Meet Maura Marcellino

We were lucky to catch up with Maura Marcellino recently and have shared our conversation below.

Maura, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
I have been on my mental health journey for as long as I can remember. I am autistic with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Since 2006, I have been going to different therapies on and off.

I would say one of the most eye-opening experiences was finding out I was autistic. I was 20 years old when I found out (I will be 24 in March), but everyone else knew. A joy in my life is seeing society’s perspective of autism evolve even in the last year. Autism was seen as a life-ruining sentence, a “bad word.” (true for any disability) The thing about autism, is it can be infantilizing. (There is still work to be done, but progress is being made) Autistic children grow up to be autistic adults. We do not grow out of our autism. We can grow with our autism, but not out. Trying not to be seen as a little girl has motivated me to work harder and louder. (When I say louder, I mean taking pride in and celebrating my accomplishments, even the small ones) Just because I do things differently, does not mean I cannot accomplish them. Autism is a disability that has hurt me. However, I believe it has helped me see things differently and is a major reason I am passionate about things, including my work.

For example, one of my special interests is the music/entertainment industry. I want to help make the industry a more accessible and sustainable place. My passion drives me to work harder to help make this happen. I have been very grateful these last couple years for the opportunity to meet likeminded people working hard to make a meaningful difference. I still consider myself new to the autistic community, so I am still (and always will be) learning. Learning from social media has helped me feel not so alone as I figure things out.

As cliché as it sounds, writing has helped me immensely. I have written lyrics about dealing with my depression, my body image, my stress, anything I feel in the moment. I have a habit of being impulsive and saying things without thinking. Taking the time to reflect and write things down has been vital in helping me with major decisions and making sure I do not say things I will regret later on.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Something I am very grateful is my music taste. My parents instilled their music taste onto me and my little sister growing up. I have my mom to thank for my love of Steve Miller Band (my first concert), Simon and Garfunkel, Tom Petty, and Aerosmith. My dad gave me blink-182, Alanis Morissette, Green Day, and Foo Fighters. I come from a large family. I am the 24th of 26 grandchildren on my mother’s side. My older cousins gave me my love for Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and New Kids on the Block. My all time favorite bands are Dashboard Confessional and Jimmy Eat World.

Currently, my two major professional endeavors in music are sustainability and supporting local art. I have worked at my local concert venue since 2016 and became a the head of sustainability in 2022. Live music has been harmful to our planet, so working to create sustainable solutions is very rewarding. In 2022, I got to cross a bucket-list item off of my list. For the Music of the Spheres Tour DC, I was asked to help out in sustainability efforts. It was a full-circle moment, as Coldplay is one of the main reasons I decided to go into the music sustainability industry.

Since 2021, I have worked with DMV-based music discovery company, Alchemical Records. I am honored to have been their first ever intern. From journalism to social media, highlighting local creatives has been a journey of love and discovery. Looking at the thank you messages from artists always brings a smile to my face. Even being a tiny part of their journey makes it worth it. We just launched a zine recently. Seeing those first couple issues come together feels rewarding. We are a small company that loves our local music scene.

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?
Passion- Without passion, the work that you do can be meaningless. Passion is what drives me to do better. I think one of the most important things to know about passion, is that it is okay to question yourself. Asking questions is a key to discovering what you are passionate about. Ask yourself if you feel fulfilled, energized, and how happy you feel. Admittedly, I have questioned what I am doing a few times. In those times, I envision my future self and do it for her.

Integrity- Getting caught up in life and work can make it easier to lose yourself and your sense of morals. Constantly reminding yourself and having a team to keep you accountable are ways to keep your work honest and true to yourself.

Balance- I cannot stress this one enough! I will admit that I am constantly working on this one. It is important to remember that you cannot do your best work running on empty. Rest IS productive! Especially being in a creative field, simple things like listening to music or watching a movie can inspire you when you least expect it.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Yes! I cannot sing at all, but I have been writing lyrics for years and would love to collaborate with some people to work on some songs. They are pretty much all related to mental health, so collaborating with similar people would be a plus. I can be reached on Instagram @ mauraschinocherry.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Personal Photo by Louis Tinsley

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