We were lucky to catch up with Kathleen Day Gomez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kathleen, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
That’s a hard question to answer, but a very important question. I used to think my purpose was tied to my talents. It wasn’t until my late thirties that I realized my purpose is something more interwoven into my innate passion and interests. Underneath my writing and art and curious photographic eye has always been my obsession with the great human story, and I’ve always been happiest when I’ve focused on the beauty even amidst adversity.
It became a question of how to apply my talents toward my purpose. For me, that meant channeling all of my natural and learned abilities into one thing: storytelling. And the purpose of the storytelling I do is to empower, uplift, hold space and foster compassion and understanding across cultures and regions.
It’s refreshing to finally walk in that purpose and say, “hello, my name is Kat, and I’m a storyteller.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I like to view what we do through PEPPER as more of documentary format volumed editions of biographies and historical snapshots of our present world, something that has longevity and will be relevant for decades to come. We keenly focus on the underlying human story behind any given topic (from art to culinary to hospitality to acting to philanthropy…) and magnify unknown and up and coming individuals and organizations, highlighting marginalized demographics, and we champion neurodiversity. We like to tell the stories you may not have heard anywhere else.
My role in all of this begins in curation. I pay close attention to humans and organizations all over the globe who are actively doing things to help make the world a better place. I look for artists who are doing something a little different or making their viewers think with deeper messages to their art. I look for folks who’ve had to overcome hardships to get to where they are now, those who seek to preserve their cultural heritage in a modern world, those who have birthed their imagination into reality… For me, this intentional discovery is one of my favorite parts of the job.
Next, making viable connections, gathering information and even capturing images myself when necessary all comes into play. I still write about 60 / 70% of the written content, so putting the articles together—the bulk of the writing—that is the next step. Typically as I’m doing this, I’m constructing the layout simultaneously. The visual graphics and design sets the tone and overall aesthetic for the magazine, and that in turn becomes part of our identity. When I think of the publication as its own animal, it’s quite exciting being the architect behind its visual outcome.
From curation to research and journalism, to photography to layout and compilation, I put together an entire coffee table book every month. It’s no small feat, as highly visual and word-heavy as we are. All of the hard work is particularly rewarding in that everything we collect and put out there is deep, meaningful, often poignant and aspirational. It’s going to be a gorgeous display of humanity to get to leave behind after I’m gone from this life, to say the least. That is to say, my life has meaning because I’m doing something meaningful with it.
I’ve also developed what I have coined as “compassionate journalism” in an attempt to create a movement that could change the face and direction of journalism as an industry. By calling into question outdated practices and the toxic critical manipulation of information, while pioneering a new method of presenting stories in a way that holds space for harder topics, allows our interview subjects to control their own narrative while establishing trust as a result, offering pragmatic solutions when presenting activism-based topics, and emphasizing the beauty of the human experience, we stand a real chance of achieving our goals.
In these ways, PEPPER Magazine is an extension of my own purpose, while it has the potential of achieving that purpose in much bigger ways than I ever could on my own. As one person holding my own flashlight, as opposed to this collective we’re becoming—MUCH bigger flashlight.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
In no particular order, by way of qualities, I’d say curiosity, compassion and perseverance. Skills wise, I really have had to employ everything I’ve learned within the field of journalism in general over the years. But particularly writing, photography and art have been the skills I’ve enlisted most. As far as areas of knowledge is concerned, it’s a combination of psychology, anthropology / sociology and history that I’ve had to employ throughout the process.
I will say my background as a mental health professional (intuitive life coach specializing in trauma and PTSD), has been infinitely crucial to establishing the publication and undertaking this movement.
When it comes to advising others, it’s a murky area since everyone is different, even down to their learning styles, skill sets and desired outcomes. If I had to speak in a broader sense, I’d say in order to develop or improve upon anything that is important to you, you must first be sure if these are things you’re actually passionate about (and not just because it looks good on a resume). That passion acts as a rechargeable battery. You’re going to get burnt out the harder you go, so learning, planning and implementing incrementally will save you. The Chinese proverb I consistently lean on reassures, “Be not afraid of growing slowly. Be only afraid of standing still.” It’s the tortoise and the hair—“slow and steady wins the race.”
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
We are always open to welcoming new creatives and innovators to our constantly evolving collective staff. Because what we do is global, anyone with a relevant skill, a compassionate mindset and access to technology and the internet pre-qualifies. At the moment, we’re most in need of writers / journalists. Though I love contributing as a writer and journalist myself, the other demands of being the CEO, editor in chief and creative director are increasingly complex and time consuming. But really, even artists, graphic designers, photographers and creative consultants are welcome to reach out.
What we most look for in any candidate is an inclusive and open mind, concern for their fellow humans, animals and environment, critical thinking skills, social sensitivity / the ability to hold a safe space for others, the desire to make real and lasting positive change in the world around them, and the desire to be part of a team—even when in a leadership role.
They can email us at [email protected] , or DM us on Instagram @hello.peppermagazine to inquire, send their bio, portfolio and resume if relevant.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://msha.ke/peppermagazine
- Instagram: @hello.peppermagazine
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peppermagazine.satx
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pepper-magazine
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@peppermagazine
- Other: Main website : https://hellopepper.weebly.com/
Print Issues : https://www.magcloud.com/browse/magazine/2251162
Digital Issues : https://issuu.com/artist.katday
Subscribe : https://issuu.com/store/publishers/artist.katday/subscribe
Become a PEPPER Partner : https://www.gofundme.com/f/pepper-magazine
Image Credits
photographers K. Day Gomez, Michael Avila Christman and Becky Witte-Marsh
