Meet Dr. Carter Roberts, Storytelling Coach
An Interview with Shenny De Los Angeles
Q: As artists, especially from underrepresented communities, a part of our work is affirming others in a shared lived experience. That’s a part of what makes representation in art a radical form of healing, as it’s an invitation to help people witness themselves. When was the first time you witnessed yourself in a body of work or through someone else’s story, and how did that ignite you to tell your story?
A: The first time I saw myself represented through a body of work was when I read, “Before I Had the Words,” by Skylar Kergil. It felt like he was telling my story in a way that made me feel affirmed and like my story also had meaning. Skylar’s story inspired me to start writing again, which helped me make sense of my experiences.
Q: In learning how to strengthen your voice as an artist, what was a piece of feedback and/or advice that you received from a great mentor/coach that really stayed with you and not only made your artistic work expand but it also deepened your growth as a person?
A: Creating and sharing my work with others is often a vulnerable experience. In the past, I have let this prevent me from pursuing my creative passions by worrying too much about what others might think. A great mentor taught me the importance of creating for myself rather than for others. Since then, I have given myself permission to make mistakes and to show up authentically in my work. This advice also strengthened my confidence to show up as my authentic self with others.
Q: Thinking about the world we’re living in, and how much of the focus is centered on the pain of life, it can feel very challenging to want to keep going and source our stories from a place of joy, curiosity, and wonder. In honoring your lived experience, what affirms you in this life? What keeps the drive and momentum in your body and soul? Even when the world hurts you, how do you believe enough in yourself to choose to live the life you know you deserve?
A: As the Program Director for Trans Mentor Project (TMP), I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with Trans and Nonbinary folks across the country. I feel affirmed in every interaction with TMP’s Mentors and Mentees because we have created an intentional space where we can just be ourselves. Within this space, we acknowledge the societal challenges we face while also focusing on Trans joy and living our truths. I feel recharged after every conversation because I see the strength and resilience of our community. I am reminded that we all deserve to live our best lives.
Carter Roberts, Ph.D. (he/him) is a Storytelling Coach with Life Jacket and the Program Director of Sam & Devorah Foundation’s Trans Mentor Project. Carter has nearly a decade of clinical experience working as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Iowa. Through his work as a mental health therapist, he provided space for his clients to share their stories. In 2020, Carter obtained his Doctorate in Psychology with an emphasis in Gender Studies from Northcentral University. His dissertation, utilizing a phenomenological research design, focused on the lived emotional experiences of Trans and Nonbinary individuals who medically transition.
Shenny De Los Angeles (she/they) is a Resident Storytelling Artist with Life Jacket. Shenny is a Dominican-American interdisciplinary performing artist and writer who centralizes Black and Brown femmes in their stories, affirming the beauty of being alive. Shenny’s work has been featured at Mabou Mines Theatre, Latina Magazine, Blackstar Film Festival, Latinx Playwright Circle, and Caribbean Writers to name a few! Currently, Shenny is a WaterWorks Emerging Artist at Harlem Stage, where she is developing a ritual play, Sisters by Water, which explores the intimacy and nuance of sisterhood between Haitian & Dominican-American femmes. www.ShennyDeLosAngeles.com
Learn more about Life Jacket Theatre Company and The Storytelling Project.
