Goodbye, winter caps—hello, summer hats! It’s that glorious time of year where many of us can switch from content creators to content consumers. NYWIFT members Mellini Kantayya and Kathryn O’Kane have put together #SummerHours, a series of fun summer books, movies, and TV shows by or about women.
Mellini Kantayya’s collection of essays, actor. writer. whatever., explore the “pinnacles and pitfalls” of making one’s way in the entertainment industry, of paying your dues, and sticking to your guns. I identified with many truths: that sick feeling you get when you turn down work because it just doesn’t feel right and having to dig deep to continue pursuing the dream.
Perhaps the most striking lesson is one she learned from observing Joan Rivers: “Despite all the knockdowns, she still puts herself out there in a way that leaves her vulnerable. This is so brave, it stuns me.” With humor and wit, Kantayya tackles inherent bias, aging, procrastination, and making ends meet with a bravery that stuns me, too. Kantayya is not just an amazing contributing member of NYWIFT, but also my partner for this #SummerHours series.
(Cover photo by Bridgette Matthews)
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