We had the good fortune of connecting with Mars Wright and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mars, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
I don’t necessarily have a set routine or specific habits, but I do believe that my willingness to just do things is what has led me to success. I’m more afraid of not trying something than of failing, so I often take risks and try new things. I try to spend more time actually working on the things I say I’m dreaming about, rather than just talking about them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What sets me apart is my vulnerability. Everything you see in my art is exactly how I feel, whether that’s messy, sad, angry or joyful, I put it all out there and I think people really resonate with that. I got where I am because there has always been a voice inside me telling me my purpose is to make art, and I just follow that voice as best I can. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve learned to try my best to let go of things I can’t control and pray that hard work and honest art will get me where I need to go. If I’m going somewhere I don’t think I want to, maybe that’s just the lesson I need to learn next. I want the world to know that Trans people deserve not to just survive but thrive. Our voices, our art, our lives will change the world for the better.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many great places in LA, but if a friend came to visit I would definitely take them to the Connie Norman Trans Empowerment Center in West Hollywood. It’s a great place to meet other trans people and attend events. For dinner and drinks, I would take them to The Ruby Fruit, a sapphic wine bar in Silverlake with amazing food. And if they’re here on the right day, we would check out the Manic Pixie Dream Market, which happens once a month and features local and queer vendors.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Unique Woman’s Coalition

Website: www.marswright.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mars.wright

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mars-wright/

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.