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I created this project, this photographic performance art

project, a number of years ago.

At one point, I was so exhausted.

I was traveling all night, and I sort of like fell over.

I'm so dead, like dead, exhausted.

And my friend took a picture.

I posted it.

And for some reason, people were like,

this is just really funny.

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I thought, yeah, I mean, that's cool,

but if I'm going to put something out into the world,

and then also call it art or talk

about it through the lens of art,

I want it to be meaningful and powerful and enjoyable.

And I was like, I can't just take a silly picture.

So I created this world of STEFDIES.

I never want it to be confused with that I'm

making fun of mortality.

STEFDIES is very much a celebration of life,

and being in the moment, and celebrating this world

that we live in.

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Anyone who's sort of doing something different,

I think it's just a heartfelt reaction

to wanting to be included and wanting

to have a seat at the table.

And I feel that sometimes when there's

this whitewashing on social media and on Instagram,

it excludes a lot of people.

And I want to remember my travels.

I want to be in my photos.

I want to make it cool, but I don't

want to feel bad that I'm not doing

it the right way, or the socially accepted way,

or in the beautiful kind of way.

I've been on trips where they were just

concerned with going places where they could

get a picture for social media.

It wasn't behind I want to see this beautiful fountain,

or I want to meet these cool local people.

It was more like, I have to go to this place

to get the photos so I can show people.

I would just walk away and go explore.

And I'd like-- be like, it's been like 30 minutes.

Are you going to-- do you want to go up there?

No, no, no, no, we're done.

I'm like, I can't.

And so there's so much time in trying

to get the photo that you don't actually exist in the place

that you're going to.

It's just sad because you're missing out

on the beautiful place.

Be in the moment.

Be there.

I think it's actually deeply ingrained in me

to learn about other cultures, also

learn about myself through other cultures and through travel.

I didn't view the world through just one

lens of being in America.

I mean, I also had the culture of my Japanese grandmother

and my Italian grandfather.

And so when you're surrounded by otherness,

it is just ingrained in you that you're no better or no less

than anyone else.

You're just you.

Expand yourself.

And the best way to expand yourself, I think,

is by expanding your mind through experience.

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