Meet Amy Miranda

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy Miranda a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amy, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I often joke about being on team “weird” or coming from the “island of misfit toys” but it’s a lighthearted way of saying I have experienced adversity in getting to where I am. First adversity was being a woman who wanted to be in a creative leadership position. As a female executive producer there aren’t that many examples in the media industry. If you consider the music industry for example it’s not a business known for female executive producers, it’s been a lot of king makers. not queen makers, and if you look at more diversity than that, If I name all of the things that have made me different in a room of typically older white men, as a mixed race, queer, neurodivergent woman it makes me even more “different”. I’ve learned over the years that my inability to assimilate actually make me a powerful resource and superhero, vs. what many corporations couldn’t seem to understand. It took me some time to figure out that it was more important to find better tables to sit at, vs. trying to fit in to a table that didn’t want to set a place for me. I have been able to navigate and obtain leadership positions for multinational media companies largely made up of white, and typically male decision makers and sat around those uncomfortable tables, the passive aggression of people who couldn’t seem to rationalize how I got to the same table. By the time I’d finally realized it was better to create my own, and found my own company, it really became the key piece of the puzzle in the chemical makeup of Lunch, Finding the others, and sitting together and being in a room of more diverse people – in my experience it also brings better ideas. People who’ve experienced more adversity tend to think bigger and be better conceptually because, in part I think due to their ability to survive adversity. Being different is a super power when it comes to creativity.

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?

Amy’s amassed a pride of Cannes Lions for her creative work and has been making content since beginning her career at as an interactive editor at CNN.com in 1998. Prior to founding Lunch Amy held management positions and with media companies from Alliance Atlantis and U8TV to TAXI (Now VML) & Grip Ltd (Now Dentsu).

In 2009 she founded Lunch, The first art driven creative collective of its kind where her vast and diverse rolodex of creators and collaborators sat down at the same table. Since then Lunch has produced, conceptualized and created everything from global ad campaigns, to independent music festivals and experiential installation work for global brands. Lunch has produced for clients from Pee-wee Herman to Paramount Pictures. Amy has managed directors, producers, fine artists, musicians, developers and writers for 17 years. Lunch brings together a global network of creators to serve all facets of creative industry. Concept to Distribution. ARG to IRL.

Having worked in advertising, broadcast, creative technology & production industries Amy offers a unique multidisciplinary perspective which is met with an equal degree of humor, creativity & commitment to results. Amy is also a published author (What We’ve Forgotten), artist, healing practitioner, speaker and activist.

Public Enemy’s Chuck D describes her as “relentless”. Her healing clients describe her “life changing”

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think 3 of the things that have been the most impactful treasures I’ve collected on my journey have been, keeping my inspiration tank full. Meaning, keeping myself surrounded by creative people who are doing inspiring stuff. Art is such a world to explore so it’s an adventure that never ends, and that is creative currency in my world. Sharing work via whatever medium and plotting revolutions through art is really what makes me tick and I’ve found the tank is crucial to avoiding creative burnout. My advice to those folks early on in the journey is to really think of it that way, it’s an adventure, and having the right people around you in your work is as important as the work.
The second thing, would be really trying to focus on what makes your creative or artistic practice unique. As an Executive Producer if you look at the body of my work and how it evolved over time there are really clear influences because of what I was interested in, or who I was working with. I’ve been very lucky to always have a piece of my own creative sensibility shine through even in the most corporate or commercial of settings. So really honing that unique voice, vision of my personal practice – I think is part of what has been most impactful in my journey. My advice for folks early on in their adventure would be to really lean into how you can imprint yourself into the work in a way that most serves your interests, or purpose.
The third thing, is getting involved, I don’t mean networking – unless thats your method of connection, for me it’s not. I’m neurodivergent, an introvert dressed like an extrovert. It’s ironic my company is called lunch but I am as a person like an old school kid’s lunch box. I kind of advertise what I am interested in on the outside so that I can find my people. So getting involved is part of that, finding things to be a part of in ways that are comfortable for me on my journey. That’s been activism, volunteering, serving on non-profit boards or being involved in creative causework, projects, community organizing. The third thing kind of takes us back to the first thing, the fuel. So I really would encourage people just starting out to think of how to engage with their communities

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I always love new collaborations and finding opportunities to do meaningful work. Visiting Lunch (thisislunch.com) is the best way to get in touch with me. I love to hear from other artists about what they’re working on and always looking to collaborate small or large.

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Amy Miranda

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