“KALL-uh.” There’s a silent L at the end—at least that’s how I’ve heard it my entire life. I didn’t research the lineage until my late thirties: It’s a Czech occupational name for a woodcutter. My great great great grandfather’s mid-1800s census record marks his birthplace as “Bohemia,” so I guess everything “Czechs” out…

Either way, I’ve been correcting the pronunciation my entire life; so if you get it wrong, no problem! Here are some ways to remember:

• It’s like “Koala,” but without the “O.”
• Kalal Kalal Kalal Kalal Kalal-Chameleon
• Did somebody “Kalal” doctor?
• Here’s a song about my last name…

The name Kalal comes from my mom. She’s the strong, independent woman who raised me. My father was never part of the picture and I believe I turned out better because of it.

I went through a lot of drastic changes when I was little: moving across town, moving across the country, watching marriages turn into divorces, and losing loved ones to addiction, kidney failure, cancer, tragic accidents, and old age.

It forced me to grow up fast. I learned how to keep moving, even in the hardest of times. Like so many who find themselves in similar circumstances, I could have numbed the pain with alcohol or drugs or violence. I could have acted out and lost more than I already had. Instead, I turned to art.

From the time I could hold a pencil, I was drawing. In elementary school, I fell in love with creative writing, filming home movies, and using the computer every day. In middle school, I started acting, making music, and performing in front of audiences big and small.

My career path has been just as eclectic—from retail to management to factory work to public school employee to video production assistant to city youth program specialist. While I’ll never claim to know it all, I am very proud of my long list of skills, and I’m always looking for new ways to bring them all together.

Passion. Energy. Professionalism.

Working in the arts is exhilarating. Many artists are so enamored by the process of creating that they often overlook (or intentionally ignore) the business side of things. Hard conversations about money, branding, planning, and even communication styles are often pushed aside. “This is supposed to be fun!”

The entertainment business is two words. In order to be successful, we have to acknowledge both. In order to entertain, we need that freedom to create. In order to be a business, we have to make hard decisions. These concepts should work together and be addressed as equals.

When I take on a project, I ask a lot of questions because I want to fully understand the purpose of my involvement. I dedicate my heart and soul to providing the best possible outcome for everyone involved. I will balance the fun and the serious. I will be assertive with my needs, direct in my communication, and passionate about reaching our full potential. I will speak up when I notice a problem and I will provide solutions whenever I have them. I will show up and I will play hard and every step of the process will be transparent.

Where I Draw the Line

No means no. Social boundaries are not to be crossed. I believe Black Lives Matter. I believe the LGBTQ+ community should be able to date and/or marry whomever they choose, and that their chosen pronouns/names/identities should be respected. I believe women should be able to make decisions about their own bodies. I believe accessibility benefits everyone. I believe in the power of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I believe the world is at its best when we follow the golden rule: “treat others the way you wish to be treated.”