Alexis Fedor
Alexis Fedor is a NYC actor, writer and now new biz owner.
The founder of new business, Love and Water Designs, an online community that connects artists with charities to create Wearable Philanthropy, she has created a platform for artists and charities to connect and raise awareness and money for new art and great causes. Love and Water Designs holds design projects in the name of charities, artists submit new work inspired by the charities and the community decides which designs to print on limited-edition t-shirts. The artists are awarded a cash prize and the charities receive up to 50% of the profits from each shirt sold.
In addition, Alexis is the creator, writer, producer and lead in the new web series Gray Matters about a young woman with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder who has a fear of germs and color. She deals with her fears by turning her whole world gray. Alexis recently became a member of the Writers Guild of America for her writing of season 1 of this series. The series has just premiered on Blip.tv, and can be seen on Vimeo, YouTube, Digital Chicks and http://graymattersseries.com
Alexis is thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to work with Janice this year on taking her business to the next level, and beyond. With Janice, she is reminded that all the work in this world worth anything is truly an inside job, and this both excites and motivates her in many ways.
Lara Silva
The 2010 
How will I apply this OUTRAGEOUSNESS to my WOW projects? Pick projects that push my limits in the most fun ways possible. Stretch myself to make impressive contacts with other people and artists who are pushing BIG envelopes… and uncovering the wild, light, and courageous part of myself that I’ve kept hidden for so long!
Love, The wondrous and OUTRAGEOUS, Lara
Lara’s 2010 Portfolio of Wow
Lakira; A Performance Exercise at Larry Singer Studios
Vision Board- OUTRAGEOUSLY MASSIVE BULLETIN BOARD-in collaboration with Frank Schnetzer
Lara’s Picnic Party Birthday Bonanza! - a-close-to-home- adventure.
BEST SUMMER EVER 2010
:: Surfing
:: Hiking
:: Dancing
:: Governor’s Island
:: The Highline
:: Going to the Beach
:: Big Bambu at the Met
:: Batting Cage
:: Driving Balls off the Range
:: Shakespeare in the Park
:: Visiting a Vineyard
:: Gong out to Montauk/Hamptons/Fire Island
Cutting Loose From the Kew-clearing a path to new possibilities OR A transformational journey of clearing clutter to make space for a bright new future.
SOLO PERFORMANCE PROJECT -2011 (DANGEROUS BEAUTY-a working title)
Liz Czener
Lizzie applied for the SuccessGrant with a specific goal in mind: To take her solo show, Getting Naked (which is about coming to terms
with her two biggest assets?)
And in a very short time Lizzie was satisfied that Janice had helped her reach her immediate goal, but she realized there was still more that she wanted to accomplish professionally. She confided to Janice that she felt stuck in Plan B, having never fully committed herself to pursuing her dream of having a career as an actress and voiceover artist.
After some serious soul searching and a nudge by the universe (she was laid off from her Executive Assistant position; to which she replied, Halleluyah! Lizzie took a deep breath, sold all her worldly
possessions, and moved to Los Angeles.
Janice and Lizzie continued their coaching sessions over the phone,
and after only a few months, Lizzie obtained a voiceover agent
as well as an agent for TV and Film.
In the nine months since her move, Lizzie has performed in
three plays, and is currently playing
the lead role in a comedy called Backstage Grease.
as well as the lead female role in an independent film called Annahme,
Lizzie has projects lined up through
February which include a web series and
she leads a writing salon for solo artists out of her
studio apartment in Silver Lake, and is in the middle of writing a new
solo show chronicling her journey to get beyond Plan B, which she has
appropriately titled, Plan A.
Lizzie would like to thank Janice for awarding her the 2008/09 Success Grant, and for her amazing support and expert guidance through this process!
Ali Hart
My seriously cool idea will help me be more involved in the environmental movement by actually helping consumers curb the use of plastic bags, an epidemic that leads to the annual disposal of an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags worldwide.
petBAG will give more incentive to people who are averse to carrying around a reusable bag because of petBAG’s compact size, cool style, and positive environmental impact.
Through this bag, I hope to make more out of my work by making it my passion. Making petBAG a reality will be empowering and will undoubtedly give me reason to glow more.
Sweetest Follow-Up!
I had been working on my reusable bag idea for close to a year before I was fortunate enough to receive this Originally, I had been collaborating with a designer who was a friend-of-a-friend. Although he was great, I kept thinking it odd that I wasn’t partnering with my green-minded, seamstress, lawyer cousin, Lesley, in San Francisco with whom I had been brainstorming throughout the process. With Janice’s encouragement, I made the switch. Bringing Lesley on board was one of the first changes I made and this decision proved fruitful almost immediately.
After extensive research on materials, I had identified a recycled plastic fabric that was durable, “green,” and, to my surprise, cheap. After a few months of excitedly ordering different weaves and weights of this textile, the supplier informed me that he had been accidentally undercharging me by a significant amount; this fabric would definitely not be financially viable. I learned this disheartening news after my second session with Janice and I felt like my goal of creating a sustainable and affordable compact reusable bag was unattainable. My disappointment abated when we determined that reusing clothing from thrift stores would be cost-effective and even more sustainable than recycled plastic fabric. Plus, each bag would be unique. I went thrifting, sent some great finds to Lesley, and was elated to receive phenomenal compact bags in return – she had devised a fantastic pattern, allowing the bags to fold with ease while reusing buttons and other elements from the original garments. But we had one big problem – we couldn’t decide on a name.
Naming the bag line was the most difficult part of the process. From the beginning, I had referred to the product as “petBAG” because I thought of it as an updated but practical pet rock. Although somewhat catchy, there was a risk that people would think that the product was designed for pets. After months (seriously) of brainstorming, Janice voiced her support for a family-related name and Lesley and I agreed that it made the most sense; “Even Maurice” was born. In the 1950s and 60s, our grandfather Maurice owned a men’s clothing store (appropriately called “Maurice’s”) near Manhattan’s theater district. Since he was the link in our history that tied us to the fashion world, we felt it was a nice homage. Our grandmother and his wife, Eve, rounds out the name that sounds like “Eve ‘n’ Maurice” but in our case, “Even” also alludes to the carbon neutral nature of our business.
Currently, Lesley and I are getting paperwork in order to formally set up our partnership and we plan to have our Etsy shop up and running very soon. Additionally, I will be attending Presidio School of Management this fall in pursuit of an MBA in Sustainable Management, a degree with which I hope to develop a variety of “green” products.
Janice played an integral role in the development of “Even Maurice” and I doubt that we would be as far along without her. Having deadlines to meet and setting small goals along the way undeniably compelled me to keep forging ahead. Thanks, Janice! Ali Hart
Brandy and Jenn
We all have a story to tell. We all go through things that challenge us, and, ultimately, change us. The funny thing is that while we’re going through it, we think we’re the only one who’s experienced these feelings. But by writing it down, we are able to share our voice with others and, more often than not, people nod their heads knowingly—they’ve been there, too.
Well, we’ve been there, and back, and have lived to tell our story! We are two creative, smart women who said one day, “We should write a book!” We’re willing to be beginners, because that’s what we are. Our goal is to take our ideas and allow them to flourish through hard work and determination and turn them into a published novel to share with the world!
This is our odyssey into the writing and publishing world. It is an opportunity to stop flirting with a great idea and start sinking our teeth into it. Our tale will take readers into the lives of two twenty-something year old women who find friendship under trying circumstances and who try to make the best our of their situation. Along the way the two women find themselves in extraordinary circumstances that will capture the reader’s attention and provide a glimpse into the secretive lives of the two main characters.
We’re excited about working with Janice for so many reasons—she spills positive energy, rocks out with inspiration and knows how to ask a good question! Brandy and Jenn
Brooklyn College MFA Actors
We are a vibrant group of actors in the Brooklyn College MFA Program. As individuals we are hard-working, intelligent, beautiful, zany, and diverse. Our passion and common goals unite us and help us support each other through growth, understanding of ourselves, and practice of our craft which is the magical and visceral world of acting.
In April 2006 we have an opportunity to show our talents to the world at large. In the past, this showcase has been at best modestly attended by theater and film professionals. It is our goal to build and re-build upon this tradition and ensure our own success as we leave Brooklyn College and begin our careers as professional actors. We want to make great art and we seek to leave a strong legacy for those who follow behind us.- Alice, Banaue, Bryan, Chris, Dina, Jenn, Sean, Tanika, and Tim
Marisa Miller
Part One
It was a documentary film that inspired Marisa to become a vegan animal activist. Now Marisa wants to create her own documentary film about compassionate living.
But how do you make an educational film about veganism funny or sexy or entertaining or all three? Marisa wondered, what would happen if you took your average American manly man who subsists on an all-meat diet, and turned him vegan for a month?
Marisa enlisted the help of her friend Sean, a meat-addicted former Army Captain/film student/standup comic who vowed to go vegan for an entire month and capture the whole thing on tape. Not only will he adopt a vegan diet but also he will immerse himself in vegan culture and launch a whirlwind tour of the U.S. interviewing vegan leaders and food industry reps.
Marisa is about to embark on the most ambitious project of her professional life: Stay tuned as she produces and directs a film that sets itself apart from other documentaries in both tone and approach and is destined to inspire people to make healthy, compassionate and sustainable food choices!
Part Two
Just as Marisa was excited about her WOW project and ready to get rolling, one very important component of her documentary film, VEGANIZE ME, fell through: her film subject. When Sean dropped out of the project, Marisa turned to her friends for help, and lo and behold, her friend Tony came to the rescue and brought his friend Andrew, who joined the team as co-producer. Now that Marisa has the beginnings of a team, they are putting their heads together to figure out how best to go forward with the project. One thing is certain: there are a LOT of resources for folks who are interested in guerilla documentary filmmaking. Not only are there books, clubs but the there are plenty of people who are passionate about filmmaking and about compassionate consumption and might be able to help.
Their upcoming challenges: build their list of contacts/passionate people who might want to lend resources (money, knowledge); start coming up with a budget; and most importantly, make sure the concept of the film is the best, most effective way to reach their goal of creating an entertaining, innovative film that will educate and inspire the public on healthy, compassionate and sustainable food choices. Wish us luck!
Part Three
It’s been almost a year since Marisa had the idea for her film, and she’s finally down to the wire!!!! With Frank, a passionate NYU film student by her side as co-producer (Andrew ducked out to pursue an exciting acting opportunity), she is going full steam ahead with the project. She’s scheduled to begin shooting on June 9th and will finish on July 7th 2005!
A Note from Marisa:
Just wanted to check in and let you know that the six weeks of veganism is over! I can’t believe it. Still have some shoots to do over the next month, but I’m starting to enter the editing process, which is super exciting. All three film subjects are still vegan and are still learning. I hope the learning process never ends!
I tell you, when you put your mind to something, the pieces fall into place.
Thanks a kazillion!
Marisa
Deborah Bos
Deborah is an IKYTA-certified Kundalini Yoga teacher. Advanced training includes the Radiant Child Yoga Program and YogaKids for toddlers through teens. She launched her own Yoga Gardens (The Yoga Garden for Children and Kundalini Yoga Garden) in December 2002. In addition to her regular weekly schedule of classes for adults and children, she teaches workshops for public school teachers through the United Federation of Teachers and The Jewish Board of Education. Deborah also teaches children at the Family Annex, Studio Elementary Schools and Various locations throughout Manhattan.
