Category Archives: People

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Jonny Grave

Photo by Rachel Levitin

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

It’s no easy feat pulling off a performance in honor of late Blues guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughn but that’s exactly what Jonny Grave and his band The Tombstones did this past Saturday night at Iota Club in Arlington, VA. The performance was part of the 1983 Classic Albums Concert featuring three other DC area acts and Jonny’s job was to close out the night.

Despite being a bundle of nerves, Jonny executed the performance with precision and passion. He went into the project knowing what musical challenges lied ahead and came out victorious on the other side by the night’s end.

Jonny was first introduced to American folk music at an early age by his very musical family while growing up in the DC area. By fifteen, he started learning slide guitar techniques by listening to old Blues records. By seventeen he was performing them live. Since then, he’s become a staple of the DC Blues scene.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

Well, for starters, I’ve lived in the area my whole life. I was born in Silver Spring, very close to Sligo Creek. I spent a lot of time going downtown, seeing museums and galleries. When I was a teenager, I started venturing on my own into DC, away from the large attractions, and into the neighborhoods. Adams Morgan fascinated me. Eastern Market was like a dream. Michael Jantz got me to start playing at Wonderland, and the folks at Nanny O’Briens finally got me on their stage. When I was 21, I moved to 10th and S st., and that’s when I really fell in love with the city. I made friends with a lot of musicians, artists, bohemians, Hill staffers, and bartenders. I started playing more. The city kind of opened up for me. They say that home is where the heart is, and mine is right here.

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Entertainment, Interviews, Music, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Don Kim

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

If you need a reason to smile then Don Kim is a guy who can help get the job done. Whether he’s on stage cracking a joke, at home playing music with his friends, or out at a bar playing a game of darts with a beer in hand, Don’s the kind of guy you want to be around.

Most recently, the ukulele toting singer-songwriter released an animated music video for his song “Beaver + Duck = Love.” Go ahead and try to watch that video without cracking a smile. I triple dog dare ya.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

For a long time, I didn’t love DC (gasp!). I went to college at the University of Maryland (Go Terps!) thinking that I was hitting the road as soon as I was done. I tried to leave but I was immediately drawn back. Over time, I realized that all my complaints about this area were because I wasn’t looking for the right things. Sure it’s stuffy, there’s lots of politics, and jumbo slice tastes horrible (except when drunk), but it’s also full of highly under-appreciated art, culture, and music. It’s home to me because whatever I’m in the mood for, I can find it and I’ve been spending the last 5 years looking for all the gems that this area has to offer. It’s been an amazing adventure and I learn something new about this place everyday.

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Interviews, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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She Loves DC: Kaya Henderson

Photo Courtesy of Andy Le DCPS

Photo Courtesy of Andy Le DCPS / Pictured: Kaya Henderson (center)

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Kaya Henderson is an education advocate. In June 2011, Henderson was confirmed as the Chancellor of the DC Public Schools but even before then she was hard at work assisting where she could in regards to education. Henderson came to DCPS as Deputy Chancellor in 2007 after time spent as a corps member at Teach For America and as the Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at The New Teacher Project.

Through it all, Henderson has maintained her commitment to, “holding all students to high expectations, providing them with access to high quality teachers and leaders, and creating the most rigorous and innovative instructional environments to ensure their success” in DC’s public schools. And despite the job’s daily rigors, her work is her passion and not even the most difficult of hurdles will keep her from attempting to achieve her goals when there are a student’s best interests are involved.

While Henderson hails from Mt. Vernon, NY, she’s called DC home for many years and is happy to have “hung her hat” in this city.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you? 

They say home is where you hang your hat, so DC is home because it’s where my hat is hung! I have a great home in an amazing neighborhood (Brookland). I’ve built my family here and am surrounded by awesome friends and professional colleagues. I love that the city has range – you can be as high-brow or as get-down as you like and feel comfortable. But most of all, I love the people in this city. Washingtonians are exciting, resilient, creative, and fun!

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Interviews, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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She Loves DC: Andrea Rodgers

Photo Courtesy of Andrea Rodgers // Pictured: Andy Cohen (left), Andrea Rodgers (center), Wolf Biltzer (right).

Photo Courtesy of Andrea Rodgers / Pictured: Andy Cohen (left), Rodgers (center), Wolf Biltzer (right).

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Andrea Rodgers is an inspired and busy woman. After tragedy struck on September 11, 2001, Rodgers became heavily involved in the DC charity circuit in order to give back to her community as best as she could. She joined the Junior League of Washington in 2003 and came in 2nd in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year fundraising competition in 2004 — and those are just a couple of items that have kept her busy the past few years.

When she’s not lending a hand on a host committee or at a gala, Rodgers serves on several alumni groups near and dear to her heart as well as acting as President and CEO of a non-profit, Courage for Kids. Somewhere in between all of her activities, she still finds the time to act as the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of her blog Miss A, which covers a variety of topics referencing charity and style in 21 major U.S. cities.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you? 

The relationships that I have made over the past 15 years in the DC area are what make DC feel like home to me. Having grown up in a small town in North Carolina, I love the small town feel of Washington — running into people I know unexpectedly, discovering that my acquaintances know each other and no skyscrapers.

I enjoy all the green spaces we have in Washington and how quick and easy it is to get to a great park for a walk or run, to hike along the Potomac on the Billy Goat Trail, or to book a tennis court at Haines Point or Rock Creek. I love seeing the beautiful Potomac and the opportunity to go boating with friends. It’s no surprise that it helps make our fair city one of the healthiest in the country! I was born in the Netherlands – my mother is Dutch and my father is American ­– so I traveled often to Europe growing up. This being my background, I love the international aspect and sophistication of Washington. We have people here from every country in the world.

Walking around the city I enjoy overhearing someone speaking a foreign language. If it’s Dutch, I always surprise the foreign traveler by starting a conversation in my native language. We are blessed with so much in terms of art and culture in DC through the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian and other theaters and museums. As someone who double-majored in Economics and Politics at Wake Forest University, I love being so close to all the political action. Continue reading →

Life in the Capital, People, We Love Arts
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Taking Theater Into Their Own Hands: Interview with Jojo Ruf of The Welders

Jojo Ruf and The Welders / Teresa Castracane

Jojo Ruf and The Welders / Teresa Castracane

Among many other roles in local and national theater, Jojo Ruf is the Executive and Creative Director for an exciting new playwrights’ collective called The Welders.

Over the next three years, The Welders intend to produce a new play by each of their 5 members. At the end of that time, they will pass on the entire project to a different set of writers, thus ensuring the collective continues.

I sat down with Jojo to talk about DC theater, The Welders, and the state of new plays in our area.

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Entertainment, Interviews, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Jody Avirgan

Photo Courtesy of Jody Avirgan and Ask Roulette

Photo Courtesy of Jody Avirgan and Ask Roulette

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Jody Avirgan likes questions more than answers. As a result of that, he is now the host of a unique conversation series called Ask Roulette. The live show encourages strangers to ask each others questions on stage. And, for the first time, the New York based show is coming to DC. The show is scheduled for Friday, August 9 at Politics and Prose with special guests Clinton Yates on The Washington Post, Dave Weigel  of Slate, and Linda Holmes of NPR’s Monkey See.

According to Avirgan, “Ask Roulette is a little hard to envision but the crux of it is that audience members show up with a question they want to ask a stranger. All the questions get put in a box then randomly selected. When you come on stage, you answer a question from a stranger, then turn around and ask a stranger your question. There are also special guests at each event. Questions are long, short, serious, silly, whatever. Any question goes. And of course you can just watch.”

When Avirgan’s not spending time on Ask Roulette, he works as a producer for NPR’s New York station WNYC radio. But not so long ago, Avirgan grew up in DC.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you? 

Well, my parents are there, still living in the same house, so there are inherent memories of home tied up with any time I come back. But I really do like the fact that, to most Americans, DC is an abstraction — a company town filled with hired political guns. The disconnect between that vision and the DC I know – one full of real people and everyday pleasures, makes it that much more special. It’s like we’re all in on a secret together.

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Interviews, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Jason Mendelson

Photo Courtesy of Jason Mendelson

Photo Courtesy of Jason Mendelson

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Jason Mendelson is an explorer. Mendelson first made his way from Tampa, Florida to DC with his wife nearly three years ago. Since then, Mendelson’s embarked upon a unique and time-consuming project — writing a song for each and every Metro station in the WMATA system. Along side his band, The Open Doors, Mendelson has released four volumes worth of what he calls “Metro Songs.”

When he’s not working on Metro Songs, Mendelson is an avid supporter and member of the DC-area music community. Whether he’s playing bass in a band one night, singing lead for The Open Doors on another, organizing (and executing) a “Classic Albums” concert, recording in his home studio, or out on the town catching a show, Mendelson’s devotion to making and listening to music is a physical display of genuine passion.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

The things that brought my wife and I here are not necessarily the same things that make it home for us now. After living our whole lives through 2010 in and around Tampa, Florida, we wanted a change and narrowed the selections down to D.C. for its superior job market and Alexandria specifically for safety and accessibility. The things that make it home to us now are all the wonderful friends and connections we’ve made, and all the great things to do in the area. We frequently visit museums and parks and attend arts events here that eclipse their sunshine state counterparts.

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Interviews, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Chris Cicatelli

Photo Courtesy of Chris Cicatelli

Photo Courtesy of Chris Cicatelli (pictured, center)

Whether he’s surrounded by a cloud of diamond dirt on the sandlot, getting creative inside the television studio, or recording the latest in a string of podcast episodes at his home studio, Chris Cicatelli is known throughout the DC area — especially among a couple different softball leagues. His charismatic personality coupled with his love for being around people are attributes that people flock to, particularly when he’s acting as his infamous alter ego: Coco Caray, sports announcer.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

I moved to DC in 1983, my dad got a job with CNN as a political and we made the move to DC/MD. After being here for so long, I have to say, what makes DC home to me is the spring and summer seasons. The cherry blossoms, the monuments in the spring. It is truly a beautiful city in the warm weather months.

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Interviews, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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She Loves DC: Kristine Thomas

Photo Courtesy of Kristine Thomas (Pictured: center)

Photo Courtesy of Kristine Thomas (Pictured: center)

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Kristine Thomas is a goal-oriented woman. Her goal is to live as eco-friendly of a life as possible all while encouraging others in her own community to do the same. And now — as a happily married mother of one living in hometown of Washington, DC — she’s doing exactly that.

Thomas was born and raised in the District before moving to New York City where she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology. While there, Thomas gained the skills necessary to survive in the world of fashion by working jobs in public relations and event planning. The next chapter of her life moved her west to San Francisco where she embraced a green lifestyle while continuing her career in marketing and advertising.

Currently, Thomas is back in DC and has been quite active in the community since her return. In November 2011, she found inspiration in motherhood and started Dewdrop — a fashion events and fashion-forward clothing swap company. Thomas started Dewdrop in honor of her love for fashion and style but also because she’s a mom now. “I have to be creative with how I shop. Hence, the company was born,” she said.

“Not only is swapping smart shopping but is also a good way to preserve the environment for future generations.”

What is it about DC that makes it home to you? 

I grew up here so it’s home in a sense that I could still go to my parents’ house for dinner and that I still have friends from my childhood years I hang out with. I love how DC has changed so much. What makes it home to me now is that it has more of a stylish, urban vibe to it. Having lived in New York and San Francisco, I’m glad to see boutiques and restaurants pop up like I would see in those cities.

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People, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Rosemary Feit Covey’s Red Handed

Rosemary Feit Covey, Red Handed installation, Morton Fine Art Jenn Larsen

Sometimes we experience works of art that embody both beauty and horror. The old word for this, now sadly devalued, was “awesome.” I hope artist Rosemary Feit Covey will forgive me for using that word to describe her current complete gallery installation, Red Handed. It is simply awesome.

Recently I visited Morton Fine Art to watch as Covey installed the work under the gentle eye of curator Amy Morton, spreading vinyl pieces across the floor. Even in that unfinished state before opening, it had undeniable power. Swirling vortexes of bald, nude figures, mouths open and arms red to the fingertips, soon covered the floor. I stepped gingerly over their faces, having no other option but to participate in their torture. It’s impossible to look away from the unsettling mass of bodies under your feet. It feels disrespectful. Jarring.

Guilty. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Interviews, Night Life, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Don Michael Mendoza

Photo Courtesy of Don Michael Mendoza

Photo Courtesy of Don Michael Mendoza

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Don Michael Mendoza is charismatic. By day Mendoza works with VIDA Fitness flexing the communications skills he obtained at DC’s American University. By night he’s an actor who performs all over the greater-DC area while working with a wide array of theater companies including brief stints in New York for various creative projects.

He’s also been able to channel that charisma into creating something he believes DC had been lacking – a musical theater cabaret and spoken word series. Mendoza co-founded and now co-hosts the award-winning weekly series La-Ti-Do at Black Fox Lounge in Dupont Circle with friend Regie Cabico. The pair established the idea in the fall of 2011 before launching the series in its official capacity in January 2012. Ever since then, the show’s audience continues to grow and the night-of talent is of the highest caliber available.

Mendoza takes immense pride in being able to provide this type of creative outlet for both audience members and performers alike. So if you find yourself at a La-Ti-Do performance, just know that what you’re seeing is most certainly a labor of love.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

DC was where I was born and lived before my family moved to Pittsburgh when I was 4. However, we always made trips here often because we have a lot of family friends here, so it’s really an extension of my hometown. I officially made my return here in 2006 when I attended American University where I was able to get my own feet planted here and staying here after graduation was the natural choice for me.

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Comedy in DC, Entertainment, People, The Features
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Comedy in DC: Marc Maron

marc maron theNerdPatrol

Marc Maron, a man highly revered and rewarded for his naturally salty disposition, is living the dream for curmudgeons everywhere. The comedian has opened up his personal life to an extensive following of WTF podcast listeners, IFC series viewers, and now, memoir readers.

Truth be told, I am skeptical of stand-up comedians turned writers because their stories tend to read like bits. Marc Maron’s Attempting Normal, his recently published collection of autobiographical mishaps, is no exception; however, Maron’s “bits” have always been his memoirs. His personal life is the driving force of his sarcastically sage voice that beautifully blurs the line between stand up and storytelling.

Earlier this week, a number of Maron fans gathered at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue for his reading of Attempting Normal. Marc Maron arrived on the bema and immediately cut to the chase.

“Alright, do you want me to read or do you want me to talk?” Continue reading →

Interviews, Music, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Ben Tufts

Ben Tufts & Friends/Craig Tufts Scholarship Fundraiser Photo/Jason Hornick

Photo Courtesy of Ben Tufts // Photo by Jason Hornick

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Whether he’s on the road or back home in the District, Ben Tufts is a perpetual student and dedicated teacher. If you ask just about anyone within the DC music scene if they know or have heard of Ben, it’s more than likely that they’ll say, “Yes.” He’s played over 300 shows in the past two years, with over thirty bands and artists, covering most of the continental U.S. and has become a cornerstone of the current DC scene.

His devotion to his craft is immeasurable. As a percussionist, Ben has spent countless hours over the course of his lifetime playing all styles of music from classical to hard rock and now teaches a  wide array of students throughout the greater DC area. But despite his busy schedule, Ben still finds the time to host an annual fundraiser at Jammin’ Java honoring the memory of his late father Craig Tufts, who served as Chief Naturalist for the National Wildlife Federation for 33 years, with the “Ben Tufts and Friends Concert” benefiting the Craig Tufts Memorial Fund. This year’s fundraiser is scheduled for August 17.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

I was born in Falls Church, and lived in Reston for a few years before my family moved to the Claude Moore Farm in Sterling, VA. Until I was eight, I had a 300+ acre backyard with a bunch of lakes, ponds, and old growth Virginia forest in it. My closest neighbor was several miles away, so books and records became my best friends. We moved to the suburbs later, and as soon as my parents would let me, I was going to shows in DC. I still remember the smell in the front hall of the old 9:30 Club on F street, the scary bouncers at the Bayou, etc.

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Entertainment, Interviews, Music, People, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Stephen Kellogg

Photo Courtesy of Missing Piece Group

Photo Courtesy of Missing Piece Group

Amid the adversity of life, Americana Rock singer-songwriter Stephen Kellogg found himself at a crossroads. His band, The Sixers, went on hiatus after nine years of playing together at the end of November 2012. And for the first time since 2002, Kellogg was in a place where he could release a solo album.

“Blunderstone Rookery,” which is scheduled for a June 18 release, comes after the loss of Kellogg’s mother-in-law, grandmother, and the roof of his house. The album features a collection of honest songs written with the hope of leaving behind a positive legacy for his family — a feat that Kellogg encourages all people to strive for in their own lives.

Rachel: “Blunderstone Rookery” is being released at a unique time in your life and you’ve drawn inspiration for these songs from personal stories. What would you say are the biggest challenges you’ve faced while writing and releasing this album?

Stephen Kellogg: The amazing thing about life is that it’s always a unique time in one’s life, because it’s the only time you’ll ever be where you are. We can look back with hindsight and kind of understand or make sense of what was going in a given moment, but often it’s tough to fully appreciate where we’re at while it’s happening. While writing and releasing this album I was very aware that I was in a challenging place because I had lost my mother-in-law, my grandmother, the roof of my house, and my band in the course of about five weeks. Not surprisingly I got kinda sick, and found myself knowing that was going to be something I was going to have to “go” through and “grow” through.

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Georgetown, Life in the Capital, People, WTF?!
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Bro Can’t Take The Heat, Jumps Into Georgetown Waterfront Fountain (Video)

YouTube Preview Image

It’s been a hot weekend. As someone whose air conditioning unit is currently on the fritz, I can understand if the heat can drive people to do some rather stupid stuff. My friend Mark witnessed such an act yesterday while enjoying some drinks at Tony & Joe‘s on the Georgetown Waterfront.

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People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Zia Hassan

IMG_1194

Photo Courtesy of Zia Hassan

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Zia Hassan is a storyteller. He likes to ask questions and seek honest answers from (and about) a vast array of subjects. This passion of his is the catalyst for multiple creative projects including a podcast series, original music, (viral) videos, photography, insightful blog posts, and more.

He’s a guy who keeps a pen and paper on him at all times just to make sure a new idea doesn’t get away. It’s his observation skills coupled with a genuine sense of childlike wonder that brings Zia’s creative endeavors to life.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

The duration of my stay, which is almost 25 out of 28 years (in the DMV area). Every city is a collection of people, experiences, imagery, and history. The place that I call home is a place where those stories are the deepest and the amount of time I’ve lived here has allowed for a lot of depth. Home is the place that you can leave for an indefinite amount of time, and when you come back, you pick up where you left off.  Some of the people in my life are “home” for me, in that sense.

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Interviews, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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She Loves DC: Jennifer Vinson

Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Vinson

Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Vinson

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city as much as we do.

Jennifer Vinson loves music. She loves watching street performers in Dupont Circle. She loves supporting up-and-coming artists on the local level here in her hometown whether it’s at The Dunes, The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, Comet Ping Pong, or elsewhere. She loves promoting live performances she’s passionate about. But most of all, she loves getting to genuinely know the people who make the music she loves listening to.

Her passion for music (and the people behind making it) led her toward creating content for DC Setlist  (a site that, ” […] exists to discover and discuss all things MUSIC in DC and around the world. So get in the mix, join the conversation & help us build a community around the DC music scene & beyond!”) and into a life working with some of DC’s finest venues including The Hamilton Live and currently The Howard Theatre.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you? 

Well I was born here.  I’m third generation Washingtonian.  My mother, my grandmother and I all went to the same all girls high school, Holy Cross Academy. Old friends & family are what make it home to me.

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People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Paul Vodra

Photo Courtesy of Paul Vodra

Photo Courtesy of Paul Vodra

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Paul Vodra’s mission is to help causal fans find the fantastic music being made in DC by DC musicians. Before starting his podcast Hometown Sounds, Vodra gigged as a DJ spinning monthly at the Argonaut on H Street NE. Instead of focusing his sets around one genre, he thought it’d be interesting to focus on one location — DC — and play music of all genres. He’d even broadcast his sets for his faraway friends via the Argonaut’s open wi-fi router.

Vodra’s time as a DJ at Argonaut came to an end when they experienced a kitchen fire in 2010 but he liked broadcasting enough to stick with it, figured out how licensing works, and launched his 24/7 music stream.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

I was born and raised in this area, so I feel that I understand it pretty well. There’s lots of pretension and showmanship here, but there’s an inexhaustible supply of creative, talented and downright awesome people too. There’s just so much variety here, in art, music, food, and especially people.

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Interviews, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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She Loves DC: Marlene Hall

Photo Courtesy of Marlene Hall

Photo Courtesy of Marlene Hall

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

Marlene Hall is a go-getter. She’s someone who faces the adversity life throws and embraces it. Hall grew up an Army brat and has lived all over the world but it’s DC she calls home.

She takes great pride in contributing her time to veteran organizations and causes like Team Red, White, and Blue. She was also a supernumerary in the Washington National Opera’s Carmen with opera singer Denyce Graves. She recently started her own Public Relations company and also works with Viridian Green Energy where she gets people to switch their utilities to green energy.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

Well, I’m from here.  I grew up here, my parents grew up here, my relatives are here, so this is home. I love being surrounded by family. I have a strong support network because of my family and friends. I don’t need to get plane tickets for Christmas or Thanksgiving as everyone is here. Everywhere I go, I usually see someone I know.

I also love the military tradition here. My dad and my grandfathers all served here in the area.  One of my grandfathers served in the Old Guard and is buried at Arlington.  I too served in the military and being surrounded by military is always home to me. Continue reading →

Music, People, She/He Loves DC, The Features
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He Loves DC: Chris Naoum

Photo Courtesy of Chris Naoum

Photo Courtesy of Chris Naoum

She/He Loves DC is a series highlighting the people who love this city just as much as we do.

If you frequent any of DC’s vast array of performing arts venues then you’ve likely seen Chris Naoum’s face around town before. Since co-founding Listen Local First DC in 2011, Naoum’s spent his time fully immersed in DC’s music scene. With a law background, Naoum specializes in copyright, media and telecom law, and policy. He’s also a staunch advocate for independent musicians, artists, and businesses.

As part of his Listen Local First duties, Naoum helps coordinate, execute, and host events in conjunction with DC businesses and artists. The events range from educational sessions to live shows including the Kingman Island Bluegrass and Folk Festival which is happening this weekend.

What is it about DC that makes it home to you?

The people and the feeling of community. DC is a relatively small city. Everybody knows everyone and most people are very friendly. People are also doing really neat things. Whether it’s the start-up tech scene or the people working for non-profits that are trying to better the world, I’m always amazed to find out what people do for a living. Those that do not work in those sectors and work for the government or big firms are still really engaged with their local community and cultural development.

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