DREW CORTEZ

Lifestyle and Mental Health Brand Ambassador for thevividvida

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TVV : Hey there! Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My name is Drew Cortez (He/They). I am 20 years old and I am in my final year of college, studying Sociology and Culture Studies. I write poetry sometimes. I like to dance and read. Socio-critic. I talk a lot about being Queer and Brown. - Drew

TVV : Thank you for being part of thevividvida. In this feature you'll be talking about mental Health - what's your experience with this topic?

Once a doctor told me that at such a young age, I had already gone through a lifetime of trauma. It's easy to let all of that completely envelope your whole being. I've tried running from it all, but that proved to be even worse at times. I'm at a very interesting time in my life right now where I am finally getting myself to process things that have happened. I have to dig really deep and I can't do it alone. I have friends, family, medication, and therapy. I also have me. I'm trying to be a little more kind to myself. - Drew

TVV : What advice do you have for others who are going through this?

Honor and make space for all parts of yourself. The good, the bad, and the complicated. You are going to burn yourself out if you keep trying to lead an exclusively positive life. Be accountable and take ownership of all your feelings. No feeling is worth ignoring. Meditate on it. Balance is key. - Drew

TVV : What type of resources or practices do you recommend to others to do in order to help better their mental health?

Poetry can be really healing.

Salt by Nayyirah Waheed

I Love My Love by Reyna Biddy (audio version is available on most streaming services and it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard) - Drew

TVV : How have you grown in this area of your live and how do you plan to grow?

Writing makes things real for me. Jotting down what's going on in my head and heart is intense. It can be scary and cathartic but it is ultimately a good thing. I've learned so much about myself by letting my stream of consciousness take form on a piece of paper. Talking out loud is a similar experience. I have a bad habit of bottling things up and keeping them to myself. I have and still am learning the importance of talking to somebody about what I'm going through. I do that with loved ones and I'm working on making therapy a more routine thing in my life. - Drew

TVV : How do you handle harsh criticism?

Not very well, but I'm working on being intentional with sitting in it and meditating before taking action. - Drew

TVV : Any mantras or words of motivation you tell yourself on a daily basis?

the entire Paramore discography. - Drew

TVV : FUN FACT: What's your guilty pleasure TV show?

Friends hahaha - Drew

TVV : (another) FUN FACT:

did i mention that I love Paramore - Drew

TVV : Fashion and personal style can serve as an outlet to express yourself and experiment - both good things for bettering your mental health. How do you incorporate your personality and background into your personal style?

My identities are major reference points in my personal style. Being of Philippine descent and Queer means that I carry a lot of history with my existence. I take pride in that history and I hope it shows with how I carry myself. My gender is a fluid thing as well and I've come to realize that it is inextricably tied to my wardrobe. My style is always going through phases, but I think there is still something at its core that keeps it consistent and authentic with who I am. - Drew

TVV : Expressing yourself is something thevividvida supports heavily. How do you express yourself?

I think social media can be a unique platform for creative expression. I don't think it gets enough credit on that end, so I'm really grateful for things like thevividvida. I also make sure I take time every now and then for writing and dance. Both give me access to parts of me that I don't know how to explain. It's kind of like a conversation with myself. - Drew

TVV : You've been known to speak at several large conventions and conferences. Can you share a little bit about your experiences with that?

Like I said, writing and talking out loud makes things real and allows me to process. Speaking at these engagements required me to do both. To be honest, it's kind of taken a huge toll on me and I've learned what my limits are. I haven't done many public speaking things lately because I had a complete mental breakdown last time I did. I didn't realize it was possible to re-traumatize yourself. I was sharing these extremely vulnerable things about me without thoroughly working through my feelings on my own. I recognize that sharing stories is important and can be life saving for somebody that may be listening. I would like to continue doing public engagements sometime in the future but right now I'm trying to practice restraint as I'm beginning to understand the virtue of privacy. - Drew

TVV : What message do you hope readers will take away from reading your story?

Healing is a process not an end and that is OK. Moving and flowing is better than being stagnant. - Drew

TVV : This is a free space where people can share their thoughts and passions on the platform we provide to them. Anything you'd like to get off your chest or any PSA type of messages you'd like to share?

abolish ICE. self love is important but so is loving others. sometimes loving others requires a bit of chaos. - Drew

Figure out what love looks like for you and learn how to accept it, from yourself and from others.

Also, everyone can benefit from therapy. Do yourself a huge favor and get yourself a therapist. - Drew