For this campaign, a fellow staff member asked me: How and why do I care about Stagebridge?
It’s taken me a bit to put words to this question, because I find myself buried in the work of constantly finding new ways for our students to express their creative spirits so they can share it with the world. Honestly, it’s difficult to describe how I care for Stagebridge as it seems like care is an instrumental and inherent part of my job.
Another staff member actually asked me about the award I received for my work with Stagebridge as a point of inspiration. When I was granted the Masonic Homes of California's Homer L. Harlan Millennial Luminary Caregiver Award in 2019, I didn’t think I deserved it because I simply try to do my job to the very best of my abilities. Sometimes, I forget how unique that type of care can be.
As I continue to curate bold new experiences and instructors for our students, I work to ensure that new classes can invite prospective students to comfortably enter Stagebridge classes and for our returning students to deepen their craft or explore evocative new mediums.
Every class, every workshop, and every showcase puts on a smile on face because I get to experience the magic and joy that all of our students get to live in.
When it comes to the future of our organization, I want to make a place where we can invite more and more new Stagebridgers in our classes and opportunities. For the Performing Arts Institute, this pursuit is cut into three ways:
To invite new students and make them feel seen and comfortable, we want to provide diverse instructors to reflect the communities that haven’t been able to access Stagebridge.
To uplift our current Stagebridgers, we want to inspire our students to take bigger and bolder risks in their classes, showcases, and productions.
To ensure that Stagebridge is the beautifully inclusive place I know it to be, we want to continue providing both affordable classes and scholarships for our community.
I see the captivating spirit that Stagebridge conjures every day, and I want to share that magic with as many people as possible. As you continue to learn more about what we are creating for the rest of the year, think about all the ways you can support us. If you can’t donate, you can always work with our team to innovate ways to use your skills to or continue to take and share our classes with new students.
Care comes in many forms. Access to our classes is the form that I’d like to choose for the future of Stagebridge.
~Lily Nguyen, Director of the Performing Arts Institute