When I first started in entertainment, I was in bands.
I was a lead singer in an indie band called the Extinct from '89 – '97. That was my first taste of being involved in the art with an eye towards commerce. I learned a lot - mostly about what I wanted as representation, the pitfalls of not enough communication, and at times, not enough compassion and understanding for the art part of it all. I learned artists are a very special breed.
After being in bands, I started managing musicians, record producers, and solo artists as ATN Management. I curated a music showcase during SXSW that ran for nine years, called the ATN Showcase.
During all of this, I was drawn to people who had a strong purpose and stood up for what they believed in. I knew early on; my job was to help artists create the careers and lives they wanted. I knew that by working with and supporting artists, I would be participating in the world narrative in a way that could make a difference and could make me happy. I knew that I would eventually be part of creating these narratives through content and would continue to help those who have a strong message and a desire to be heard.
Once I was in a position where my perspective mattered, and I could choose who I worked with, things changed drastically. In late 2015, I left the company of people who were not in line with who I am and what I stand for. That was a scary prospect but turned out to be one of the toughest and best things I've ever done.
When I look back, I've definitely done quite a few scary things in my life. I put myself out there with a probability of "failure," whatever that means. I moved out of my parents' place on the east coast and started a life in LA at 17. I was in bands for 12 years playing original music, started a music management company out of my apartment, traveled to NY to volunteer for three months after 9/11, and then started an actor management company with a roster of one in that same apartment (ahhh LA rent control). None of that compares to running ATN Entertainment and being responsible for the dreams, lives, and careers of 100+ people. Everything I have experienced and done to this point has prepared me for what's to come!
This is a lot about me so far, which leads to how I run my company and my life. With representation and inclusion at the forefront of my mind and business, I have had the opportunity to surround myself with every type of person. This is nothing I specifically set out to do. The core of all of this is finding people you resonate with and people who inspire you.
My take on this subject is that it's our job to have empathy for everyone around us. Figure out what is needed and deliver it. Being in the service of others is why I do what I do. That I've had the opportunity to make a career and life out of it is a blessing.
I often use the words "grateful" and "blessed," but the truth is, yes, this life is something to be grateful for and is a blessing, but working until your fingers bleed, staying the course, finding the silver-lining every step of the way, not allowing anything to slide and surrounding yourself with like-minded people, is the only way to stay blessed and survive and not only survive but also flourish!
ATN Entertainment's roster is 65% marginalized. This means women who are over 50, people who love whoever they love, actors/creators/artists who were born into a physical body that does not match who they truly are, which means fantastic and amazing black talent, the list goes on. This circumstance was not by design. It was by creating an environment of no judgment.
The art is what's important. The person in front of me is who is important. Everyone is an individual.
There is not one person who is the same as another. Artists are not cattle. Are there types? Yes. Are there decisions by reps that need to be made based on types? Yes. If a company needs to start "focusing" on diversity and inclusivity, there are probably a few steps missing.
Have you watched "13th" by Ava Duvernay or "Disclosure" on NETFLIX? Have you educated yourself on the "new" vocabulary that communicates who we are as a human race and who we are becoming? Do you know what "systemic racism" truly is? What "cisgender" means? What "stealth" means, and why it's important to understand these terms fully?
If we "own" the environment we are in, and others' well-being is important to us, we will organically get active in caring more. The actions that go into making things better will come naturally. If these are not at the forefront of your mind, dive in, educate yourself, and be open enough for change to take hold. Soon, we can be in a different and better place. I speak from long-term and also very recent experience. After I watched "13th", I was forever changed. This education cannot be taken away once you have it; it becomes part of your DNA. Allow yourself to have that experience, and we, our friends, our associates, and the world will be better for it!
I'm an ally. I'm an advocate. I don't judge. I lift people up. I don't allow myself or anyone I know to tear people down. I go internal first to make sure I'm practicing empathy. Kindness and hope are where I come from. This does not mean I'm weak. This does not mean I'm indecisive about my views or opinions or that I allow people to get away with belittling or making less of others. This means I believe we, as individuals, can make a difference by acknowledging and perpetuating the "rightness" in others.
I try never to throw my hardcore views on people who may disagree. I know at that moment, I'm no longer talking to the person; I'm talking to the defense mechanisms I just created.
When I intend to change views, I'm conscientious. If I have a momentary lapse, and my intention is to "be right," I don't accomplish what's in my heart. This is all to say that I believe in us. With the current chaos, the world being on fire, and us all trying our best to exist in an upside-down world, we have each other, and more people of goodwill want things to be better and right than those who don't.
We can make things better; we can affect change, and we can do it together.
All Together Now.
WRITTEN BY
Jennifer DaRe