About

One of my earliest memories is sitting on the floor at my father’s house secretly sliding out vinyl records one by one from the cabinet in the family room. Motley Crue. Poison. Twisted Sister. Their theatrical images searing into my six-year-old brain. Dee Snyder’s wild blond mane and striking makeup looked both clownish but also familiar – aesthetically not too far off from the Barbie dolls strewn on the floor of my bedroom. In many ways, my first aware introduction to rock ‘n roll was through the visual creativity of hard rock bands who put an enormous amount of energy into self-creation. Certainly, I was not the intended audience, but it opened the door to paying more attention as a born and bred child of the MTV generation. Poison’s diametric approach to respectable aesthetics was captivating. I was completely sold on rock ‘n roll.

I believe the avenue of subversion and rebellion is not limited to the realm of rock stars. We give proverbial passes to those performers because we make several assumptions: first, that they are cut from a different cloth, and second, that the subversive lifestyle is ultimately socially dangerous. Of course, many parts of the rock star life is dangerous (don’t do drugs, kids), but the way they dive head-first into the creative act is a lesson we should pay attention to.

It is hard to be creative without also being rebellious. The creative act is one of bringing forth what is different, new, or it can be self-reflexive. It requires moving out of the flow of normalcy and acceptability, to face truth and dreams, to say “yes” to the quiet voice inside. We have a choice to make in our lives to ignore that nudge or to listen.

With a Ph.D. in American studies and years of teaching about identity and culture, I see how inclusive storytelling can open hearts and minds. Stories can crack us open and heal our wounds, and we all have a story to tell. It is an act of rebellion to acknowledge that fact while the world tells us that we are not important enough to release that story to the page. Teaching college students taught me that the process of learning goes hand-in-hand with self-actualization. Homeschooling my children taught me that we can find joy in the process, no matter how messy or chaotic it seems.