We recently connected with Juniel Maldonado and have shared our conversation below.
Juniel, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Growing up, it wasn’t very often that I was surrounded by other queer people, once I came to States and started experiencing more openly queer individuals it was typically white queer individuals. I have learned to navigate this beautiful intersectionionality of being a queer boricua, or as I like say “bori-queer”, by implementing it in my art as well as celebrating it when no one else will. There’s the saying many minorities hear that we must work twice as hard to be considered as good as a white man, and while I hope this is a mindset that can eventually fade away it is something that has fueled me throughout the years.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My budding career in the arts has been really magical to me. I grew up in Puerto Rico and later moved to Texas when I was 14 years old. In 2020, I decided to give myself a fair chance to chase my dreams and go to New York City, knowing full well it would not be easy. Within the last few years I have enjoyed expanding my horizons as an artist. I’ve been able to travel to LA for shoots and both perform in and direct theater here in New York. While I am still continuing to do all types of performing arts, right now I am focusing on playwrighting and creating new (or adapting classic) stories to be told on stage.
My latest play was performed in January and was titled Spoon-Fed, a neo-classical play inspired by Molière. Spoon-Fed uses dance and a couplet rhyme scheme to tell the story of two servants who gamble over their master’s love life. My goal with Spoon-Fed was to create an outlet to release the issues I had regarding class disparity while still being able to make people laugh and above all else enjoy themselves. I am also currently working on writing a surrealist adaptation of a classic fairy tale which I hope audiences will enjoy.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I definitely believe patience is one of the biggest skills anyone should have, understanding that you can only move so far in one day. I know it’s very tacky to say it but the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day” holds very true. We’re all so rushed to see our end result we forget to enjoy the process of simply creating art.
While not a skill, a mindset that helped me was the realization that time is going to pass no matter what so why not spend it following your dreams. Many people choose not to invest in their passions because it takes time but that time is going to pass regardless of whether or not you act so why not do the thing anyway, even if you’re scared.
Lastly, saying no. It is very easy to say yes and it takes a tremendous amount of courage to say no. This is a skill that I still struggle with sometimes but when I first started implementing it I drastically saw myself in a better mindset. Not just that but my art improved when I stopped saying yes to every single project, or offer, or idea. Staying true to yourself and your vision means saying no sometimes.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I love exploring new ideas and working with new mindsets so I would love to work with those who may be unlike anyone I’ve ever worked before. A lot of my art involves sensorial stimulus, dance, surrealism, and allegorical political commentary. My art is influenced by me being a person of color, by my queerness, and by my upbringing in poverty. While I am always willing to branch out I would love to work with others who may share similar influences in their art or who may be interested in exploring those elements.
Anyone who would like reach out can find me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junielberry?igsh=MW5rOG1qZ3h3a2h6bA==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juniel-maldonado-347375299?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
Image Credits
Alexis Montesinos Clint Hodson
