We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hill Werth. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hill below.
Hi Hill, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
It’s taken me a long time to find my way. I have battled finding my voice due to worrying about what other people would think. When I finally committed to making my own path, I flourished. And it has opened up opportunities in ways I never imagined. Saying that, I think sharing my journey and seeing how it has impacted others in a positive light keeps me going. Through transitioning, I have lost a lot of people close to me. But by becoming my truest self, it has brought chosen family and friends closer. And they have built a foundation of strength within me. It takes a village.
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?
Born and raised in the U.S, I have been an artist and athlete all my life. I was an all American track & field athlete at the University of California Los Angeles, and was an Olympic hopeful as a member of the U.S.A national bobsled team. Since 2012, I’ve been a professional artist. From making guest speaking appearances at k-12 schools and universities, to international publications and recognition, I’ve had much success as an artist, athlete, and educator. Currently, I’m completing teacher’s college at Queen’s University in Canada. I’m a trans non-binary mixed media artist and activist using my art and voice to spread visibility, awareness, and representation to my community. Using various mediums, my creations are the result of emotions pouring out, transcending from personal experiences and endeavors. This allows me to achieve patterned layers of balance and composition.
I have an exhibit getting ready to open in March at Union Gallery in Kingston, Ontario. The exhibit is titled: The Pronoun Project. This showing is an education piece exploring gender neutral pronouns and language. These words have long existed but have never been taught to us in a formal educational setting. These variations of gender neutral pronouns, called neo-pronouns. have never been allowed the space to be incorporated into our spoken and written languages. The Pronoun Project explores language beyond the binary to educate us on the vast options other than “she” and “he.” Trans and non-binary individuals have always existed. But the language to describe us has been left out on purpose. The Pronoun Project brings gender neutral language to life in a gentle and educational way.
As a educator, I find myself questioning the systems and structures in place constantly. How does some criteria make it’s way into curriculum and other important curriculum not? The Pronoun Project aims to not only bring education to language within the 2SLGTBQIA+ community, but to any gender non-conforming individuals. To bring light to our forgotten language is to tell our story and defy oppressive structures.
I’m also getting ready to drop a clothing line. This gender neutral clothing line focuses on making apparel for those who experience sensory overstimulation and body dysmorphia. These custom tailored garments aim to make you feel more comfortable in this world when you don’t always feel at home in your body.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Don’t except rejection 2. Keep pulling up chairs to tables you weren’t invited to sit at
3. Approach things gently with matches in your hand
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?
Yes! I’m always looking to work with people near and far. Right now I have my – Hate Has No Home Here Campaign. I am working with people all over North American right now spreading this poster. Below is a little bit about the campaign:
The “Hate Has No Home Here” campaign is a partnership between Slow & Intentional (Hill Werth), Kingston School of Art, Digigraphics, Queen’s University Education, & Compass Psychotherapy.
The purpose of this art piece is for businesses and organizations to display it prominently, proudly, and indefinitely in their window/ store fronts facing outwards to the public as a marker of safe spaces upon entering and as an act of solidarity. It is a peaceful way to combat the hate we’re seeing today. This poster is a step beyond putting a rainbow sticker in a window in support of 2SLGBTQIA+ allyship, as it’s all-encompassing to all marginalized groups of individuals who currently and historically have faced discrimination.
If you are a business or educator and want to acquire a free “Hate Has No Home Here” poster to spread awareness, representation, and visibility… Please stop by Kingston School Of Art to pick up a copy. We ask if you are wanting the “Hate Has No Home Here” print for personal use to display within a home, to give as a gift, etc… to please visit Hill’s Etsy page to purchase one at: etsy.com/shop/slowandintentional. Or visit Hill’s instagram page for more information: @slow_and_intentional
Join us in our efforts to promote love, acceptance, and respect for all folks, because “Hate Has No Home Here” in Katarokwi-Kingston and beyond.
THIS POSTER IS TO REMAIN INDEFINITELY IN WINDOW FRONTS FACING OUTWARDS TO THE PUBLIC. IT IS NOT A FLYER TO BE DISPLAYED ON BULLETIN BOARDS INSIDE ESTABLISHMENTS. PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE OR DISPOSE. IF YOU NO LONGER WISH TO DISPLAY THIS POSTER PLEASE REACH OUT TO [email protected] TO SCHEDULE A PICKUP.
Contact Info:
- Website: etsy.com/shop/slowandintentional
- Instagram: @slow_and_intentional
- Facebook: Hill Werth. Or; Slow & Intentional
Image Credits
all images are my own
