Meet Barrett Carroll | Actor, Author & Advocate

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

Hi Barrett, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I believe that at the core of every human is the desire to see and be seen, hear and be heard and love and be loved. When you examine all of the potential ways that one could navigate through life, being an artist seems like one of the most rewarding….maybe not always the most financially rewarding but certainly intellectually and emotionally. All artists are putting their soul out on the table to be seen and examined. It has to come from a selfless place, which can be hard at times considering the fact that we all have to make a living. As an artist you are either sharing the depths of your own feelings and experiences in some way or you are willfully putting yourself in a position to live someone else’s experience and trying to not only learn from someone else’s perspective but express it. I don’t think I had much of a choice when it came to pursuing anything else. I could make up stories, sing, dance and pretend all day long as a kid and nothing else made sense.

I have always loved learning about the human condition, general history and individual stories. Life is so precious and the arts are a great way to experience life but also to share life. The three principles that mean the most to me in my work are entertainment, education and empowerment. Whether I am performing on a stage, appearing on camera, doing social media or writing or teaching, those are the three elements that I strive to give to others and receive myself. I hope that we can all feel entertained whether that be through laughter, action or just the desire to escape day to day life for a bit. Education is such a powerful tool within the arts. If I am not learning, I am not growing. Whatever I create I always hope that it brings new perspectives, new lessons and new ideas to the table. At the end of the day I hope that whatever I create empowers others to believe in their dreams and live more fully. Ultimately though we can all have an intention for what we do but we can’t control the reaction that others may have. You just have to make what your soul calls you to make, leave it on the table and move on from there. I think all people are creators…not everyone attempts to make a living in the arts but everyone creates in their own ways. We create families, homes and businesses. Every element of life has some level of creativity. I think those who are true artists have to make the art even if no one sees it or hears it. It is a calling. It is a gift both to us and from us and for me, there is nothing more important than creativity and collaboration.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Most recently I wrote, illustrated and published my first children’s book, “The Acorn’s Journey.” I am really proud of it and want to be able to share it with as many people as possible.

Growing up I experienced a lot of abuse. A lot of people’s words and actions attempted to make me feel worthless and powerless. There were many hard days and a lot of self doubt but I never held onto that doubt for too long. As early as I can remember I knew that the words and actions used against me as a child were a direct reflection of the insecurities of those adults and not an actual representation of me. That is a hard thing to reconcile as a child though. You really only ever have two choices in life – accept what life has presented to you or believe in something more.

As I moved through life and faced different obstacles, one of the things that kept me going was remembering that it wasn’t all about me. There would be people who came after me who would face similar hardships. I didn’t just want to survive, I wanted to thrive because I felt an obligation to others. Sometimes people just need a little hope. I thought “If I can get through this…so can others.”

I have always loved Acorns. There are these little things that often get tossed away, eaten up or stepped on. I knew what that felt like…what is so magical about an Acorn though is the potential that it carries within it. Oak tree’s are some of the strongest, largest and most beautiful trees in the world and they come from an Acorn.

I write a lot of poetry and several years back I wrote a poem about a little acorn and his journey. After a while I thought it would make a great children’s book. I came back to the idea time and time again. Finally the time and opportunity presented itself and i decided to make it happen.

I met with a couple of illustrators and found that it would be cheaper and more effective if I illustrated it myself. I had a very specific vision of what I wanted and so I set out on a quest to teach myself how to illustrate a book. I am a very artistic person but drawing does not come naturally to me as it does others. I figured it would be a good learning experience and i would pick up some new skills and that’s what i did. I learned a lot and became quite good at illustration. It took longer than expected but eventually I finished.

After lots of edits, re-edits and re-re-edits….I published my first children’s book. The responses I received were incredible. I wrote it not only for children but for the adults reading to those kids. It is a poem that is filled with life lessons and inspiration. I still get messages and emails from people about how much the book has meant to them or the kids in their life.

It has truly been such a rewarding, creative venture and I am really glad I took the leap and made it happen.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love when friends come to visit. I think the stereotypical LA spots are great. The Grove, Griffith Observatory, the Santa Monica Pier etc. BUT I also have some personal favorite spots like hiking in Malibu, going to some comedy shows getting drinks at Mamma Por Dios. Take them to some of the thrift stores around the city or the farmer’s markets on Sundays.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
On the front page of my children’s book “The Acorn’s Journey” I have a dedication that reads

“Dedicated to those who dare to believe in the power of their potential.”

Those are the people I really want to shoutout. There are so many children and adults who carry great potential within them and often times that potential seems locked away due to the life experiences that they have been presented.

As a child in a very isolated and abusive environment it was stories of people like Oprah, Jim Carrey, Nick Vujicic, Viktor Frankl and so many more who showed me that your calling must supersede your circumstance.

I believe every single person has purpose in life and often times those who are pulled to great purpose aren’t always set up to succeed. The people who dare to dream beyond their circumstances….those are the people who truly inspire me.

Website: https://www.barrettcarroll.com/link-me

Instagram: Instagram.com/barrettdcarroll

Other: TikTok.com/@barrettdcarroll https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578398508?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860&fs=e&s=cl