We had the good fortune of connecting with Pita Juarez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pita, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
These days, it’s not great. Working from home has been hard for an extrovert like myself, but I have found time to collaborate and meet other artists online that are super rad and I’m happy life slowed down so I that we could collide somewhere on the internet with their greatness.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I always wanted to be a storyteller, when I was a little kid, my dream was to work for the National Geographic. Now I see that dream closer than ever before, and that happens by taking leaps of faith in new ventures but never abandoning my values or my roots. This led me to be a jack of all trades. I’ve had the courage to take on new projects, new careers, new people in life, and crossing my fingers it works out. Great things have come into my life by trying things out, giving everything a shot at least once, learning from that, and incorporating the lessons into my work. I recognize that right now is a hard time for everyone but the collective voices demanding change are a source of inspiration that I look for to do my work. The stories I highlight are intentional, I focus on people who are left out of mainstream narratives and are leading in their communities. Right now we have the space to create our narratives, to tell our own stories, and to see ourselves as the protagonist in our stories. That’s what I want to document and how I want to contribute.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Sunrise hike in Piestewa Mountain followed by brunch at Gallo Blanco. To cool off, I would get a raspado from Solaris and dinner at Barrio Cafe.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shout out my friends at Black Phoenix Organizing Collective. They are a non- profit Black organization building Black political power through liberatory, they work to raise consciousness and transform the quality of life of black people.

Instagram: @pitajs
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pita-s-juarez-9433b63b/
Twitter: pitaJ

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