New Year + No Fucks
Nothing’s impossible - I survived this year, which felt pretty impossible. I didn’t thrive in the ways I needed to personally, and while that sucks, you know what paid off in joy and stoke???
Wild Together Market. What a fucking dream this whole year was with the markets! I created this series for the Eastern Sierra because…
1. I’m tired of feeling like I’m constantly clawing out of a dark hole only to have my work hardly noticed in the shadow of the conglomerate that is Mammoth Mountain and Visit Mammoth. How does one grab the attention of tourists + their wallets when our town pushes most of them to a massive company instead of us smalls?
2. I made a big assumption that if I felt that way about being seen in our community, then there must be others who are growing tired of it, too.
3. Things need to change. Small businesses and artists should be central to EVERYTHING we are about. Not just what we do in Mammoth Lakes, but WHO. WE. ARE. Our spirit as a community: We should think smarter, not easier.
Then was born WTM. I said ‘fuck it’. Let’s just do the damn thing and push the boundaries and see what happens.
What happened is BEAUTIFUL! So many incredible vendors spilling gratitude for this effort, SO many community members praising the embrace of change. And even some local government organizations saying ‘hell yes,’.
I’m not gonna lie. It was fucking hard to do this year. I was unhoused for 8 months, with the love and support of friends letting me stay with them. I lost two retainer clients (the majority of my income) because being unhoused comes with massive sacrifices, like managing your time and being available to those helping you.
I financially funded 100% of Wild Together Market ON MY OWN in 2024, with my best friends’ donated time to help set up and tear down, on my very little income to provide as much marketing and small treats as one human can do and LEGIT on pennies.
A WONDERFUL thing happened, though. Outbound Mammoth offered to be my host, they offered to pay for printed materials, they offered even to put me in a room the night before a few markets when my car was packed to the brim with supplies and I was coming up from Bishop. They really showed up for us in order to make these events happen. We had extra hands at every market before and after. They killed it! I’m so grateful for this partnership with them.
This year will be full of changes, growth, new things, and LOTS of joy, stoke, and community, all mashed up into a wonderful experience for all.
HERE’S TO 2025.
