We’re looking forward to introducing you to Madi Kreates. Check out our conversation below.
Madi, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me right now looks like I am a working girl. I get up and get myself ready, I remind myself of the badass that I am, and I go to one of the few Mental Health Treatment Facilities that I oversee. At any of the facilities I am collaborating with my team to see what our clients are in need of and how we can make that happen. After work I am playing with my guinea pig, painting or drawing, and working on school work for my Masters Degree.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi. My name is Madi (Madison) and I am a Mentally TR(ILL), Queer, Artist and Mental Health Advocate. I paint and draw to help me cope with self harm, and my mental health. I share my story in hopes to advocate for others who feel like they can’t make it through. I throw myself into art when I feel like I can’t handle my big emotions on my own and then I talk about them with other people and show them that they aren’t the only ones with these emotions. It was scary to share at first for fear of being judged but I thought if I had one person hear me and relate, I can change their perspective and world. I also work in Mental Heath Treatment facilities where I get to show people that even though they might live with Mental Illness, it does not mean that they can’t have a job or a job where they can help other people. We just opened another facility on the Southside of Atlanta, Imagine Wellness Centers, in an underserved area, and are looking to continue helping whoever walks through our doors with open arms. As farf as my art goes, catch me at some shows in Atlanta performing poetry or displaying my art about my walk through this life.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I was like 8 or 9 years old and my older sister got her first real bra and panty set. I put it on over my clothes and I was strutting around the house yelling “FIERCE”. and I actually felt that way, I actually felt fierce and powerful. I felt like I could do anything and no one could tell me nothing. It sounds so silly but it was when I felt like I was completely myself and in my own goofy power.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Was there??? Man if I had a dollar for all the times I almost gave up, lets just say I would have a lot of dollars. There are so many times I sat there thinking I would be better off not here, better off not making art, better off not trying to help other people…. But I eventually realized how much I matter to myself mostly, then others after. I mean so much to me, it is me who has carried myself through everything I have been through, of course I have had a support system and I have had help, but I am the one who made the active choices and decisions to push through even when I felt like I couldn’t, and I am so glad I did not give up.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version is 100% the real me. My biggest values are authenticity and vulnerability. I believe in being myself one hundred percent of the time. Of course there are times you have to be professional, or maybe hold your tongue, but I have learned to thrive professionally within my authenticity and using my vulnerability to show people I am just a human being trying to survive just like anyone else.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I truly believe I am doing what I was born to do. I know I was placed on this Earth for greater purpose than to just be a cog in a machine; I am here to make noise and show people what it is like to live with Mental Illness. The good, bad, and the ugly.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/madikreates
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