosnia, from, you know, ex Yugoslaviaavia, the Balkan area, the whole, all that, all the good stuff of that and so uh and, and I've come from migrating here. So I came at 11 and just understand, trying to understand. You know everything in in all its senses, um, but being born and having your family cut, having that history, what was your upbringing like with that, was it? You know, I know that mine was very much.

Adela: 30:11

You know, know where you come from, but, like, appreciate what you work for and take care of what you work for, and understand that it's not, it's not an all be like, it's, that it doesn't make you who you are because it can be taken away in a second. You know you don't have the privilege to think that you're as at least in my experience, even still now as coming from different governments, coming from different places, as free as you think you are, in that sense that we can just be la, la, la about everything, places, as free as you think you are, in that sense that we, we can just be la, la, la about everything. I think that grounding that you say making you go in like on a human level, just we're really humans and everything outside of that is like a cherry on top for us to do. But that coming home and you know how was that for you as a kid growing up, because it you know, growing up in.

Adela: 31:00

LA and then having that right, like that's a oh, I mean that's a little bit of a.

shendel: 31:06

I know it's it's weird, but it's cool, right. So so I, I love where I live. I am such a Los Angeles girl like I don't know if you can hear hear me but I have like what's known as the California accent. Um, so, but no, I just I. My experience with that has been like really amazing, and when I was little I was like, why is this important? Like I'm not even going to be shy about it. But then my mom started taking me to Budapest in the summertime and I got to like experience another culture.

shendel: 31:42

Um, I think it's a good time to mention that I speak fluent hungarian as well, which is one of the hardest languages in the world. Um, and I understand about maybe 85 of russia on a good day, and like I know a few words in ukrainian. Like it's, it's different girls girl. Um, yeah, we're like all language, we all speak english, but we all like mix it. So like I speak like hungarian english with my mom and then I speak, like I speak english with my dad, but like if he says something in russian, first because his brain works, you know, I understand what he's saying and like it's weird, like it's so weird that, like I go to a russian lady to do my nails and like she barely speaks english and I barely speak russian, but we speak both the different languages, but we understand each other because you can understand that, because you can understand dialects, that's, I can understand russian and I can understand ukrainian, I can understand polish we can it's, the dialects are similar, so the dialects are similar.

shendel: 32:44

So, like I can understand, like I think, about 20 languages based on just the dialect alone. Um, like Serbian and Bosnian, whatever, albanian that's a whole nother thing. But like those, yeah, um, but I think it's really grounding, especially when your parents like not only speak another language but like immerse you in the other language. So like if I see like, for example, like if I see a church in another country, I'm gonna be like yay, I'm gonna go into the church and take a picture of the church because I like churches and castles and things like that, especially Russian churches and Russian guys or whatever, and like it's, it's it. It kind of gives you like you I have another identity outside of my American LA-ness, like I I'm a Hungarian, I'm I can't say I'm, I'm Russian because you know, I haven't really immersed myself in that, but like I eat the food, I understand the language, I can easily like immerse myself in, you know, the culture.

shendel: 33:45

Like I know, like, for example, like it was my dad's birthday a couple months ago, and like the difference between an american birthday party and a russian birthday, like it's, it's big, so it's totally different, totally different of course, like the first thing that we said when we did we're gonna do the birthday party for him was are we gonna do it like, are we gonna do it like the full-blown russian way, or are we gonna do it like the american way? And to do it like the full-blown Russian way, or are we going to do it like the American way? And they were like oh yeah, we're going to be both where it's like it's in Los Angeles, with all the other Russian people.

shendel: 34:19

But it's like you know, like the spirit, and the spirit never leaves it the spirit never leaves it, and I think a lot of that is because a lot of the people that my parents surround themselves with are Russians and Ukrainians. So when you're in that space all the time, it's like well, not all the time, because obviously we all live in like different spaces and have our own stuff going on, but it's when your parents not only immerse you, but then their friends, their friends and their husbands and their kids like it's like a whole thing right so yeah, so I think it allows me to dude oh my god, what was that?

shendel: 35:13

wait, I I lost you for a second. Sorry, that's okay, right. Um, so, as I was saying, like, I think having access to that culture is like it opens up, like your mind, like not only how people live, but also how people communicate, because hungarian is a very like, it's a very flowy language, versus russian is very like, thick and heavy and it sounds like you know, you're something great. Um, it's like it's not I wouldn't say angry, but it's like you're very passionate I mean, that's you know, you're american.

Adela: 35:49

Americans would call it angry, we would call it passionate.

shendel: 35:53

We're very much fever, like and like stuff, like, oh, like, I made cabbage soup today, like americans I made.

Adela: 36:01

I made stuffed cabbage the other day and we're gonna make cevap and lepine today. Do you know cevap and Leppine? Yeah.

shendel: 36:11

And you know my the way my family kind of communicates, that is through food, like my dad, like he makes his borscht and he makes everything. So I mean it's it, yeah. And I think having that like extra culture thing is really cool, because not only can you say on your resume like oh, I speak three languages, but also it's like you know, you kind of are immersed in it a little bit, so I think it's a question kind of like a non-rambly way.

Adela: 36:40

I would say that the way that I stay grounded is I either speak the language, I either eat the food or I just spend time at home, and I live at home still so it's just, and it its understanding your parents' history and understanding where they come from, what they've had to overcome to even be here and provide these opportunities for us to be able to live and experience the lives we have. So that grounding in itself is fantastic, and again, you're so young to have it. You're in itself, is is fantastic, and I'm so, and again, you're so young to have it. You're so young to have found it. You are just.

Adela: 37:15

That's why your soul and I connect so much because, again, it's not, it has nothing to do with any other label than the human one. And knowing that you are here, I am here. There's so much love to share and give. And then all of these other things that we get to create because we are human, because we are artists, because we have something beautiful to give, it like it just, oh, it makes me so excited and so happy. So I want to ask you can you share a personal experience where art has had a profound impact on you, emotionally or mentally, whether you know that's a piece of painting, a movie, or your own experience of creating a project?

shendel: 38:02

what's like the one, what's the one that, what's the one that questioned all of your being or that like really made you kind of maybe shift or change or look at your perspective or look at the way you view, view certain things yeah, I, I don't know if this one counts as one, but like like um, oh, oh well, this is not really an experience like one painting or one thing, but I think my perspective shifted a little bit when I kind of saw the change in media with the disability thing. Does that?

Adela: 38:40

make sense.

shendel: 38:41

Yes, no, elaborate, I started seeing characters in wheelchairs and canes and walkers and stuff like that, and wheelchairs and canes and walkers and stuff like that. And when I you know, recently, I think a few months ago, hbo announced that they may or may not be, and I say that because I don't, I don't know for sure, but they are making like a show with um, like about like um says like puppets with disabilities or something like that, wow um. Or and like different things like that, where, like target started selling like adaptive clothing for kids from the age of one until eight, like with the big buttons and the big zippers and stuff, so that they can like dress themselves. Or you know, they start like they started implementing like IEPs and different things in schools. Because, like when I was growing up, like because I'm a 2000s baby, I was born into that, like we had that, but it was still like early, like early to that, it was early and we were still trying to figure out how to navigate that. So, um, you know, like I, I, when I was little, you didn't go into Target and see like a special section for for people with um disabilities. I think the brand is called Kat and Jack and there's it's so cute and like now, like I see, like kids on on billboards with their little walkers and their little chain and their little canes, and like just like living their life and, like you know, living their life unapologetically. And I think that kind of shifted my perspective and was kind of like I can do this too, not in like a this has to be about me way, but it's like look at all this change that's happened between when I was a baby till my, you know, almost 25 years old. You know, like 25 years is a long time, like see how much it shifted and how, like you know, disability is kind of like it's. It's there's still, um, like a little bit of stigma, but it's definitely lessened. So I think it's not a painting, it's not a show.

shendel: 40:57

I sit here and say that like my favorite show changed my life, which it did, but I mean it's seeing that like Target and Walmart and and stores and and, and you know, going into a store and like a couple months ago I went into a Sephora and you know I am very extroverted but I'm also very introverted, especially if I don't feel comfortable in a situation, because it's like I'm showing up with my canes, like you can't really gauge how someone's going to react, which I have to, but no one's ever reacted horribly. So it's not like I'm about to say anything weird like that, but I'm just saying like I went up to the girl and I was like I can't use my hands because I have to like hold on to my canes. Obviously, so, can you like help me and walk with me? Me and like put all like the summer Fridays and the sol de janeiro and all of you know that girly stuff. And she was like yeah, of course.

shendel: 41:55

So like not only seeing, like the brands, including disability, but like we it's gotten to a point where, like I don't think I and I can only speak for myself, like I'm not like worried anymore or I'm not scared anymore because like it's, it's my, it's my disability, I have to live with it. Um, do you have to necessarily accept it? No, but I'm going to walk in to a place and I'm going to expect you to not like expect you to accommodate me, but have something for me to be accommodated by. Does that make sense?

shendel: 42:32

so include you as a human being, as a human being to be, included period, regardless of what is after that, like you as a human being, should be counted and I'm gonna be honest, like sometimes I don't feel comfortable still in different situations, and that's okay. Like I'm a major homebody. Like I will not go clubbing, I will not party. Like I'm not a drinker. Like who knows I might, I don't know. Like you know I don't go out. So like let's I don't know where. Like my future husband is, but hopefully he comes in at some point um listen I've been known to.

Adela: 43:10

I've been known to hook up a, a couple here or there, you know. So you never know. I might be. You never know, I might be a matchmaker coming up. You never know, I might find this. I don't know, but together um, so stuff like that.

shendel: 43:23

But also like the I still feel uncomfortable in those spaces.

shendel: 43:27

But also like because LA is so big like you have to get used to, like walking into a room and just like owning it you know what I mean and sometimes I walk into rooms and you know I get stares and, and sometimes that doesn't happen often, but sometimes, and then other times it's like you like radiate this lighter, however they say, and it just so. I think definitely, especially in LA, like the perspective shifted a lot and it's really cool because, like now not only do those little kids get those opportunities, but now the adults also do so it's beautiful that wasn't like a one experience, but just like a general. No, I love that I think.

Adela: 44:15

Well, here's the thing we, you know, businesses and our communities and everything. They get a bad rep with everything that's going on, right um the part, just because of all, like how far everybody pushes things or how far they, or what they don't do or what they're supposed to. It's just, it's so much of expectation, right. But there is one requirement, and and I think that that we can all agree on, is that every human being needs to be included in its existence, and so, when it comes down to businesses and everybody, we need to recognize that human beings have differences, and human beings have different ways they process. They have different ways they walk. They have different ways they talk. They have ways, different ways they, you know, they just have different ways of existing. And can one being accommodate all the differences? No, of course not, and that cannot be expected. Can one brand accommodate all the differences? No, of course not.

Adela: 45:15

However, can we all collectively do our best to try to be as inclusive to humanity, regardless of what again, label or price tag, or product tag or label tag, whatever you want to name anything after that, I think that we get so far taken away from being that human, and to hear that experience from you, that you had seen your humanity in that right, they were able to now see you as a human, that you as a human now get these opportunities, that other children who are in these different positions again children who are human beings are in different positions get to see these opportunities and see that they can thrive and shine, regardless again, what the label or what you were born, it does not matter. You as a human being, that part and the fact that again you have experiences with where these companies like target, like walmart, like sephora that you mentioned, have had humans be, have had the inclusivity go right in the right way. Right, it's not target, target right, especially like killing you.

Adela: 46:31

Yes, so um well, and I also again, because everybody, because we can have, we can say that every there can wait. There can be ways that one could go all the way one way and push too far, and one can go all the way another way and not not include anything. So at least the common ground again, I think that we should give credit where credit's due that the trying of including human beings, people and companies we can get around and that if we can learn more about humans as far as in an individual level not what they like to shop with or what kind of color thing they're like, but an actual individual being of, like who they are, you know, like how do they function really on a daily basis maybe we might be able to target different ways to include them right and not just say everything's everything that way, or it's this in this way or none. It's just we have to have. So your experience is really. I think it's really beautiful to hear. So I think that's a beautiful. That's beautiful to hear.

shendel: 47:34

Yeah like I recently well, not recently after I, after I met you, probably a few months later, I started driving and I use hand controls to drive and I'm getting my license probably in a few weeks, if not months. Um, and like you realize, like you can kind of be completely normal and like, if and to be to be honest, like this is going to sound so blunt but nobody genuinely cares, like nobody genuinely.

shendel: 48:22

Girl, say it again, say it for everybody in the back, say it louder, say it prouder, like nobody cares Took me so long from, like going to therapy and doing that inner work and all the different things, like nobody cares. And if people care, it's probably either one because they're jelly, meaning jealous, one because you have something that they don't, and or number three, they just don't have anything going on. And I don't want to like put anybody down specifically, but I'm just saying like when, once you get to the point, not only in your life, with like who you're dating and all of that stuff, like all of the life stuff, but once you get to the point as a disabled person or a person that has something that makes them different, and you get to the point of like I'm going to do it anyway because nobody genuinely cares, is like the most powerful place to be, because of course I have my moments of insecurity and like I had it recently, and I'm not saying like I'm completely perfect, like I don't give you know right, we're all.

Adela: 49:23

But oh, you can curse on here.

shendel: 49:24

By all means, oh, okay yeah, when you stop giving like two shits about what you're doing, like meaning in a sense of like, when you can post on Instagram and you don't care about how many likes it gets and you only posted it because you wanted to post it. Or you know you're going to go out to dinner with that friend because you want to and you don't really care about you know what someone would say. Or you're going to watch that show because you like it and you don't really care about you know what someone would say. Or you're gonna watch that show because you like it and you don't really care if everybody hates it and the reviews are. When you get like. I know those are superficial things, but when you get to the point of like I'm going to do whatever I need to do.

shendel: 50:04

My life is good, is and and that's what stuff like I'm in my 20s. Of course I want to move out and buy my own apartment and have the boyfriend, but I'm not in a position financially as well as like physically, to have that yet. So when I do get the apartment, I don't care how old I am. If it happens when I'm 28, 29, 30, so be it Okay. Everyone's journey is different and of course, I have my moments of like.

shendel: 50:32

You go on Instagram and you see, like your best friend with her boyfriend or whatever, and you're like, oh my god, you just. Of course that happens. But then you've got to realize like having a disability sets you back a little bit and that's absolutely fine. And that's not even like disability, that's like anything that's happening in your life, like everybody has their path and journey and whatever in anything. So when you get to a place where it's just like I'm gonna do whatever, like that's really powerful and also it's just like a very eastern european way of like thinking too, it's like we're gonna do this and I don't care what you know, blah, blah, blah said over there. So I really struggled with it, especially because at school you want to fit in and you want to. But then once I graduated college, it was like who am I impressing? Like what is? 683 followers on Instagram mean, right?

Adela: 51:25

Nothing, literally literally I was gonna say one of the things that you just made me think about while you were talking is I. I think that humans, who you said you know a disability can set you back a little bit and has you doing from a little bit of different perspective. I think what it gives humans is the power to look and really prioritize the importance of of time, and what's the blessing out of the disability is the thing that, again, we, as the able body that we think we're just so, is really the true time and the true connection of understanding and meaning of existence. And I think that we get, you have, you get the power and you get the moments to um, the blessing of it is the time that you get back to kind of learn that, like you're 25 and you have this such wisdom, you're 25 and you have life experiences and moments that that you get to really speak on, even though when you look up paper or look at somebody's gonna look at you're from la you were born in. You know the valley, if you will. You the way society would look at it. I was born in the valley, right like this, right the way they would look at it, plus add the disability versus somebody who's extremely intellectual, who's extremely wise, who's extremely inspirational and who who extremely wise, who's extremely inspirational. That's very interesting, but it really is, and you don't hear that. You know you don't hear that a lot nowadays in these conversations.

Adela: 52:59

This is one of the reasons why we're doing this podcast and why I wanted to do this, because I want to talk to human beings who are going through things in the thick and thin of it, right, not who's made it to the level, or at the level Like who's really going through it and trying and saying again I understand that no one gives two shits about my existence, but I have to give it like. I have to be the one to find the worth. I have to find it and I have to make that stand in that ground. So when I walk into that room, my light shines, so that when I walk into that room, my existence is there and it exuberates my knowledge of like. I am wise and I am intelligent, I am powerful and I am capable, and I don't. I don't have to scream it through the rooftop. I can share it in my walk. I can share it in in the way that I dress and the way I carry myself or in the way I approach people and the way I communicate.

Adela: 53:48

So, and all of those are expressions of an artistic human who is going through, whether that's again your fashion, your makeup or hairstyles, or this picture that you're, this marketing picture you're creating of your existence. And you have to realize that no one's going to be your publicist, no one's going to be your marketer, no one's going to be your. You have to be your own producer of your own existence and your own director and your own supplier and your own funder and your own, you know, distribution center and your whole own being. But it's overwhelming when the whole world comes up and says I want your time and your skills and your expertise in it too, towards me, with either no validation, expectation or redemption in that and and that is defeating. So again, what we talked about no one cares. And you're 25. To have that concept understood again, before going on, I'm not 25 yet that's okay.

Adela: 54:44

You know, in my mind it's, it's. We've already made that year. That's my thinking. I'm 38 already, yeah.

shendel: 54:53

No, I think also like I um one of my friends in middle school um, unfortunately we don't speak anymore, but something that she really said stuck with me, and that is um, and this is not to sound religious or anything, but God gives the hardest battles to its strongest soldiers. And I just dropped the mic a little bit, I'm sorry.

Adela: 55:18

No, preach it. Preach it Because listen, that is the word of the words.

shendel: 55:23

She saw that I was struggling and I don't remember what we're talking about Because that was like 10 years ago but she was like the fact that you and I think it was because I went to school with a lot of kids that are able-bodied, so I was always kind of the, the, the girl with the, with the disability, and with time, you know, as the stigma kind of um, like opened and people were more open, like obviously there was more disabled kids in the schools and everything. But you know, she was just like genuinely surprised. Like I go to school normally, I have normal relationships with my friends. You know I was able to go bowling and do all of those things. You know I was able to go bowling and do all of those things.

shendel: 56:14

And I would like to say, and she also said, that, like I have this maturity to me, which not a lot of people have at my age, where it's like where and it's because of my disability, so I would say I would say it's not that it's it's, it's not like I don't give two shits about, about, you know, instagram or whatever, like great, but it's also like the things that I've had to deal with, like from a young age, like I don't have time to worry about your opinion because, I have to worry about am I going to get a job that pays enough so that I can um move out?

shendel: 56:54

and when I move out, do I need help? And what help do I need? And are, as a parent, you know, because there's a level of worry there for them too like, right, are they want me to be independent and strong? But subconsciously they're also worried, like, like, am I going to be okay, because we have stuff to think about? So I really do not, and I used to. I'm not going to sit here and say that I didn't because I used to and I still do sometimes, but I do not have time to worry about your opinion or whatever you need to say about me or about whoever, or who I'm friends with or what I'm doing, because I have to worry about are my canes fixed? Do I feel okay today to walk like a hill.

shendel: 57:41

Okay, am I like, how am I feeling today physically? Like do I want to, you know, have like a bed rot a bed rotting day, or do I want to go do something? You know, like I have stuff and everybody thinks like that, but with the disability you have to think about that all the time because a disability is the inability to a waste still so like that's what I mean when I say I don't get to shit. I don't get to shits because I have something that like one in five kids and adults have.

Adela: 58:15

Like like I don't have time that's you know and that's, but that's one of the things they which I think you and I connected and where we get to have these conversations and have that understanding, is where I don't understand and have I don't know how to have like real normal conversations with people because to me their worry. Right, because their worry is so superficial and so inconsequential.

shendel: 58:40

Yeah, I can't do that Hi how are you?

Adela: 58:41

Thank you. Small talk is such bullshit and I don't understand it. I don't know how to like it's hi. How are you, thank you. Small talk is such bullshit and I don't understand that. I don't know how to have it. I don't know what to do. My people tell me constantly and ella, have a better small talk strategy, better finishing move, better stuff. But I'm like if it's stupid, it's stupid if I don't understand, because if it, if I look at it, I go.

Adela: 59:00

I personally have like survived a war and have had to survive, like crawling through and like feeding myself and like living and learning, so like I have to learn how to live here. I also know personally people who don't maybe have legs or who can't use their bodies the way we want to, or who don't have arms, or who don't have parts of their brains because of something, and they still have to learn and accomplish brains because of something, and they still have to learn and accomplish. And yet you're going to complain and cry about um, your dishes today, or making your bed, or getting up and putting away your laundry, or literally taking the basic things that we take like the basic things that people, the humans, struggle with every day with a disability. Right we're we're going to complain about, like go put your dishes away.

shendel: 59:44

I mean, sometimes I get to the point where I'm like, oh, my God, I wish I was able-bodied. Like I hate this, like I have those moments that are just completely normal you can't be positive all the time but like the thing that triggers me and like I love all my friends dearly and I love everybody, but I always have to remind them, like when they start complaining, like, oh, I want to go out there, I'm like honey, honey, listen, and I do this to everybody. I'm like listen, I love you, but I need you to take what you just said back, Because I mean, if you want my cane, I'm going to give it to you.

Adela: 1:00:17

Thank you Like, let me get yours and you get mine, and then we can talk let's switch, let's freaky friday this thing, and like have a moment, yes, and I and I try to say that in the nicest way I'm like I'm.

shendel: 1:00:29

I can sound a little sassy and a little mean when I say that, but they're like oh yeah, we didn't realize. Sorry, I was like no, you're good, like I'm like, you're fine, just I need you the freedom that's just the freedom that they're afforded.

Adela: 1:00:42

That's the freedom they're afforded and we're all and again I'm included in that. That's the freedom we're afforded. To have that thought of not thinking about it, complain, you know, complaining in that, and I think that's why I'm so. I think that's why I'm even more so harsh on, because I'm like I, I 100, understand what it means to not have the ability, capability or even have a home to do this with or to like have the whatever. But then also I am in america, the land of the free, with the opportunity and the places and spaces where it's like what? What are you telling me? Is a no. What are you telling me is we're incapable of? What are you telling me isn't like, what are you telling me, you know? Again, compared to the situations that are happening all across the world right now, you know, or Gaza, or in, you know, or in 130 other, 140 other countries in the world right now that are in Lebanon, all of that, like you know all of that, all of that Right?

Adela: 1:01:38

What tell me? What are we here like, complaining really or not willing to? And again, we're entitled to it. We're entitled to it. That's what makes us great. But that means that you're responsible, like right. Then you're accountability and responsibility, man, like nobody else is responsible, nobody else cares, it's just.

shendel: 1:02:02

Also one of my biggest things and this is what I lead with, especially if you work with me or you're on set with me or you're friends with me is empathy, but also empathy with boundaries in the, in the, in the sense that, like I will be the nicest person and you know this because you've met I will be the nicest, most accommodating was whatever person. But also, like it, I have to stand on business about things. Okay, like I cannot do, like the oh well maybe. Oh well no, if we're gonna go somewhere, we got to talk about the plan, we got to figure it out, we got to.

Adela: 1:02:38

Are my friends picking me up?

shendel: 1:02:40

am I driving myself?

Adela: 1:02:41

details details, details, details, details.

shendel: 1:02:44

Give me the details like, like empathy people empathy, and one of the things that I've noticed as a disabled person is that, unfortunately, a lot of people don't have empathy, especially in la in the land of like glitz and glam and, oh my god, I just saw like Paul Rudd walk by. I don't care if you saw Johnny Depp walk by.

Adela: 1:03:08

Johnny Depp would open the door for me and treat me like another person and meanwhile you would be over there taking pictures of him walking and trying to do this and posting how of a good deed he did for a disabled person like you would be the paparazzi story that goes oh, look at johnny depp.

shendel: 1:03:26

Good and a good deed for a disabled person like and also like one of the things that's really grounding is when you realize like even and maybe this is just like my perspective, because I live in like the entertainment capital of like the world like these are normal people. So we gotta stop. Like obviously, when they're on a show and billboards, they're like, yeah, let them have their moment. But if you see them at a cafe and they open a door for you, treat them normally. Or if you you are lucky enough to have like a friendship through a mutual or anything like that, like just treat everybody normally and treat everybody nicely and that's how you're going to get like what you want.

shendel: 1:04:09

Obviously, with the eastern european level, like you've got to be a little bit tougher, but you know what I mean. Like treat everybody normally and you're going to be treated normally. If you're going to put people on pedestals, which la tends to do a lot, you're not going to get anywhere. And obviously you know I follow celebrities on Instagram and I have my little moments with, like my favorite ones. But like if I were to see someone that I, you know, watched in a TV show at a cafe, like I just I don't even ask for a picture, I'm just like you're good, just drink your coffee Cute you know you're good, just go drink your coffee.

Adela: 1:04:47

cute, you know.

Adela: 1:04:48

So I want to ask, uh, this next question, since we're talking about creativity and and literally we just I mean we kind of answered it slightly about what creativity play, what role, creatively, creativity plays in navigating life's challenges and fostering resilience.

Adela: 1:05:03

Yeah, we really just kind of answered that which, if it wasn't for the arts, if it wasn't for this expressions and this ability to be exposed to different cultures, different thinking, different ways of again expressing what people don't understand, art is an expression. It is a different way of communicating, it's a language in its own and some people can communicate like for me, people will look at me and be like adela, you're the best organizer, you're like no, that's my way of communicating. If I give you a pdf file and I'm organized and I'm like that's my way of communicating all my needs, all my wants, all my requirements, and I require a response, not an emotional response like I'm not here for the like you said, I have a problem. I have a problem to differentiate what I can't tell when people are emotionally in need for what they need or when it's all business like I can't tell. So I have to like this yeah, I struggle with that too yeah and so.

Adela: 1:06:00

But I'm really good at it when I need to be in that space. So if I, if I'm needed to be in the emotional space, I'm great at it. If but I'm I, I 90 percent am the the let's get shit done, let's move in, let's get cracking like let's keep moving going because it's, for me, productivity and not wasting my time and life is like just kind of part of my existence.

Adela: 1:06:21

Yeah, uh, where most people are, as I've learned to say kumbayaing right now. It like just kind of part of my existence, yeah, uh, where most people are, as I've learned to say kumbaya right now. It's just kind of like let's all sing around the rosies and I'm like that's great, my favorite thing is let's all dance and sing kumbaya, yeah, and I'm like that's great, but for how long?

Adela: 1:06:38

I'm only here for like two minutes of that attention span, and then I need to go do something like cut wood or clean my dishes or, you know, paint a painting or go do a photography, like I, we got to do something, um, so, yeah, so just just understanding that our art is a different way of communicating and and, and the impact it has on mental health, once we start to navigating and understand that the human being is an artist.

Adela: 1:07:01

You, you were born as a paintbrush, basically on this earth, or as a painting, or even paint, or as a canvas, whatever it is. You want to think of it that way if you need an association, but you are born as that and your job and purpose on this earth is to create your existence, and your existence, not my existence, not Shandell's existence, not someone else's, right. And if we all create our own individual existences, then we have this beautiful painting of all these different colors and when you pull yourself back right, it creates this amazing abstract moment of looking at something from the waves, the, the, just. It encompasses all of us and and that's what humanity is about. So, um, I'm really, really wow, what a conversation, shandell, this has been. I'm telling you this is like right, it's been freaking amazing, like like I.

shendel: 1:07:58

I this is like a conversation with me. Is that's why my dad me too- like listen me too.

Adela: 1:08:04

That's why people are always like Adela, you talk too much. I'm like. This is why I started a podcast because I want to. I want to you know, and they're like Adela, you don't do small talk. I'm like I really don't care about I don't?

shendel: 1:08:14

I want to know.

Adela: 1:08:16

I know I'm still learning. I'm still learning to try to blend in with that, I'm not very good I can't. My face says I don't know the los angeles skill. Listen, no, my face says that I even los angeles. My face said it all too. I was like huh, nah, I'm like, I'm trying, and then my people again will be like it's hard, it's just, it's stupid. When I'm like that's just stupid, like let's just tie money, move it, let's go, let's go this as I say, it's different visiting and it's different living there.

Adela: 1:08:46

No, I can imagine, I can imagine.

shendel: 1:08:49

When you live there and you're used to it, it's completely different.

Adela: 1:08:54

Yeah, no, and that's where it's, and the traffic is no joke there. So Again, when anybody wants to complain about the Jacksonville Florida traffic, please leave Jacksonville Florida, go have fun. Then come back and have a conversation with me.

shendel: 1:09:07

I'm going to complain about the Miami traffic.

Adela: 1:09:09

That's fine. I don't like Miami anyway, traffic or Tampa. I don't like any of that. I'm talking about Jacksonville, because we seem to be here having a bad rep and I'm here to give Jacksonville a good name.

shendel: 1:09:19

Let me tell you something. I'm here to give Jacksonville a good name. Let me tell you something I'm here to represent for my county duo, and you made it from point A to B. So I mean, oh girl.

Adela: 1:09:28

I always win. I did. I found some. I went to Metro Cafe for some breakfast and dinner and I had their like the French toast for breakfast, which was just enormous. That like fed me for two days and it was so freaking good, like so damn good if you're not there and like, oh my gosh, and then they had the goulash and mashed potatoes that I have for dinner, which, uh, it was just mouth-watering, like again home made me feel, even think of home.

Adela: 1:09:56

So it was really yeah, it was really really great. Um so, yeah, no, I had a great experience. I got to see my friends. I got to celebrate their you know short film being into the LA International Shorts Film Festival, right, like that's fantastic. So they got that screened. You go see your friends do things. Heck, yeah, I mean yeah.

shendel: 1:10:23

And then they were even so awesome to let me come and be boss on set for like an hour because I flew in and they're like here's the camera I was like, ah, this is fun. So I was like, let's go.

Adela: 1:10:28

Yeah, uh, because you know, I upgraded from a hair and makeup artist to a photographer and to all kinds of other things. So oh girl, oh girl, oh girl, wait till you're not. Oh girl, you have no idea. Oh girl, your girl over here is like waiting for my moment on my late window when we it's happening, it's happening, I'm telling you.

shendel: 1:10:46

So yeah, um so first step was get an agent.

Adela: 1:10:50

Second step is book the thing third step is take over the world. I mean, that's just how you do it right, like it just takes some time. So is there, um is, is there anything that you would like to leave our audience off of, with A message of inspiration or, you know, a motivational speech? Whatever, what do you want to leave our audiences off with?

shendel: 1:11:15

I mean, I could sit here and talk to you about this for five hours.

Adela: 1:11:19

Girl, you and me both. That's why, like I said, booking for life for five hours, girl, you and me both.

shendel: 1:11:24

That's why, like I said, booking for life, I guess I want, I just want to say like, and and I always end every single speaking engagement that I do, and I even do this on Instagram so just do is like your, whatever. Your issue is whether it's physical, emotional, mental, could be like something that, um, you know, can be resolved in five minutes. It is not defining like. Well, in my case, my disability, or any disability for that fact, is not defining like at all. So I would say, do what you gotta do, live the way you want to live, and the people that love you for who you are will stay and the people that don't will go and what's meant for you will stay in your life and what's not will leave, and you can don't force it because, like, there's no point we're not overexerting ourselves for people that are people or things that do not match up and that with anything.

shendel: 1:12:27

So, do also with that said, do not pretend to be something. You're not just fit into some kind of box or however you want to word it. Everybody words differently, but I guess, like the main point is like disability does not define.

Adela: 1:12:43

So stop defining disability yeah, yeah, you.

shendel: 1:12:47

Your disability is defined by how you use it, and how you deal with it.

shendel: 1:12:52

And what the doctor said, not what google said, not what you know your friend read on wikipedia. And and what medical study? No, it's it. It's your life and you deal. Obviously, I can say that I'm in a very lucky position where it doesn't really affect a lot of my everyday. So I'm coming from a place of privilege with that and I know that a lot of people cannot live their lives as normally as I am blessed to be able to live their lives as normally as I am blessed to be able to. But whatever you're going through, it doesn't define you and you will find your people and you will find your place and you will be absolutely fine.

Adela: 1:13:34

I love that. It's just, it's beautiful. And again, this also reminds us the fully abled, that you know we don't have limitations and we should stop putting our own limitations on our own selves just because our oh, it hurts or it's this or it's that. Because, again, when you have humans who are, who have things that there's just part of their life, they cannot control. The things you can control, you can't control, so control them, which includes your mind, your conscious, your spirit. Yeah, you know, control what you can and then let go of the things that you can Because, again, as you said, if they don't bring you value the energy the humans the projects, whatever it doesn't bring you value, it doesn't bring you energy, it doesn't bring you positive, basically a refuel for your own fuel that you're going to give away, then why do you have them right?

Adela: 1:14:22

Your community is supposed to charge you. Your community, your tribe, whatever you want to call them, is supposed to uplift you, is supposed to right, they're supposed to take care of you. And if they're not giving you what you need to thrive up right, and if it's weighing down, you need to have these conversations with yourself and evaluate whether that's right for you or not. And again, labels don't matter. Treatment of human beings is what matters.

Adela: 1:14:48

And if you're not, for the human being and for if you're not nice and kind, forget about it you know, and well, I'm not nice, I'm definitely kind, I'm not nice, that's a, that's a thing, I, I'm I I have a yeah, yeah, right right, right, I can be nice, but I am as kind as it can be, and but that's the thing is understanding these moments and knowing when, knowing yourself enough to know and how to utilize your existence as well to be an impact and not a detriment, is what is, is the primary goal of our purpose, of our existence, and that's what god created us all to be in there, and that's what every single one human being has the power and the gift to create something of benefit and never a detriment, even though we have created plenty of detrimental states of beings for every place in the world right now.

Adela: 1:15:35

However, I have faith. I have faith that we can redeem ourselves and we can win. We can Right, we can Exactly have faith that we can redeem ourselves and we can win. We can, we can right, we can exactly. Um, is there a project or or anything about you that you would like us to follow? And, uh, where can our audience and our listeners find?

shendel: 1:15:53

you. I have my instagram, which is just at my name, so it's at shindle friedman, and then I'm on'm on TikTok and all of the other socials. It's all the same. I don't have any like for sure projects coming up, but usually the place where I like announce things like that or bring it forth is on Instagram. Instagram is my most used app. I wish I was a TikTok girly, but I'm not. Even though I have one one, I don't post. I try to, but it doesn't work. And, yeah, I don't really know what's going on.

shendel: 1:16:30

Right now I'm kind of in a limbo state because it's summer and things are happening, but as soon as I something happens, I will post. I do have this podcast coming soon with you, and then I have another one that I filmed in June that should be out in a couple weeks as well. So if you guys are interested, it's basically the same format as this with the same stuff. So if you want to go listen to that, I'll post it and put it everywhere. What else, what else, what else? And then if anything major happens or anything huge happens, then Instagram is the place to be Awesome.

Adela: 1:17:17

Well, ladies and gentlemen, as you have heard, I hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did and I hope that you have found some value in it. And I hope that, as an audience member, as a listener, as a follower, as a supporter, as a Think Family member, that you are again taking the time to recognize and look at yourself, reflect upon yourself, recognize your 40 inches, evaluate them, take a look at your six feet, make sure it is supportive, it is grounding, it is uplifting, and if it's not, change it and forget about the world, because you can't change it, you can't, you cannot impact it in the way you think you can, you can only stress it. And forget about the world doesn't mean forget about the world. But in order to make change upon the world, you have to recognize who you are, what your actions are today, what are you responsible for and what kind of impact are you make? It on an everyday basis, not just a once in a once in a trend, once in a pop-up, once in a time, but an everyday action based moment.

Adela: 1:18:18

And that's what our whole goal is here at project human, at the artist within podcast, is for you to see yourself, see your worth and recognize that your actions, daily actions and reactions have a consequence and have an impactful power, that it comes with great responsibility. Like they say from spider-man right, great power comes with great responsibility. So own it and and and treat humans with kindness and love and compassion and empathy, and recognize that you have place and value. Anyway, follow us, love us, support us, share, do all the great things we are live, and we have plenty more podcasts coming up. So until the next time, my friends and family, we shall see you soon.