J.R.: 0:00

Hello everyone, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, everyone in between, welcome back to another fun and exciting episode of 1000 Gurus with me, your host, jr Yonacruz. Today's guest is Shasia Rangel. Shasia is Mexican-American, born in the States but raised in Mexico, majored in industrial design, but recently transitioned into social working after a long journey of craving to do something more meaningful with her career. Outside of work, she's been a leader of choreos for three years and has also been an active member of the project team Playground.

J.R.: 0:32

I was excited to have my good friend Shasia come on the show for various reasons. There are a handful of people in my life with whom I can have a five to six hour plus conversation with, and Shasia is one of them. What I love about her is that she's not only very thoughtful about what she says, but she practices what she preaches and constantly tries to learn and improve. Since I've known her, so she's one of the people who I respect the most. We also have really good chemistry, and so I knew I would have fun recording this episode with her, and we cover a lot of topics, ranging from her experience adjusting to living in the States from Mexico, her evolving career path lessons. She's learned about leadership from dance, why Shasia hates Mexican food in the US, insights about mental health and why her therapist broke up with her. I'm just kidding about that, but sort of not. I think we both had fun recording this one and hopefully you guys have fun listening to it.

J.R.: 1:23

So, without further ado, hope you enjoy this episode with Shasia Abbey, rangel Gonzalez, or Sarge for short. We don't call her that, but we should Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of 1000 Gurus. Please welcome my guest, shasia. Please welcome my guest Shasia. Cool Shasia. Thanks for being here. I really appreciate it. I've been looking forward to this for a while now and, for those of you who don't know, shasia and I dance Well, I'll go into how we know each other. But Shasia also helps edit and schedule the posts for this podcast, so anything you've seen on our social media is like a short form. She has seen it as well and has scheduled it. So, yeah, she is a big part of our production, so I appreciate her for that. I'll go into how I know her. So we met on choreos back in 2021 yeah, right 2021 yeah, because I know 2020 is when it hit.

J.R.: 2:22

And then we started lemon era then, like next january yeah, it hit. And then we started Lemon Era then, like next January yeah, it hit. And then you are on the team since then. So 2021, right, right, and we've been dancing together since then and other dance projects, and we've been co-elship on the team for the last few years and, like I mentioned, you also help with this podcast and you do a lot of other stuff and your career as well as has evolved over the years. So we might get into, or we'll definitely get into, that, but what else you up to?

Shasia: 2:48

lately just dance, fortunately, and work, which is good yeah but yeah, that's a good description of who I am.

J.R.: 2:56

Thank you, that is all encompassing yes I'm just kidding, we'll get into a lot of that as well. And also your birthday's coming up, right. Yeah, just filmed a birthday cover, I think by the time. Well, and also your birthday is coming up, right. Yeah, just filmed a birthday cover. I think by the time this episode comes out, your birthday cover will have come out.

Shasia: 3:08

Yeah, yeah.

J.R.: 3:09

So that'll be exciting. Maybe we will link to it Actually we will link to it in the description so they can check it out, because it's really cool. I think I've was a lot of fun. That was the first time dancing with one of your old team, like team project team, but it was a lot of fun. We were at the pier, right right. I remember that because I just took a lot of fun screenshots of like you remember.

J.R.: 3:36

It's like the our weirdest and then some parts where I like covered you up or like yeah actually, you know what. I'm gonna link that in one of the intro posts nice yeah anything else you're up to no, no, yeah, that was fun, though.

Shasia: 3:52

We filmed this morning and it was also around the beach area of Venice. Luckily, I got to have all my favorite people, my favorite girls it was all girls in the cover so it was really fun, really fun experience, and it was really chill and fast that's great. How many people it was six dancers and then me okay, so you're the seventh who filmed?

J.R.: 4:11

it jordan.

Shasia: 4:12

Oh okay, cool nice it was literally just all the ogs. It was really fun.

J.R.: 4:16

And then austin came to support with samyak nice, his boyfriend oh yeah, people who listen to this will know who austin is. All right, cool anything else, before we jump into main topics. Thank you for having me. Thank you for being here, appreciate it. I always like to have my closest friends on here, because it's cool to not only catch up I mean, we see each other but not only that, but to have a conversation recorded for forever, until the end of time, so it's nice to cement this moment.

J.R.: 4:45

Ok, so we'll go into the first topic, as usual, which is origin story, main influences. So, shasia, where did you grow up and what were your main influences?

Shasia: 4:51

I guess you can break that apart, if you want okay, so I was born in the states. A lot of people don't know that about me, actually, because I was basically raised in mexico my whole life until I was 22. So yeah, I, my parents, are both mexicans, so I definitely consider myself mexican over american. Every time anyone asks, yeah, I just say I'm mexican oh, that's where your accent comes from.

J.R.: 5:15

Yes, we're talking about this before. He's like well, where are you from? What's your accent from? And we had him guess, and she, he's like hispanic and she's like oh yeah, wait, I didn't hear enough words, though.

Shasia: 5:25

Well, but it's interesting because I don't think anyone ever tries to guess my accent, so that's why I was curious. I was like, oh, I want to know. But yeah, I've been living here for the past four years now, which is crazy. But yeah, I went to school in mexico. I went to To school in Mexico. I went to, let's see, yeah, I went to school for industrial design. And what's the second part of the question?

J.R.: 5:51

Just main influences.

Shasia: 5:52

So what do?

J.R.: 5:53

you think shaped you to who you are today.

Shasia: 5:55

So I don't think I've ever had a specific person or someone that I looked up to, but I like to find inspiration in everyone that I meet. I feel like everyone has something that we can admire from them, so I like to see the world that way okay, so you got a lot from a lot of things people experiences and whatnot and there's nothing that stands out.

J.R.: 6:16

That was like I don't know. I don't want to lead the question right, but people say my family. Obviously some people, maybe they have a spirituality that they lean towards, or maybe school experiences or where they grew up or stuff like that. But I don't know if anything comes to mind.

Shasia: 6:32

I mean, of course, my family. I'm really close to them, so yeah, but I do have a couple of maybe mentors during school that guided my pathway throughout my life, like decisions that shifted my career or my decisions, but maybe I'll go more into it later how did you end up moving to the states like why?

Shasia: 6:51

right. So because I have the american nationality, like always, like when I was growing up, I always thought that this might be a possibility for me. I wasn't sure if I was gonna like it, so initially my plan after finishing college was to move here for six months and see how he liked it, and then I just stayed so where did you live?

J.R.: 7:13

did you have family here? I feel like I know the answer to this. Yeah, also as a no yes, yes, yes.

Shasia: 7:20

so my whole mom's side of family lives, or has lived, in California, because my mom migrated to the States when she was a child. So ever since her whole family just lives here. So I came often to the States because of that and, yeah, I think because of that it was a little easier to transition into that decision of moving here, like I wasn't just by myself. And then my sister moved to the states, maybe four years before I did so. When I first moved here I lived with her for two years, maybe a year and a half, um, and then now my parents also live here because my sister had a baby well, now a kid bigger baby yeah, so they wanted to come over to just help her out and see him grow.

Shasia: 8:06

But yeah, basically now my whole family is here, and even my dogs and stuff, so I have no reason to go back to. Mexico, but I definitely miss it a lot.

J.R.: 8:16

Yeah, I remember was it last year. You took us down to Mexico just to see your area and stuff like that. It was really fun.

Shasia: 8:24

Yeah, I think it was almost two years now, but yeah, but it was during christmas. That was really fun, oh that's right.

J.R.: 8:30

Yeah, so for our team we have these bingo fundraiser things, and so I bought one of the bingo squares, which was to take us down to mexico for, like, tacos or something right and I think, was it also jordan, or and? Jordan and austin yeah and then so we went down and saw where, like Shossi, grew up and everything and taking us to like the taco stands and the grocery stores and we got some just random stuff.

Shasia: 8:52

Yeah, because that's another thing. Right, I lived in Tijuana for nine years, and then I can do the math right now. But the rest of the years that I lived in Mexico, I was in a different city called Leon, which is what I consider now my hometown, because most of my memories are actually in Leon and then most of my friends are also in Leon. I have no friends in Tijuana, but I like going to TJ for food, so that's why I wanted to take him.

J.R.: 9:15

So Tijuana was the earlier part of your life.

Shasia: 9:17

Yes, the first nine years Okay.

J.R.: 9:19

That makes sense, yeah, okay. So then you moved over here because you want to see what it was like. Six months you had family here. Now they are all moved up here. So industrial design what is it? Why did you choose it? What did you plan on doing with that?

Shasia: 9:30

Right. So I always liked design, always had an eye for it, always felt some sort of passion for it. But I was also always a pretty smart kid. So all of my life everyone was just like you just have to go to an engineering or something like that to make your brains worth right. But my heart was like I really want to do something that has to do with art. I don't want to just look at numbers or be in the office all my life. I feel like I'll be really unhappy.

Shasia: 9:58

So my sister went to school for fashion design actually, and she's six years older than me, so throughout her time in school I would help her out with projects, be at her school and just be next to her during all those years. So I got to see what it was like to be in that school particularly and the type of projects they would do, like the environment, and that made me feel even stronger about wanting to do something similar. But because, like again, everyone kept telling me like but you're smart, you have to use your brain, you have options. Yeah, especially I remember this one teacher that I was really close to in in my last year of high school, like he, I think, had really high expectations for me. And then he asked me like what did I decide? At the end? I was like, oh, I'm going for industrial design. He was like what? No engineering.

J.R.: 10:54

And I was like, oh, I follow my heart, I guess. Why do they feel like you'd be good at engineering? So I know you said smart, but were there any specific qualities?

Shasia: 11:03

good with numbers, oh okay, is the number side of it?

J.R.: 11:06

yeah, and math but you have no interest in numbers or math I really like math when I was in high school.

Shasia: 11:12

But actually the reason why I went for industrial design is because it's like a mix, because what industrial design is is basically product design, but in mass production. So they teach you the aspect of, like how do machines work and how do you make this possible, like through the machines.

J.R.: 11:28

So what are some examples of like mass produced products like that?

Shasia: 11:33

I'm like looking at a lot of things like yeah, everything yeah, basically so what is an example of non-industrial design thing?

Shasia: 11:40

so a lot of product designers just do things like more manually, like they actually do it themselves, or there were some stuff that we actually learned that were a little bit more on that side. That is what I ended up liking more about industrial design and it's the reason why I decided not to pursue it as a career after. But ceramics, for example, you can't really like mass produce it if I don't know, you can, but it's not as pretty and like as valuable in my opinion. But a lot of designers actually take the time to make the molds and just do one by one. There's someone making it like clearly and, yeah, I think just industrial design at the end of the day.

Shasia: 12:20

The reason why I didn't want to pursue it is because I, through school, I learned also about how damaging it could be for the environment, because they're somewhat realistic and they're trying to teach you also to step away from just producing trash for the world. Because one thing that they teach you in school is you have to find a need for you to be able to design something like. Someone has to need something for your product to be successful. But a lot of people make up needs to excuse the product.

Shasia: 12:55

Basically oh interesting, like they go in reverse yeah, like they try to make a product but not figure out where the need is first or it's a need that is not really a need like you're, like it's stupid, I don't know. Avocado cutters that are like weirdly shaped and then it's like a one one used product.

Shasia: 13:11

Basically that's not really something that is well designed, it's basically just made for money and a lot of things are like that.

Shasia: 13:18

And I started realizing that as I was in school and I was like I don't know if I can see myself doing this, because I always had a passion for protecting the environment and just, of course, human rights, but, like animal rights and taking care of our world, we only have one.

Shasia: 13:33

So the more I learned, the more difficult it was for me to see myself in that career. Maybe I could see myself as a product designer, but I was like I don't know if I can do industrial design. And then also I started hitting math as I was getting more into it. Like I had I don't know like seven classes, seven courses that were like math related, and every time, like I just started hitting it more and more and more and I was like okay, maybe this is not for me, but I still had really fun classes. Like I learned how to do things in different materials. Like I learned how to use or like how to work with wood, metals, plastic, ceramics, as I mentioned, like basically any type of material I learned to work with and that I really liked, and which is why I feel like maybe I would have enjoyed studying product design more than industrial design.

Shasia: 14:23

But I don't regret my decision and I made really good friends in school and it was fun overall so then maybe product design in the future, if it comes around, if it makes sense yeah, I would love to go back into ceramics at one point when I have money maybe, maybe have like a workshop and have like my own line where I can just do the things myself and I don't know a helper or two, but I like to be able to just do it myself, like I don't want it to be like a mass thing, like I just want it to be intimate.

J.R.: 14:56

Like not a mass produced product, but something that's more personal and that's part of art, right, it's like unique, okay. So then, now that you know that industrial design or, I guess, mass produced products is not really your thing and it didn't align with your values of what you wanted to contribute to society, what do you gravitate towards now, now that you have more self-awareness?

Shasia: 15:18

So I guess I could give a little bit of background what I ended up doing after school first, but I got more into video editing and production because I didn't want to do industrial design in school, right, and I had one class I was video editing related and by this time I was already doing covers and like stuff like that and uploading to youtube back in mexico. So I taught myself to edit before this class. So when I got into this class, everything that they were teaching us I already knew and my teacher saw this, or like my professor saw this, and she was like I could just teach you how to do things that you don't know how to do, like you don't have to do the same stuff that your classmates are doing, because I want you to actually take something from this class. And I really bonded with this teacher like a lot and at the end of the she basically got me my first internship and I got my first job because of that and it was like video related and I really enjoyed that.

Shasia: 16:12

And when I moved to the States I wanted to pursue that same career video editing, slash marketing but I started working at a cosmetics company and I just felt like my life was so depressing I was I think the way I describe it is that once I started working like 40 hours a week, I just could not believe that this was my life. That was just like there is no way I have to live this way until I am like 60 something or whatever age that I have to retire. I yeah, it was a really dark time in my life that I was just like I need to figure out something else Like this cannot be it.

J.R.: 16:54

Well, what about it? Was it just the hours itself, or was the type of work or combination or anything?

Shasia: 16:58

A combination Like the environment was not great. It was like a warehouse, and I think this is very common, like a lot of people who are into video editing or like working in that environment literally are in a warehouse and are just like stuck to their laptop or computer the whole day. Right, and I think it's good when you have to focus. But I just didn't want that to be my life like every single day, especially if it wasn't something that I was passionate about, like I wasn't creating stuff that I was passionate about. So yeah, and also, yeah, I struggled with seasonal depression during that time more intensely, so just getting out of work and seeing like the day was over was really depressing. And I think during that time I learned a valuable lesson of trying to make every day worth it and finding something nice to do or like something that I would enjoy. If I knew that maybe work wouldn't fulfill this, then I would just like purposely find something else to do in the afternoon that would fulfill it, and thankfully I had choreos, right and dance and everything, so that helped a lot. But yeah, I just yeah. I just didn't want that to be like the end goal or to continue into that career path. So I guess, luckily now, luckily right.

Shasia: 18:14

But, like at the time, it was of course a difficult time but I got laid off and I was unemployed for a year and a half and during that time, at first I was excited about it. I tried to look at it in a positive light because I was like, okay, this is my chance, right To change my career path. This is like a sign like I have to do it. And I was really excited about it for the first six months, let's say. But then I feel like everyone knows getting a job these days is so hard, so, so, so, so hard. So I feel like by the end of these 18 months that I was struggling with that, I was just like I just need to find a fucking job, like I don't care what it is anymore.

Shasia: 19:03

But I bumped into this post that was basically, and it was basically looking for social workers and this was something that I was scared at first because I didn't know if they would actually consider me because I had no experience in the work field that had to do with, yeah, social working. But I did a lot of volunteering when I was in high school and a little bit in college. So I put that as my experience right and I felt like this aligned a lot more with what I wanted to do, like in the long run, because I always wanted to do something that was like more impactful or that wouldn't damage the earth more than it already is, like I wanted to give something back to society. That was like my goal, like my whole life, like I just wanted to do something, impact someone's life in a positive way.

Shasia: 19:43

So when I saw, saw this, I was like okay, maybe it's a sign. And they got back to me so, so quick and the whole process was so quick. So like for the first month that I started working there, I was just like how did I get myself into this job? This is crazy. And it felt like a dream for the longest time, like I now is sinked in, but but yeah, for the longest time I was just like I can't believe that this is happening. And also my work environment is just so, so nice, like my two bosses, my supervisor, my coworkers are all amazing people and I just never thought that I was going to be able to achieve that or be in an environment like that.

J.R.: 20:21

So the environment for sure is something that you really enjoyed. You kind of quote unquote, accidentally fell into it, but is there anything about the work that you really enjoy that aligns with you?

Shasia: 20:31

Yeah, absolutely Specifically a type of social working I do.

Shasia: 20:35

I work with people who have mental disabilities.

Shasia: 20:39

This could be either ADHD, autism or intellectual disabilities as well, and my company particularly works on helping them live a more independent life, and all of our clients have to be 18 plus, basically adults, so they are able to make their own decisions, and usually these type of clients are struggling to make that step into becoming an adult fully right.

Shasia: 21:05

So we assist them into following habits or maybe understanding systems that are in society that are not as easy to understand, let's say, taxes, applying for jobs, applying for schools, these type of things that usually no one teaches you right, but us, as neurotypicals, understand this as time, like passes, or we can teach ourselves to do it, but they don't. They can't do this and their family usually struggles with doing it, so they seek for help outside. So that is basically what I do and I feel like, yeah, I've always just like helping people and obviously, as I said before, I've always been an advocate for human rights and just standing up for what is right and I felt because of that this aligned a lot with what I wanted to do, and every day is hard, I would say, but at least at the end of the day I feel fulfilled with what.

Shasia: 22:01

I do Like I don't really care anymore about changing I don't know, millions of people's lives, but I'm just content with helping the two clients that I see that day. Knowing that I was able to support them that day with whatever I did, it's just very fulfilling.

J.R.: 22:20

My two follow-up questions before we shift topics is one what is something that more neurotypical people should know or consider about? Maybe I don't want to say approaching, like dealing with or being involved with neurodivergent people that you think that they don't know or should know? Maybe that's a very big question, but I'm curious.

Shasia: 22:40

No, yeah, I think in general, just try to give people grace. I think it's really easy for us to judge when we see people in the street, for example, or at the store. There's people who are doing things that are not normal in our eyes, maybe, and we are quick to judge and see, I don't know, he's acting crazy or what is wrong with that person, like maybe they are not in their like five senses or maybe they're struggling with something personally, maybe. Don't put yourself in a dangerous situation, of course, too, but just give them grace. Try to put yourself in their situation too, or at least give them the benefit of the doubt, just whoever you encounter in the street, even if maybe they're not neurodivergent and they're just on drugs or whatever, or just a weird friend of yours.

Shasia: 23:24

Or just strangers. I feel like it happens more with strangers when they see like I'm walking with friends and they'll be like why is that person doing that? And I'm like maybe they're in their own neighborhood, like you don't know that, maybe just let them be. But in general I think, just treat people with kindness, yeah more compassion, empathy kindness.

J.R.: 23:42

Yeah. Second thing, I guess, is work on the topic of mental health, but was there anything that you wanted to touch on? We'll get into moving to the States, but in your own, figuring out your work, your career, your life, but also working with people who maybe struggle with this at times and they're neurodivergent. Any thoughts on mental health?

Shasia: 24:00

Yeah, well, as I said earlier, I was unemployed for a year and a half and I feel like that was one of the biggest struggles that I've had mentally. I realized with that that the way that our society is built with capitalism, a lot of our self-worth is aligned to our work and how productive we are. So not being able to be productive during that one year and a half was so, so, so detrimental for my self-esteem. I never expected that to happen, like I. I just never thought that. I thought I was worthy because I worked until I started analyzing that right, but luckily, I guess again, I wasn't luckily in the moment, but now I see it like that I started taking therapy thanks to it. I actually started taking therapy right after I started working, but I wanted to work on like everything that I had suffered for, like the past months before I started working and I was struggling with other things as well. But yeah, I will never.

Shasia: 24:56

I will always ask people to just take therapy if they have the possibility to. I feel like everyone could take advantage of taking therapy. Even if you feel like you're doing amazing, we all have something to learn, always, right, we're always learning, but especially about ourselves. I think, I think just, yeah, just going to therapy is so, so helpful. I'm actually having my last therapy session in a week and that's crazy, like seeing, yes, seeing this this is like graduation or something kind of right I don't know what the word is in english like when your process like ends, how do you?

J.R.: 25:29

know when it ends. How do you define like that finishing point?

Shasia: 25:33

My therapist kind of hinted that it was time for us to, but I have been feeling that I had nothing else to share. Like I felt okay for the past weeks and every time I was like what am I going to tell my therapist? Now I already like literally the same things that we're talking about right now. Is what I talked about last week right, and that happened for two months. Like it just kept happening every week that I was here and she was one day. She was just like so it seems like you know how to handle these things on your own now. Do you think we still need to see each other like every week? And I was like I know where this conversation is going and I kind of did it.

J.R.: 26:10

She's breaking up with you. Yeah, it's not you, it's me.

Shasia: 26:14

No, I actually cried about it for a week because it's so weird. I don't know why I'm like this, but the week before I was just thinking I don't want to take therapy anymore because I'm, I'm risking, I'm, I feel like I was wasting my time. I was not, but I feel like I was really busy during those days and I just wanted to have that extra hour a week to do my own stuff and I feel like I wasn't saying anything new, Right? But then when my therapist told me that, I was like, oh fuck.

Shasia: 26:41

I kind of hit it like OK, it is ending and it was scary to know that I was going to be handling on my own now and of course she's always gonna be there, right, it's not like I'm fully on my own now and then I can never talk. No contact breakup. Yeah, basically. No, I can contact, but but yeah, basically, when they know that you are capable of doing things now and you, they see that you are putting uh into action what you learned at therapy, that's when they'll start saying okay, maybe we can start navigating towards finishing therapy. So for the past two months I've been just having two sessions a month, and before I used to have four sessions a month. So it's like gradual. Yeah, next week is my last one.

J.R.: 27:27

Wow exciting.

Shasia: 27:29

Yeah, I'm all on my own. You're all on your own, yeah exactly.

J.R.: 27:33

That's cool. That's great to hear. I look proud of you. Obviously you've come so far and then you know that the most, so that must be such a great feeling. We're definitely not going to get to the next two things that we brainstorm, but we'll see where it goes. So I wanted to ask you specifically about your coming over here from Mexico and adjusting to the States. We're in Southern California, laoc sort of area all around, and your family's from like Pasadena area.

Shasia: 27:59

Yeah.

J.R.: 27:59

Right. What I want to know is what was that experience like? I'm sure there were a lot of culture shocks and things you haven't gotten used to things you have gotten used to. So could you walk us through your experience moving here?

Shasia: 28:10

Yeah, so I think my experience was really smooth because I had choreos, honestly, in my family. Of course, my sister helped a lot. Like having her here was like familiar, like I wasn't on my own fully. I wasn't as close distance wise to my like uncles and aunts, so I wouldn't see them as often, but like living with my sister, of course, was a better transition than just moving to a whole country that you don't know anything about, like on your own right and I spoke the language. So also that helped a lot.

Shasia: 28:40

But I think having that community already here because for for context, it was COVID right I auditioned before I moved here, basically because auditions were transitioned to online and I think they were like throughout December and January, like the first days of January, and I moved here officially in February, so like the community was already there for me before I moved here.

Shasia: 29:04

So having someone to have, having someone to spend time with, was so much. It was so much easier to transition because of that. Like having someone to spend my afternoons with or I don't know if I just wanted to hit someone up and go get ice cream or try a different restaurant it was easy to do. So I got to know a lot of my favorite restaurants because of choreos, because we're always eating after dance or like practice filming whatever. So, yeah, definitely having that group of people around was so, so helpful. And for anyone trying to move out to a different place, I would just recommend finding community, and I am such an advocate for community. I think community is so important for us as a society and sometimes we stay away from it. But, yeah, just finding community will make things easier if you're moving to a new place.

J.R.: 29:59

That's a good pro tip. What were some of the if you have any that come to mind biggest culture shocks or things getting used to from Mexico to here?

Shasia: 30:07

So the first one was food.

J.R.: 30:09

What Our food isn't as good.

Shasia: 30:13

The one thing that I always told friends like I don't know. This is just in my brain, but for me just food doesn't taste as fresh. In the states, like in mexico, we have everything around us, right, all the fruits and vegetables are grown around us, so like everything is fresh. But here, like I don't want to like spoil, I don't know. It tastes a little bit like plastic, I don't know how to describe it. Wait, you don't want to spoil? I don't know. It tastes a little bit like plastic, I don't know how to describe it.

J.R.: 30:33

Wait, you don't like plastic.

Shasia: 30:36

I don't know.

J.R.: 30:37

Why do you think that is? Why do you think it tastes much different? So, distance-wise, we're not that far, and if you go to a place where it's, let's say, the restaurant owner is from Mexico, or their family or whatever, Theoretically in my brain shouldn't it be the same right?

Shasia: 30:52

but it doesn't taste the same right.

J.R.: 30:53

Right, that's exactly what I would say too. What do you think is the difference then?

Shasia: 30:55

I have no idea.

J.R.: 30:56

The capitalism air I think so.

Shasia: 30:58

Mexico is also a capitalist country, right? Sure but I do feel like maybe there's stuff in the states that are approved that in mexico aren't like fda approved that ingredients uh-huh, a lot of preservatives that maybe are not approved in other countries or are not as easy to consume in other countries.

Shasia: 31:17

Yeah, I'm still trying to figure that out. I don't understand why that happens. Like one thing that my family doesn't understand either is I don't eat tortillas here. I don't. I'm not. Like sorry to all my fellow Mexicans, but I'm not a huge tortilla fan. Take Mexican. You don't eat churros, right to all my fellow Mexicans, but I'm not a huge tortilla fan, but Take Mexican.

J.R.: 31:34

You don't eat churros, right? Or is there something else you don't like?

Shasia: 31:37

There's a lot of things. Well, I just don't eat Mexican food in the States. That's the thing. That's what I'm going to say. In Mexico I eat a little bit of tortilla, but in the States I just cannot stand it. Like the flavor is so fake, it's so so, so fake. So, yeah, the food basically was the first thing that I was like I cannot, I need, like I, as I said, I don't eat mexican food in the states. I try to just crave it until I go back home and I'm like okay you save your cravings yeah, this is so much better, I just eat it from yeah.

Shasia: 32:06

And then it's so sad because everyone like keeps trying to recommend me places and be like no, but this place is authentic, you'll like this one. And I'm like at this point I don't expect anything. I'm just like OK, I'll try it, but I feel like I won't, I won't like it. And then, yeah, I almost always don't like it.

J.R.: 32:21

You know, what's funny is that I think I've went to maybe a couple of Mexican food places with you, and and it's always that holds your breath oh, what does Shazia think? So now part of me is thinking maybe you were just being nice to us in the restaurant. It's good.

Shasia: 32:34

The thing is, every time I eat Mexican food, I never expect it to taste like authentic.

J.R.: 32:39

Never, oh. So just your expectations are lowered.

Shasia: 32:41

Yeah.

J.R.: 32:45

And I'm like, yeah, it's good. So what do you eat, Shazia, if you don't eat mexican food?

Shasia: 32:49

the way that I usually eat is just more like ingredient based. Honestly at this point, like what? Like? My go-to is like rice, broccoli and salmon, I see so just ingredients, but not necessarily like a cuisine yeah what about like restaurants?

J.R.: 33:02

do you have like favorite type of cuisine from restaurants?

Shasia: 33:05

yeah, I like a lot of asian food. I've heard from my asian friends that asian food in LA area is really good. I've never been to Asia, so to me it tastes amazing. Maybe people who are from Asia feel exactly the same way that I feel about Mexican food, but you know what? I have not tried the authentic one, so I'm happy having Asian food in LA.

J.R.: 33:24

Yeah, so I have a theory on the whole what makes the food taste different? Because, like we talked about this too, for example, I don't really like italian food, mostly just because it's not my vibe, like it's just carbs, cheese, oil, whatever. But when I went to italy and had the food there and the pasta and I was like wait, I don't really like pasta, but why is it so good here? And my theory is that it's really the sourcing, because of course, in those places they're growing their food is different from how we grow it here, and also the sourcing, and we mass produce food and low quality, like you said, and we probably put plastic into the food to give it that American flavor. But then I was surprised because I'm like, wait, I really love Italian food in Italy and so I think now I'm like it probably is just the food sourcing, because theoretically, that Italian chef can come here and make the same food, but it tastes different.

Shasia: 34:14

I actually had an Italian professor because I learned Italian in college, but that professor said the same thing I can't buy the ingredients to make pasta and make it taste like it tastes in Italy. It just won't taste the same. So yeah, I agree Very sad. I do have a restaurant, though, that I would recommend for tacos. I agree, very sad. I do have a restaurant, though, that I would recommend for tacos. Is it 1986, 1982?

J.R.: 34:35

Something like that. Oh yeah, the place Did we go? To that place it's in that area where you used to work right.

Shasia: 34:39

Yeah, and actually there's one in Westwood now too.

J.R.: 34:41

Oh, that's right, yeah, yeah.

Shasia: 34:45

So if you guys want to get tacos, I would recommend they taste like authentic TJ tacos.

J.R.: 34:47

TJ Tacos. Oh, sign off by Shasia. Now, just exclusively go there. Affiliate link. Just kidding. No, any other culture shocks or things getting used to I guess getting a little bit deeper.

Shasia: 35:01

One thing that I feel like the States is which is weird, because I feel like here is all freedom, america is America freedom. Yeah, it's the, I don't know.

J.R.: 35:11

So free guys.

Shasia: 35:12

Yeah.

J.R.: 35:13

So free that we have military right now in LA County.

Shasia: 35:16

Right, every fucking corner. But like everyone, like I feel like of course America wants to, wants the world to know that they are like the freest country, or whatever To project that.

Shasia: 35:28

Yeah, so it was really ironic to feel like I couldn't really talk about a lot of topics when I moved here, because I felt like people weren't ready to have those conversations. And I still feel that way about some certain things Like, for example, socialism or feminism or like the I don't know the environment. There's so many things that I feel like the states is so close-minded about, and I've tried talking about these topics with like family, with friends, and it's just so hard for them to not get defensive about it and I've tried with so many people, right, and I feel like that has made it really hard for me to connect or find like meaningful connections. And I think now I'm used to it and I like I've passed the point that I'm like I can make meaningful connections regardless of not being able to talk about these topics with them.

Shasia: 36:18

But at the beginning I struggled so much because I would talk about these topics so much with my friends in Mexico, like it's just a normal conversation that we'll have every day, like if we felt about something specific I don't know about the government or about what's happening, like we would just talk about it casually. But I feel like here I have to be so aware of what I'm telling to specific people because I feel like they might take it the wrong way or they think I'll be an extremist. There's just yeah, it's just not a free country. I think that makes a lot of sense, because I think it's just not a free country.

J.R.: 36:49

I think that makes a lot of sense because I think it's ingrained in American culture that it's identity politics is very prevalent and so with that is a lot of people who are rooted in their identity, of who they think they are, and therefore any sort of discussion on other topics that attacks their identity they're so resistant to that. I think it's just ingrained in the culture.

Shasia: 37:10

It is, and it's scary in a way, like I just wish that people were a little bit more open-minded about those topics and I feel like it's so. As I said, it's so ironic because people think they're so open-minded here, like they like on instagram or like tiktok, they'll be like oh yeah, like talking about these topics. It's like they're coming up with new ideas. Well, these topics were conversations that I was having with friends maybe six, seven years ago. Yeah, I guess this is just catching up.

J.R.: 37:34

Yeah so you are open-minded oh, my god, I was waiting for it.

Shasia: 37:39

Yeah, I could see that.

J.R.: 37:41

Oh my god sorry, anything, anything else. I want to switch over to dance a little bit while I have some time, but anything else on the topic of culture shock or anything, okay, so let's go into dance leadership, because I feel like you have some good insights here, probably, and so what has your experience been with dance leading? And I don't know if it's a good question, but what draws you to it? And then the follow-up questions are like biggest challenges right.

Shasia: 38:07

So I've been dancing I think since I was like 12. So when I first started I got into K-pop I saw that they had like cool dances and stuff and I wanted to learn it Right. I don't know why or how, I made friends on Facebook that also were into K-pop and I kind of made like a little group and we even filmed a video for youtube. I will not link it dang it.

J.R.: 38:35

I was gonna research you, but she said no.

Shasia: 38:36

So I actually don't know where it's at, but lost media. But yeah, uh, that was like the first group that I made that got me into dancing and stuff. And then after that I like met friends and stuff. Like just throughout my dance experience or dance career I've always gravitated towards leadership or have been put into that position without me really wanting to. I think it's just because I have a big personality, so I have a big voice and a big personality, so it just like gravitates towards that. And then people like start listening and yeah, it just when I was younger, it just happened. It wasn't like something planned.

Shasia: 39:20

And after that, like after the first groups that I kind of was leading, I got invited into bigger groups in my hometown that had more experience. So in those groups I started just as a regular member, right, but then little by little, because I had insights into I don't know formations or cleaning stuff like that, I also started like going up like leadership wise and then I decided to create like my own group. Like I feel like the ones that I did before were just like oh yeah, we're just a couple friends that want to want to dance and are like fangirls and stuff. But for this one. I was like I want to make one that I can actually call my group and do things that I want to do and lead us into a specific direction, like not just something for fun. So yeah, I created a group with some friends the essence we are also. We were also on youtube for a couple of years, not active anymore, but but yeah, that group basically I feel is a group that gave me the most experience leading and I learned a lot through through that group and also kind of left a little traumatized.

Shasia: 40:23

So when I moved here I was like I don't want to do any type of leading, I just want to be like a little sponge and like just absorb all the information that I can, learn as much as I can.

Shasia: 40:35

And I feel well, maybe you remember, but when I first joined koreos I was just like like learning mode like the whole time. I was just so focused and trying to just observe how they would, like clean stuff or teach us stuff or lead the projects, like I was just really focused and, yeah, I just wanted to learn as much as possible from the experience. And unfortunately, a couple months after I joined, a lot of people left and we were left with without a lot of leaders. So it felt irresponsible of me to not step up if I had the capability to, at least as an OSL official subunit leader slash leader in choreos. And ever since I just kept getting more and more responsibilities because I felt like I had to. I wanted to pass down that knowledge to other people. Like I felt like it was selfish to keep that information to myself, knowledge to other people Like I felt like it was selfish to keep that information to myself.

J.R.: 41:37

That makes sense. So, over the course of your leadership experience, one thing that I would love to know is some of the biggest lessons that you've learned or takeaways that you've helped that you could pass along to future leaders or people who, I guess, learn from your mistakes, or something like that.

Shasia: 41:50

Well, as I said, I always had a big personality and big voice.

Shasia: 41:53

I feel like when I was younger, I was not as good listening. I was stuck on like being right or like wanting to be right or wanting things to be in my way, and maybe I didn't really see it that way at that time. But now, like looking back, I'm like, oh yeah, maybe I was just stuck on wanting to do things that way that I wanted to do them. Sometimes I still like that, but I feel I definitely have learned to lead with empathy early, by understanding other people first and then trying to adjust to the situation. Because of that, yeah, I feel like a lot of leaders I've encountered lack empathy or are not really good of having situational awareness. Like I think it's good to have goals and have expectations of a project, but like you also have to be realistic and see when your teammates are not in the position to fulfill your expectations. So you also have to adjust to them and see what they need from you, not just what you want from this project, if that makes sense.

J.R.: 42:56

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. You were OSL of the year for how many years in a row?

J.R.: 43:01

I think two In my head it's been like four, I don't know. Yeah, shasia is just a testament to someone from the outside. I don't know. Shasia is a really good leader, so practice is what she preaches. I think most people who are in a cover with shasi have a good experience, because not only is she very competent at what she does and I read through all of the retroforms, it's what she's saying the empathy, the listening, the awareness and leading with that in that sort of perspective, I feel like, creates a good experience for people and that's what I also always want to achieve from a cover right.

Shasia: 43:34

All I want is for people to. I think before I all I wanted is for us to feel proud about it.

Shasia: 43:40

Now all I want is for us to have a good experience from it it's not just proud of the end result, but also enjoying the whole process yeah, yeah, and sometimes the end result has to like not be as good for us to be able to enjoy that process, and I know that doesn't align with everyone, but I think after years, I just think that is more important, like the experience, rather than just making a great cover. Or if I do have in mind that I want, like an amazing cover, like I need to make that clear for my team members as well, like from the beginning, not even like after we just started, but like from the before. We have who is being in the cover, like the cast before, like I want them to know that these are the expectations for this cover. So if you're not mentally there, then maybe this is not the cover for you to do, but I really want to push us a little bit further for this specific project. But, yeah, being transparent.

J.R.: 44:33

I think is also important. Yeah, I like that a lot. I don't want to add anything to that, because I would have said the exact same things that she just said. I think setting expectations up front is super important yeah we are at the time for rapid fire questions, but do you have anything else on leadership, dance leadership or things that people can take away from your experience?

Shasia: 44:48

I think just don't take things too seriously in general, anything.

J.R.: 44:54

In life.

Shasia: 44:55

Yeah, in life I feel like there's this one thing, that is like this one sentence that is oh my God, life is meaningless. But then also, oh my God, life is meaningless. It's nice to know that there is no meaning and you can do whatever you want with it. It's not that serious. It never is that serious. And yeah that's all I think. Perfect, okay, ready for rapid fire.

J.R.: 45:18

Sure wait, so exciting, okay. Well, the first one is billboard questions. So if you could put up a sign for millions of people to see metaphorically, what would it say?

Shasia: 45:27

non-commercial maybe a little because of the situation. Probably no one is illegal on stolen land. I like it.

J.R.: 45:39

What is one of the hardest challenges you face in your life and what did you learn from it?

Shasia: 45:43

I think definitely, as I mentioned, like the one year and a half that I was unemployed, but I feel like I already talked about it.

J.R.: 45:48

Yeah, I like it. If you could redo one thing, what would you do?

Shasia: 45:53

I think I like to stand by all of my mistakes.

J.R.: 45:58

Okay, it's a thought experiment. Okay, we'll move on. What about if you could give your younger self advice? What would it be, any age?

Shasia: 46:07

Loosen up, like it's not that serious. There you go.

J.R.: 46:11

In the last few years, what new belief, behavior or habit has improved your life the most?

Shasia: 46:16

I think, trying to live in the moment. I'm still working on it, but I think it's important to not think too much about the future or the past. Just enjoy what you're going through right now. You're only going to go through once.

J.R.: 46:28

Enjoy what you're going through Negative, positive, whatever, but it's just being in the moment. Yeah, enjoy what you're going through Negative, positive, whatever, but it's just being in the moment. Yeah, how do you define success?

Shasia: 46:36

Feeling content with what you're doing. Yeah, whatever it is, it doesn't matter if you're not doing much, if you're just laying on your couch for one day just watching TV. If you feel content, I think that's successful.

J.R.: 46:48

Very Zen, very Buddhist answers. Shazia, I like it. If you knew you couldn't fail, what would you be doing or trying right now?

Shasia: 46:57

Probably opening a cafe, yeah.

J.R.: 47:03

What kind of cafe? What's the vision of this cafe? I?

Shasia: 47:06

don't know. I just always romanticize the idea of having like your little shop and just being able to run it very casually, like not too capitalist, I guess.

J.R.: 47:16

Yeah, I only said that because that's also one of my bucket list dreams. Same with aiden we want to just have our own cafe, not to make a ton of money like in my head it would barely break even, but for me it's just a space for the community and then just like the vibes, right yeah if you knew you would absolutely fail, what would you do anyway?

Shasia: 47:35

I feel like I already do it, but just dancing. Yeah, I feel like I already fail, but, but yeah, just continue to do what I love, regardless of the result I like it.

J.R.: 47:45

What is something that you've been pondering either frequently or deeply?

Shasia: 47:49

I feel like for the past like five years, just the meaning of life. I'm still trying to figure it out. I was gonna ask.

J.R.: 47:54

So what did you figure out? What's the answer?

Shasia: 47:57

like the answer is that there is no meaning, as I said okay and I'm trying to make peace with that and just enjoy it for whatever it is.

J.R.: 48:06

Yeah, do you have any favorite hot takes?

Shasia: 48:10

I feel like I'll get canceled if I say things as I said.

J.R.: 48:16

I feel like what are the topic areas?

Shasia: 48:18

feminism for sure.

J.R.: 48:20

Okay, and then socialism for sure wait, so you're pro-feminism just the type of feminism that I like, the grade of feminism I see, I see, yeah, okay, so we're not ready for the grade yet.

Shasia: 48:33

Yeah.

J.R.: 48:35

That's fair. What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you've ever made in either time money, energy or et cetera? Don't say living in the moment. You said that already.

Shasia: 48:44

No, I was going to take something like literal.

J.R.: 48:46

Okay.

Shasia: 48:47

I have a couch that I thought about a lot buying it or not, but I decided to get it, even though it was a little pricey, because I was like I feel like I need just a place to sit and I spend all my life on it, so I'm grateful for that.

J.R.: 49:00

What do you like about the couch?

Shasia: 49:02

So I guess TMI, but my bed is like a loft bed, so I wanted a space for me to just be able to chill and a place for me to just sleep. Oh, and I think that separates it really nicely and, yeah, I think my life has a better what is it schedule pattern because of it.

J.R.: 49:22

Yeah, yeah, first time I got couch all right. Favorite recent relatively cheap purchase that's impacted your life the most so I was thinking about this.

Shasia: 49:32

Lately I've been getting into buying probiotic sodas I have huh, yeah, okay so I think when I first moved here, I was really into boba, like really into boba, and I, as I grow older, I am trying to find like healthier habits and I am also just not craving sweets as much, so that's age. Yeah, yeah, I remember us talking about this when we just met and I was like sugar gives you headaches. I don't really like, what does that mean? And now I'm like oh.

J.R.: 50:04

So when we met, you were not old and now you are. You've crossed over to.

Shasia: 50:07

Yeah, I think so, but yeah, anyways, when I'm just craving something sweet and I know that I want to just have a drink, I think a lot of times people just want to have a drink, like on their hand or like on the road or whatever. Boba is a great go-to, but it has so much sugar and so many calories and sometimes I just want, I don't want to consume all that, I just want a little drink and I want a little bit of flavor. And yeah, probiotics, I don't think they work, like I don't think they have probiotics.

Shasia: 50:33

Sue me, I don't know yeah but it's just a little drink that I like the taste experience of drinking it. Yeah, so it's nothing about probiotic soda that I would like to hope that it does have something to do like.

J.R.: 50:43

I'm sure it's healthy, but I just like it I'm sure it's not healthy.

Shasia: 50:47

I wish it was healthier than boba I guess yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, not as yeah, not as bad, I don't know. If I just don't want to drink water, then I'll drink.

J.R.: 50:55

That's fair, okay. Last one Favorite books, movies, videos, articles, media or anything else that you share or recommend the most.

Shasia: 51:02

So I'm a big like YouTube like Consumer. Yeah, consumer, I don't really watch a lot of long-term media like movies, or I don't read that much honestly either, but I like a lot of commentary youtubers like curtis, connor, danny gonzalez commentating on what sometimes it's just like stupid movies that are online right, and other times it's a little more like on society or like specific topics and it's also like comedy, so it's fun.

Shasia: 51:32

Also, lately I've been into smosh. I know a lot of people used to watch smosh when they were younger. I only started watching smosh like maybe two years ago and they're pretty funny. I think something I wanted to do for the past year was to stay away from tiktok a little bit more because the brain rot.

Shasia: 51:50

I think I still scroll, but naturally I've gravitated a little bit further away from that and watching things that are a little more like mid length yeah yeah, it's a little bit better for my brain and it's a good way to distract myself from things that I want to see, because I feel like on tiktok, yeah, you're laughing like one second and the next one you're like crying and the next one, you're like mad because of what's happening.

Shasia: 52:12

Roller coaster of emotions so sometimes I don't want to go through that, I just want to have fun. I don't want to, I don't want. I want to escape from reality, and I think smash helps me yeah okay, that is it for rapid fire questions.

J.R.: 52:26

We'll go into any questions, so we end with gratitude shout out to my mom. So, shasia, what are you grateful for?

Shasia: 52:32

I'm grateful for life. Yeah, I am grateful for my friends, for the meaningful connections I've done this year, for the meaningful connections that I've been able to keep for the years that I've been here, and also for the friends that I've been able to still maintain from mexico. Yeah, grateful for my family, of course, for choreos, for playground and, yeah, I think those are for my dogs, but they're my family.

J.R.: 53:00

So, yeah, yeah I like it all right. Do you have any final ask from the audience or any final takeaways you'd like them to have from this conversation?

Shasia: 53:07

just speak and live your truth, whatever that means for you. Try to not fit into what other people want from you, and also don't stress too much about what that is. If you don't know what it is yet, I think you will grow into it, and we're also changing beings. So if what you like now is not what you liked maybe five years ago, that is completely okay, and it's okay to embrace change as well. Nice, I like it.

J.R.: 53:37

Okay, shazia, where can we find you if people want to connect or see what you're up to?

Shasia: 53:40

so I'm on instagram like dancing shazia and on youtube I think it's just shazia, ringle or rankel, whatever you yeah however, you want to pronounce it when you read it yeah, but yeah cool, all right.

J.R.: 53:54

Well, that is it. Thank you, shasi, for being here.

J.R.: 53:57

I really appreciate it yeah, I think this was a really good conversation, as expected. I think you gave some really good answers unique answers too, so not surprised. So I'll do my final sign off. Thank you guys for being here. Be sure to like, follow, subscribe whatever you want, comment below. Below, give Shasta some love. Tell us what you liked about this. And yeah, reminders Always be kind to other people, especially yourself, and remember that you can always learn something from someone if you take the time to listen. So thanks for being here.