See here for ASL video on Instagram. The below is a transcript, thought I’d make it a blog post because it’s long 🙂

[ID and transcript: Brianna is sitting on a white chair wearing a button-up light brown shirt with white floral shapes on it. She is wearing a thin silver rimmed pair of glasses with her hair up in a bun. The background shows a white wall, a white couch, and a portrait canvas of a long bridge on blue water overlooking a sunset-pink filled sky. Cosmo is seen in the back or sitting next or on Brianna. She is signing in a mix of ASL and PSE.]

“you and I, each of us, we have that special “YOU-ness” that no one can replicate because you are the only person exactly like you in the universe (unless you have a clone, that is).

If you have a talent, or something you want to pursue… go for it, even if it’s new territory and you’re not quite sure what it means.

from what I remember (knowing that perceptions of “memory might be different), I feel like what I was taught growing up or at least my interpretation of the messages shared with me was that we have to do one thing, know what we’re doing, survive, make money. Pretty much.

But… Why not try to find a way to integrate what you’re good at, what you enjoy doing, what actually makes people feel something. That should be valued more.

I’m still working on imposter syndrome, the whole concept of feeling like I’m not good enough. What am I doing in front of a camera, sharing things? I’m still learning about myself. I’m still figuring out what to do in this time and space, with the limited time I have, and how to even be a person. What to say, what to share. But then I have these moments where I just want to share something, to explore what’s within and around me. I’m starting to listen to that even more. When I do that, and connect to that, and face and ultimately overcome my fear, more opportunities come my way. More connections. More boosts to my self-esteem and confidence.

And sometimes we change what our ideal lifestyle is by adding another, merging them somehow, or redefining it completely. That’s okay! What makes vou feel “YES”? What ignites your soul? Listen to that.

I can’t ignore the fact that yes, we do live in a world. Society, situation, time, system, whatever where it’s not always realistic or easy to just take any jump. But… you don’t have to make big ripples the first time around. you can just make a small splash, take a small step… That is still a stepping stone towards the progress, the journey that you aspire for. And enjoy the journey as you go. You know?

I think we’re still, like, merging this new wave, this new phenomenon and new lifestyle where we constantly have technology around us and we’re actively tapping into and capitalizing on that. That’s beautiful, and then there’s thinking about the world we’re living in, the local impact, and then statewide, countrywide, and community-wide when it comes to what I just mentioned: letting people be themselves exactly as they are. For what they are. For what they believe in. Who they love. How we express ourselves. Switched to first person, ha! How we communicate. I hope we continue to really just give ourselves grace and at the same time push ourselves and the potential we hold as a collective to push back on age old concepts. who is in power, the entities that benefit from harming us and holding us back from our fullest potential and ability to truly live fully.

So yeah, the more we spread love, support, and awareness, embrace individuality and diversity, take in different perspectives, cherish the beauty of energies, and all that, then how could we continue to be capable of knowing about and witnessing, yet turning an ignorant eye to, the oppression and pain of people… just for being who they are? How… How would that be sustainable or possible, if we as a society were to support and encourage each other to be our best selves?

To tie all of this together, the gift that each of you hold in your own ways… don’t give up on that. Explore that. Be confident in that. Connect with that.

I feel that the more we radically love ourselves and practice love for living beings, for life and Earth, the evolution we’re already seeing in the digital age were in, which is rapidly advancing, will also reflect in the way we live our lives, the kinds of expectations we set, and what we consider to be “normal” in society, with more exposure, visibility, people having a seat at the “digital table”, so to speak.

I look forward to the impact this will continue to make, as in us just being here and using our platform, defeating stereotypes, challenging norms, resisting the mainstream, and challenging our conditioning. Is this the only way to live? Nah, I believe there are many ways we can explore that. We’re continuing to do this together. Thank you for being here.