LIVING OUT SOCIAL - Key Persons
Alex is a Southern girl at heart. She was born in Albuquerque, NM, grew up in El Paso, TX, and currently lives in Austin, TX. She has a bachelor's in sociology from the University of Texas at Austin and currently works in the field of law. She hopes to work in international relations some day because of her love for travel and learning of different people. She currently devotes herself to powerlifting training in hopes of one day making it to nationals and winning. Her life motto: Create your own happiness.
Amy Shank has been told that she has "one of those names you have to say in full." Though she's a long-time Bay Area native and enthusiast, she has lived and visited various cities across the country, and various countries throughout the world. Some of her favorite times were spent studying comedy in Chicago, theater in San Luis Obispo, and hilarious people in Europe. She believes a hefty dose of laughter a day is what's kept her alive (goodness knows it is not her diet) and that within each person lies a universe. She's an actor, dancer, comedian, writer, daughter, sister, and fast-food connoisseur; but most important of all, she is a human being figuring it out one day at a time.
Ashley is a free-spirited traveler and teacher, who seeks to better herself every day through interactions with people, animals, and the far reaches of the world. She has been to about 20 countries now and has lived in five. Throughout her time traveling, she has had many great adventures and has seen amazing things! She has survived falling into a river with crocodiles in Australia, camped under a moonlit glacier in Peru, danced for hours with Koreans while listening to a Moroccan band, drank Limón cello while hanging her legs off of the Roman Coliseum, had a monkey try to steal her camera in Vietnam and many more adventures! She is a deep thinker and finds appreciation in all that she sees.
Azin has an international background and an open-minded view of the world. Originally of Iranian descent, she was born in the USA and grew up in Sweden. She also has ten years of travel experience that has included both short trips and living in different countries while working or studying. Her first experience of living abroad was in France, where she studied French for a year. She then completed her degree in sociology in London, where she lived for five years. Afterward, she moved to South Korea to teach English for two years. Now Azin lives in the Basque Country of Spain with her boyfriend, where she continues to teach. She spends her time enjoying the relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle, learning Spanish, and the local food and wine. With a passion for writing and traveling, she hopes to share her knowledge with her readers in an inspirational way.
Bernadette is a self-described experiential researcher. Her passion for people and fiction writing stems from a healthy mixture of insatiable curiosity, optimism, and skepticism. Her motto? If you wish to fulfill your dream of becoming a jack-of-all-trades, you must learn to accept a life of proficiency and find excellence in that status.
Casey is a natural communicator with a passion for inspiring positive change in her community. She lives in Maine, where she was born and raised, and considers herself a small-town gal with big dreams. Casey believes everyone deserves a life full of love, beauty, laughter, purpose, adventure, acceptance, and vulnerability. Her dream is to use her passions and skills to shine a light on the goodness in this world, help people believe in the good, and help people live their best lives. Casey is multi-passionate and currently finds magic in farm to table food, wicked good coffee, animals, vintage & repurposed furniture, book collecting, and beautiful scenery.
Eduard is a young Anglo-Italian Londoner. He has mainly lived in England throughout his life; however ever since birth he has spent many holidays near Rome with his Italian family, learning the language and living the lifestyle. Eduard studied French and Spanish at the University of Manchester and has come to understand that his future lies in words and languages. These passions have taken him to live abroad in Paris and Toulouse where he has worked and studied, experiencing their beautiful cultural variety as a local. Eduard enjoys writing poetry and exploring philosophical thoughts, using ideas taken from life as catalysts for his stories. One day he aspires to write a novel or two that will be enjoyed by many people.
Emma is an often overly-caffeinated single mom to an aspie boy and a husky lady named Charlie Murphy. She's full of wanderlust and curiosity, and bases all her adventures in the Smoky Mountains. She is known to have an unrequited love affair with coffee, craft beer, and Jimmy John's sandwiches. On the weekends, she can be found chasing waterfalls, making wrong left turns on purpose, and attempting random Do-It-Yourself projects. Getting lost is one of her best talents, and her phone is always about to die. She considers the Papasan her natural habitat, and there she can be found curled up reading a book or binge watching bad TV on Netflix. She acquired her bachelor's degree in 2011 from USC in Beaufort, South Carolina. She has been spotted in four different southern states, but doesn't seem to be able to put down roots just yet.
Jennifer has a passion for beautiful objects, community gardening, minimalism, outdoor cocktail parties, capsule wardrobes, and her husband's coffee. She regularly takes mini, exploration vacations in the city of Chicago where she lives, seeking out unique nooks in the many distinct Chicago neighborhoods. She loves people and different cultures and makes great attempts to learn how to relate, on some level, to everyone. Jennifer finds she lives by these words: I can't do this, but I'm doing it anyway.
Jeremiah is a writer, photographer, and actor who enjoys sharing his stories, whether it be on paper, on stage, or on camera. His work and travels have taken him to Central America, Europe, and the Middle East, and he currently resides in New York City, where he spends time working on his crafts and contributing to the Living Out Social team. He joined Living Out Social because he shares the vision that everyone should live their lives colorfully while being kind to others and the world around them.
Jordan is a writer who is currently trying to become a published author. Recently, he converted his manuscript into a screenplay, and while he is working to get either off the ground, he is looking for the next step that will further his career. He is a storyteller who can take just about anything and turn it into a tale. Also, he works as a freelance writer and has a website dedicated to hosting his services and projects: http://jordanarodriguez.com/.
Kaitlyn began writing poetry when she was nine years old, and from that point on, knew that writing was for her. Her dyslexia and ADHD has not stopped her from pursuing her passions. When she isn't putting pen to paper, she's traveling, finding cool places to eat, or making music. She also is very supportive of the LGBTQIA community and is often raising awareness for everyone involved.
Karla has always wanted to become a mom and a writer. She lives her dream (charming fiancé included) in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where she works as a freelance writer while her toddlers nap. Born with a rare neuromuscular disorder, she understands the power of resilience and gratitude. Google and cups of strong coffee fuel her passions, which include origami, reading, and video games.
Lisa is the editor-in-chief of Living Out Social. She has a bachelor's degree in literature from UC Santa Cruz (GO SLUGS!) and over a decade of experience as a freelance editor, proofreader, and writer. She is a bibliophile who will do just about anything for a cup of sweet Turkish coffee, and also enjoys snorkeling, cooking, conspiracy theories, cold weather, and single-panel cartoons. She believes in slowing down to appreciate the small things in life, and that beauty can be found everywhere if you look closely enough. She lives in Silicon Valley with her Renaissance man, wonderful daughter, and feline frenemy.
Liz was born in Oklahoma and is the youngest of six siblings. She's also Native American, and grew up attending powwows and other cultural events. Her high school art teacher encouraged her to follow her dreams, which soon led her to San Francisco, where she graduated from the Academy of Art University. She has since moved to Los Angeles to work in production. She is a published writer and director who works tirelessly to bring social issues into the limelight.
Mikhail is an aspiring screenwriter and author. He studied psychology at American International College and believes heavily in altruism. He volunteers at various elementary schools in Hartford, Connecticut, and loves to mentor anyone who is willing to learn. On his "off nights," he performs stand-up comedy around CT. If he is not performing, you can usually find him behind the camera, producing and directing. He is currently working on a documentary about comedy and local talent. Although he loves being able to share other people's stories, it is also important to him that he shares his own.
Mindy is the co-creator of two incredibly awesome kiddos, surviving as a not-so-single single mom with a full-time job and several full-time hobbies. She graduated from UC Riverside with a ...
Muse is a native New Yorker currently living in South Florida. She is a free spirit with an affinity for the arts and a desire to spread love and light wherever she wanders. Born on the island of Dominican Republic she is a lover of the sun and all things natural. She is an avid painter and prides herself in being a source of overflowing inspiration for many.
Nicholas was born in Escondido, California, grew up in Cancun, Mexico, and currently resides in Austin, Texas. He is the youngest of three siblings, son to a Spanish teacher and a professional scuba diver/underwater photographer. At the age of thirteen, he started writing fiction and nonfiction stories based in large part on his first and secondhand experiences with corruption in Mexico. In his free time, he currently explores spirituality and the different layers of what it means to be a developed human being.
Noah is a native of Brooklyn, New York, which he is proud of and wonders how much irreversible damage it has done to him over the course of his lifetime. ...
Sary has been living in Gainesville, FL for almost 16 years. She recently received her bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication, and has been published in East Coast Kids Magazine. She is especially interested in writing, health, and fitness. For many years, she has also been into nutrition and wellness, and has worked toward teaching others that following a healthier lifestyle is the way to go. Sary is an animal lover who enjoys sunny days at the beach, physical activity, traveling, 90's music, and spending quality time with her family.
Shelby is an up-and-coming writer who has been cultivating her view of the world since 1991. Growing up, she was what Emilie Wapnick calls a "multipotentialite." She's taken lessons in ...
Sonda prides herself on spreading positive energy everywhere she goes, and not letting personal obstacles interfere with her career, interpersonal relationships, or personal development. She has a bachelor's in psychology ...
Taylor currently calls the Pacific Northwest home, but is always looking for her next adventure, and never stays in one place for too long. She has a bachelor's from the ...
Tiana is an aspiring writer born and raised in Alaska. Her interests include theater, art, writing, books/comic books, music (she plays the violin), and anything remotely geeky-Doctor Who, Sherlock, anime . . . the works). Known for rants and love of random knowledge, she's been writing since she was 13 and is now working toward a degree in social work while writing fantasy on the side. Greatest loves: sushi, her partner, and good books. Weaknesses: shellfish, reading textbooks, and reptiles.