Our September CreativeMornings Charleston speaker Leah M. Suárez is a musician and arts entrepreneur whose primary instrument is her velvet rich voice. (Seriously, wait ‘til you hear her sing).
Leah is a fiercely passionate individual artist inspired by collaborative energy; we couldn’t have asked for a better person to speak about “Compassion.” Her light and energy is contagious and she’s known for bringing people together through the power of music.
In our Q&A below, get a sneak peek at what makes Leah tick, how she finds her creative inspiration, and why music and Mexico are the fuel to her fire.
What do you love most about what you do?
How did you get into your field of work? Did you always know you were going to be a musician?
It chose me. I always sang as a child, imagining myself in musical roles - hairbrush in hand - as Maria, but more so as Anita, in West Side Story or Aldonza/Dulcinea in Man of La Mancha. My most formal training was in middle school band, which lead to life-changing experiences and success in the low brass section on euphonium. I finished my college career at the College of Charleston, finding my voice in jazz. I then chose to re-connect and re-commit to my hometown city by the sea, guided by the music and the people who make it - past, present and future.
Life handed me some pretty tough lemons in my formative years and throughout some challenging adult years. Music was my lemonade. And the reason I’m still here. I’m just a vessel.
How do you start your day?
Literally saying “thank you for today.” My morning time is sacred and my routine ritualistic. Before anything, I’ll make my bed. A necessary tick. Afterwards, it’s a combination of incense or copal, lemon water with herbs, and a healthy dose of meditation, affirmation and prayer - mostly in silence - followed by a warm-up for my body and particularly my voice. Then, usually off for a run, walk, yoga or anywhere else I can meditate in movement. The best days begin by greeting the sun.
Tell us about your proudest moment or accomplishment.
Embracing my Mexican heritage, claiming my Mexican citizenship, and awakening my inner chingona. August 2014, I returned to mi México for the first time in 28 years. I was 5 years old the last time I stepped foot in a country that was also my America, though one that equally made it more challenging to be in this America. My grandfather, whom I had never had the pleasure of meeting before his untimely death, visited me consistently in my dreams for years. He convinced me that something was awaiting my arrival, there, in México. I knew he was right. Two and a half years later, on the same day #45 would issue his executive order for a certain wall, I would walk into México as a proud, soul-filled, teary-eyed mexicana, no longer an extranjera (foreigner). What was awaiting me there on the other side was more than any piece of paper, more than any birth certificate, more than a government-issued identification card telling me I belonged, more than the ink of approval from a coveted rubber stamp, more than a different line at the airport, and more than another passport. It had been the discovery of my truest self, my purpose, my definition of home, and what remains to be my ever-unfolding, beautiful journey. Mi camino lindo.
Do you have a hidden talent?
I’m a left-footed soccer player. I bend all the balls.
Who or what gives you creative inspiration?
Everything and everyone. I remind myself: “Breathe where you are. Eat where you are. Love where you are. Sing where you are.” It helps me stay present and to drink in all the inspiration that this very moment has to offer.
What’s your go-to coffee order? Americano. Black. Neat.
What is your favorite place in Charleston? Sullivan’s Island
How do you unwind or destress?
Listening to/making music. Running the Cooper River Bridge (because I still can’t get used to saying Ravenel) sans music. Riding my bicycle. Immersing myself in nature, wherever I can feel exceptionally small. Sailing with my crew mates aboard Alliance. Swimming in the ocean. Particularly under moonlight. Acupuncture. Writing.
Rapid Fire Round:
- morning person or night owl? Both. Don’t do the math.
- summer or winter? Summer
- mountains or beach? Beach
- pancakes or waffles? Waffles. With chicken, of course.
- fiction or non-fiction? Non
Mark your calendars for Friday, September 22nd for Leah’s CreativeMornings Charleston talk. She’s speaking on “Compassion” and it’s sure to move, motivate, and inspire.
