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Leticia Viloria started the virtual class with questions, a few laughs and a different task for each of the half dozen participants.
“Create a story using only the words you have created,” Viloria told one participant. “Say hello or introduce yourself to a stranger,” said another.
She encouraged everyone on the accent call to include their pronouns next to their names. Viloria is she/they, and she identifies as pansexual. That means she is attracted to any gender.
The 39-year-old mother, author and actress from Milltown said the placement was to provide an outlet for extreme creativity and support mental health.
“Many of us have things in common with the way we were raised and told what was important to do,” she said.
Viloria is the head of the creative sound team New Jersey Pride Center in Highland Park. She welcomes everyone into the classroom, emphasizing the importance of art and exploring ideas with constructive feedback. He then poses a series of questions to each participant that they use to talk through their creative process.
Viloria launched Creative Voice in 2020 to empower marginalized communities to express themselves. Anyone can participate, but most performing artists host a gender-segregated section, a safe space for those looking for creative outlet and a chance to connect with others without judgment.
Erica May-McNicol, Comedian In suburban pennsylvania, Viloria asked her to develop a classroom curriculum and gave her $500. Offer to help after the two meet at a comedy show in Philadelphia.
“We want to focus on something that engages adults in the community, especially adults who don’t have access to online classes and creative outlets,” May-McNicol said.
After the first session, Viloria realized that she had fulfilled her desire.
“People were crying,” she said of having to tell participants she was not a trained therapist.
The class is once a week, but in small, close-knit groups, many continue to come month after month.
“This is an amazing offering,” said Patricia Nagle, Vice President of Development and Programs at the Pride Center. “It’s no different than any team we’ve had at the Pride Center.”
Stephanie Wobensmith, 39, of Ottawa, Canada, joined Creative Voice in January 2021.
“I was very new to drag when I found Laetitia’s team,” says Webensmith, who describes himself as a non-binary drag king, opening shows with a masculine palette and adding feminine touches.
“Creative Voices has helped me spend about two hours each week on my creative process…with a group of creative people,” adds Wobensmith. “Through this online class, I’ve been able to make real friendships with other creative people with different creative strengths.”
One of Viloria’s assignments for Wobensmith is to “do nothing and be okay with it.”
“Leticia saw that I was putting too much pressure on myself to be successful,” Wobensmith said. “And maybe I was putting too much pressure on myself… if I didn’t get to that end result. I was desperate.”
Viloria is a native of New York whose family is from the Dominican Republic. She is the first generation born in the United States.
In high school, she was introduced to comedy and writing as a platform for self-expression while interning at the Bowery Poetry Club.
“I was surrounded by so many different people,” she said. “I performed the words. I sang. And then it became funny and then I started improvising a lot of things on stage.”
Viloria worked later The Bowery Poetry ClubShe moved to Pennsylvania where she met her partner, Chris, married in 2008. City in 2009
She began writing and performing through a local improv group, but left because of what she says was prejudice.
“It was a practice of getting people to say pretty bigoted things,” Viloria said. “The jokes may be racially oriented and make fun of the LGBTQ community. It was so mean,” she said.
Viloria was found later Philly Improv Theatre.
“In Philly, it was very different. It felt more inclusive because it was all LGBTQIA reform groups,” Viloria said. “And it was around that time that I realized I wasn’t just a person of color.”
Viloria said she recognizes that she is part of the LBGTQ community, but admits that race and gender relations have been difficult at times.
“The goal was always to be myself, but I never felt like there were the right words,” Viloria said. “And there was this fear of not being seen as good enough to be in the LBGTQIA community.”
Viloria said she had to contend with visiting family in the Dominican Republic. Her 10-year-old daughter, Jess, said: “He expresses himself in different ways and wears whatever he wants.” “And I’m afraid we’re going to go to the Dominican Republic and he’s going to judge us.”
The fear stems from Viloria’s past experiences. “I was called out there based on what I was wearing,” she said. “I’m called ‘Joe’, which I think is a way to call a girl a boy.
“I don’t want to bring him into an environment where there is so much prejudice,” she said.
It’s one of the reasons Viloria dedicated herself to creating a space like Creative Voice.
Wobensmith can verify the validation results the class is generating.
“Leticia is one of those people who has a big heart and is an amazing professional in her own right,” Wobensmith said. “It’s amazing how they can bring people together to go on their own creative journey, no matter where they are.”
Go to register for Creative Voice http://www.pridecenter.org/
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Sheila Brown can be found at sbrown@njadvancemedia.com Follow her on Twitter @Shaylah_Bunama
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