Priya Mahendra returns to TDQ to talk about creating her own work with her newest endeavor, the Princess Possibility Project!
Episode Transcript
Princess Project videos
Priya's website
Priya's instagram: @priyamahendra
Priya's episode from Season 1 of TDQ
Priya's episode of BASE
Jen Waldman Studio Online
Seth Godin's altMBA
TDQ’s Website
Instagram: @thedreadedquestion
Lili’s instagram: @lili_torre
Email: thedreadedquestionpodcast@gmail.com
TDQ Priya Mahendra
[00:00:00] Lili Torre: Hello, and welcome back to The Dreaded Question. I'm your host, Lili Torre, and today we are all in for a treat thanks to today's returning guest, Priya Mahendra.
In season 1 of TDQ, Priya came on to discuss creating your own work as she shared with us about her Last 5 Years project. Then in season 2, she joined Alie B. Gorrie on the BASE mini series to discuss being an ally in audition season... lol, remember audition season?
And now in season 3, Priya is gracing us with her presence once again, to chat with us about her amazing new change-making work, The Princess Possibility Project. Priya has been releasing one video per week for the last several weeks, of videos she created singing the "I want" songs of Disney princesses. All with the intention of shifting our narrative and perception of who these princesses can be.
Today we're discussing this project as well as the work she's been doing at the Jen Waldman Studio, and her decision to participate in Seth Godin's altMBA this fall.
[00:01:00] As you may remember, when I have guests to return to the show, I no longer subject them to the dreaded question, so let's check in with Priya Mahendra.
So Priya Mahendra, what are you feeling grateful for right now?
Priya Mahendra: Hi Lili. Today I am especially feeling grateful for my family and being at home during this time and having a loving environment around me when so much is unknown and so much is changing and there's just truly so much going on in the world.
Lili Torre: Yeah, that's a beautiful thing to be grateful for. I love that. I know that it can be kind of hard to spend extended time with your family, just because you're used to sort of your autonomy and you're used to you know, having your own space, having your own things. So I know that there can be times where maybe that's difficult, but I love that you're reflecting on how lucky you are to be able to do that and how great it is to be with them.
[00:02:00] Priya Mahendra: Yeah, I have an older brother and, he moved home for a little bit, also from the city. So the way the four of us look at it is kind of like when is the next time that the four of us are going to be living together under one roof?
Like really finding the joy in being together and kind of doing all the things like talking about planting trees in our front yard and how we can redecorate and stuff like that. Just things that always get shoved to the side because there's not enough time and now that we have time and we're together, it's kind of magical to see all of the things that we're talking about and doing.
Lili Torre: I love that. And this is sort of a random train of thought, but I think it's really interesting to spend extended periods of time at home, especially with like siblings as well, because it sort of takes you back to like your high school days or your middle school days when, when you all lived together under one roof like this, and it's so interesting to [00:03:00] me to see what comes up as being the same, and then also what's different.
Like, is there anything that you feel like you've reverted to a little bit in the context of like being in your childhood home with your family and your brother?
Priya Mahendra: It is actually very interesting to step back and think about it now that you're, you're saying that I feel like... because I'm so close to my family a lot of it isn't reverting back because we've all grown kind of together as like my brother and I have gotten older, like we've all kind of like grown and developed as we've all gotten older.
But it's just great to like, be able to, you know, at night watch some Fresh Prince with my brother, and like that brings back a lot of memories of watching it together when we were younger. And, you know, just like working out together, or just all sitting outside and enjoying the good weather together. So it's amazing. And it definitely like brings back a lot of memories and it's also beautiful to see how we all have kind of grown [00:04:00] together over the years.
Lili Torre: Yeah, that's so beautiful. And my sister and I also used to watch Fresh Prince as well, so totally relate to that.
Priya Mahendra: Best show ever!
Lili Torre: Classic classic. And I think that's interesting too. I, I wonder what role that's played in what we want to talk about today, which is your Princess Possibility Project. I'm curious before we dive into lots of details about that, what role you think being home in this time played in inspiring this project?
Priya Mahendra: Yeah, I think it actually has played a huge role. you know, I I've always valued my home space and, and this is that I call my own and the space that I've returned to in the midst of the chaos in New York and the chaos of the city and the chaos of, you know, daily life and just what we navigate and, aim for and experience on a daily basis.
So my home space has always been something that I hold extremely [00:05:00] important and something that I always want to make sure is fueling me and recharging me as opposed to taking more out of me. And there's nowhere I feel that more than being at home with my family. So the ability to have the love and the support.
You know, even people to just play clips for, or bounce ideas off of, or, talk things through with having that love and that kind of unconditional support is so fueling for me.
And I think a big factor of why this project came to life now during this time where it kind of feels ironic and, like bizarre to be creating something that I've been thinking about for a year now with the added constraints and, bizarreness of this time. But I think it really has a lot to do with the fact that I'm home have a little bit of distance from the daily industry life and have some time to [00:06:00] really get clear on the work I want to do and what resonates with me.
Lili Torre: Yes. It must be so interesting to be in a space where you were when you were first hearing some of these stories and reflecting back on that now as an adult is just so deep and juicy. I love that. And for our listeners, let's go ahead and give some context. What exactly is the Princess Possibility Project?
Priya Mahendra: Oh, my gosh, I literally my heart leaps when I talk about it, I just feel the words, princess and possibility and project so strongly. So the Princess Possibility Project is a seven part video series where I explore iconic, well known and loved "I want" songs from different animated princesses. And the main purpose of this project is to raise awareness for the way that these characters that we are introduced to [00:07:00] when we are young and introduced to on a global scale, people from all over the world know who these princesses are, the way that they are portrayed for the most part in entertainment and how shifting and changing that can have a ripple effect in the way that these characters can be used as a symbol and platform for belonging and inclusion and possibility.
Lili Torre: Oh, that's so beautifully said. And it's so true. You know, even what you just said about the sort of global nature of these stories is something I hadn't necessarily thought about. You know, while they're obviously created in America, probably by mostly Americans, it's very interesting to think about the global impact of the culture that we're creating and the way that we're telling those stories.
Even though a lot of the princess's stories are not stories that are set in America, I would say the vast majority of them. So it's interesting to think that we, as [00:08:00] Americans are creating a story around culture of other cultures and sort of Americanizing it, how very American of us, and then releasing it back out into the world and saying, "This is what it means to be a woman. This is what it means to be, you know, maybe a strong woman, this is what it means to be a princess."
And thinking of the greater sort of global impact of that, like that's such a enormous responsibility and, but I do think that there's a reason that these characters resonate with so many, so many of us, I was going to say so many young girls, but I think so many grown adults, you know, men, women, everyone.
First of all, can you just share with us, whose stories you were exploring?
Priya Mahendra: Yes. So we have, Ariel from The Little Mermaid. We have Cinderella. We have Belle, Beauty and the Beast. We have Anastasia. We have Jasmine, and we have Rapunzel from Tangled and we have Mulan.
Lili Torre: Love that. A great group. And [00:09:00] so you said you chose to explore their, "I want" songs. And I'm curious about the decision behind that rather than just whatever your favorite song was from their story.
Priya Mahendra: It's funny, you put it that way, because I think my favorite songs from their stories are their "I want" songs. And so it's kind of one in the same, but it's really because... I think when we are introduced to these princesses at a young age, we pick up on their desire to be themselves and their desire to belong while being themselves.
And I think that's something that speaks so strongly to children, but also as adults, we kind of face that as children, and then we face it again as adults and in the middle, we go through the process of figuring out who we are and what that really means for us. And I think on the bookends of it, this desire to be ourselves and this desire to belong is so strong.
And the princesses to me embody that [00:10:00] more than any characters in very known and loved narratives. And it's because they, they do it with this level of grace and kindness and this yearning for knowledge and love, and they have such compassion for the people around them. And all of that is in service of, of wanting to belong and wanting to be seen and heard and known for who they are.
Lili Torre: Yes, you're so right. That's so relatable. That's so human. That is a desire that exists well beyond, you know, the color of your skin or your gender or any other identity about you. It's just a very human core need and desire. And I can see totally why you would choose to explore that element of each of their stories, even if they did just also happen to be your favorite songs.
Priya Mahendra: Yeah. They, I think that above all, they are such a symbol of [00:11:00] our shared humanity and beyond, like you said, beyond gender and beyond, these kind of boxes that we are taught to put ourselves in. They're such a symbol of what is beyond that and what is inside of us all and what we share. And again, what we share on a global human level, not one that is restricted by geographic lines or one that's restricted by these boxes that we are trained to put on ourselves.
Lili Torre: Right. Oh yes. These boxes that we're trained to put on ourselves. You're so right about that. And I'm so curious how you decided to go about telling these stories, because obviously, you know, from what I've seen, they're beautiful and amazing. And they're on film in video format, which makes sense for the pandemic.
But was that your plan before? Cause you said you've been noodling on this idea [00:12:00] for about a year now, were you always planning to, to film these versions of their, "I want" songs and how did you go about deciding how you were going to do that?
Priya Mahendra: So initially I, I had an idea to do a show, to go through the different princesses and kind of create an arc of from the moment we meet the princess to the moment they kind of leave the palace or, or start their adventure. And all of these songs really kind of build that arc in a way.
And originally I had bounced around the idea of doing it in a, in a one night show or perhaps something that I could do multiple times in different places to kind of bring this idea and this awareness to different areas beyond New York. And the interesting thing is with all of the constraints that we have now with the pandemic and the shutdown, and really prioritizing safety first, which I believe in [00:13:00] above, above all else.
Video really felt like the right thing, medium to both reach more people and to have the ability to... you know, we've been filming everything from six feet of separation. We've been in recording all of these tracks remotely, and everything has been done in a way where safety can be in place and the story can be told in the best way possible during this time with the current constraints and the current, situation and environment that we're living in.
Lili Torre: Yeah. Were there any ways that you ended up feeling like the constraints placed on you by COVID ended up being an asset to this storytelling?
Priya Mahendra: Yeah. I don't know that I would have ever thought about doing this project in film. So I think that was the main and what I've loved about doing it in film is that it, while we are able to have the medium of film and the [00:14:00] benefits of that versus a live performance, we really look at this as close to the energy and ask facts of live performing as we could, because that is what I love about theater and how, natural it is and how, there is so much beauty in imperfection and just the realness of the and performance.
So I really wanted to mirror that as closely as possible while knowing the reach was going to be far greater than doing, you know, maybe a, a performance on Zoom for a group of people. This can live on, and this can be shared further than my current, you know, reach of people.
Lili Torre: Right. I mean, so much of what you've already shared about this project is you know, the global impact and the global scale of these stories. And so, you know, even if COVID hadn't happened and you decided to do it, at a venue here in New [00:15:00] York, like that would have really limited your scope. So it's so cool to hear how ultimately that's actually really connected to the impact that you wanted to have with this.
So I love that. And I'm also curious what you've learned about yourself as an artist throughout this process.
Priya Mahendra: Wow. I think so many things have been highlighted and illuminated throughout this process. I think the main thing I can say is that the princesses channel all of these feelings and embody all of these traits in moments when they need it the most. And I thought that with everything going on and acknowledging the weight in the world right now, and how much is it it's happening, this was a moment that I personally needed to, to channel possibility and, kind of lean into who I am and my why and my [00:16:00] path that I hope to have in this industry and channel it in this moment because I needed it more than ever.
So something that I learned about myself is that. I think the, the resilience that, my parents and my family have kind of instilled in me and the resilience that is needed really just to be a human and to handle everything that we go through and to all the ups and downs and all of the complexities of life. I think the resilience in us cannot be overstated.
Lili Torre: That's so beautiful. That's so true. I mean, and especially like you said right now, too. To have a message of possibility and resilience is absolutely what the world needs and certainly what our the theatrical world needs. So it sounds super purpose driven and very aligned with who you [00:17:00] are. I think it's absolutely amazing.
And you may feel like you've already answered this, but I would love to hear sort of the boil down version of what your dream is for this project.
Priya Mahendra: Yeah. I mean the, the dream is that the people who see this feel a little more, that they belong in the narratives and stories that we hold as, kind of pinnacles of entertainment. And to unlock in them their own version of what taking agency over their, whether it's their career or their, their feelings or their own narrative, of taking agency and starting their own adventure and coming into their own...
That is really the dream, because I know how much these princesses meant to me as, as a little kid, like truly how much they were- every moment of, [00:18:00] of my childhood is so defined by these symbols and these icons for me. And I still feel that way as, as an adult. And I think that with the platform that characters like the princesses have and with the platform that these narratives and stories have, the change that it could ignite in the way, within our industry, of course, but also within our society that we look for ourselves in them, in the stories.
Lili Torre: Oh, I love that. And I love what you just said about platform too, because I know this is something that you and I, as friends have talked about a lot, but it's so tempting to wait until you feel like the world has given you a platform to try to make change. So it's so easy to say, well, you know, I've never been on Broadway or I don't have enough Instagram followers or, you know, there's so many reasons to wait to create the change that you want to see in the world.
And. [00:19:00] Instead of waiting, there are so many platforms available to us and there are so many things that we can create for ourselves. And, you know, I don't really know that I had thought of familiar stories like the princesses' stories as a platform that's available to us before. You know, I would think of like, you know, a podcast is a platform or an Instagram account or YouTube or whatever, but taking something that people know and understand and relate to, and identify with in some way and utilizing that familiarity as a platform to create change is genius. I love that so much. What a cool idea!
Priya Mahendra: Thank you. Yeah, this, this project just, I feel speaks so strongly beyond, to who I am and the work I seek to make the, the possibility and the values and the ideas that. So many of us lead with, and so many of [00:20:00] us want to see our society lead with as well.
Lili Torre: And so much of what you're talking about right now, you know, agency, belonging, possibility. These, these terms are terms that I so deeply associate with a very safe space for so many of us, the Jen Waldman Studio. And I know that you have been so involved in JWS, of course, even before the pandemic, but now that Jen has pivoted the studio to this amazing online platform that she's created, I know that you continue to be involved and that some new things have opened up for you there.
So I'd love to hear a little bit more about that.
Priya Mahendra: Yes. So true. JWS resonates so strongly for me also with those words and, just the most magical, incredible place I think that I have found, in New York. And one of the most impactful life experiences I [00:21:00] have and, and will continue to have I strongly believe.
Yes, I've, I've been so grateful to join Jen's team. And, for the past couple months I've been a Community Captain along with the incredible Christy Coco and Carly Valancy, who have become two of my closest friends as well, in addition to two people that I deeply admire and greatly respect. So it's been kind of incredible all around and I have been running this, thing called Homeroom Refresh, which is, is a weekly continuation of the Homeroom class that Jen teaches on Monday mornings every week.
And it's really cool because we have these ideas and discoveries and questions that we uncover and unlock on Monday morning. And I, I facilitate the class on Thursdays, so to have three full days of data to look at and see how, how the questions have kind of [00:22:00] shifted the way we look at our aha moments and how, what we have set as our intentions, how it has been working for us and kind of evaluate and see if there is a way to nudge our goals for the week forward and nudge our intentions forward and, reflect on... in this time, I feel like three days is such a long time and such a short time. So using that as a benchmark for where we're at is really helpful to have a midweek check-in and not let things that we have discovered pass us because we can use that so to our benefit.
Lili Torre: That's so true. I mean, it's so easy to kind of start your week out with an intention that you're excited about or a new, interesting idea. And especially in a context like the Homeroom at JWS online to feel you know, like you're ready to conquer your week and "What a cool idea!" And then it's also so incredibly [00:23:00] easy to lose that steam or to kind of forget about it.
Like you said so much is happening every day now it feels like and three days can be an eternity and so much can happen. The context of our world can be so different three days later, and so having the opportunity to check in and apply that same idea to the new context you now have even just three days later and check in on how you've put that idea into action is such a gift! I love that.
Priya Mahendra: It's been truly wonderful to be able to spend that time with members of our community and to be able to hear and get to know their journeys and to be able to see the growth week to week and the new discoveries and the new questions.
And something that came up a couple of weeks ago is what is the aha moment behind the aha moment? And what is the burning behind the burning question? And I think it's a [00:24:00] really difficult type of work to do, to get clearer on what you have already discovered, but it's worth that because then you, that clarity, I feel really helps to translate into actionable steps and the next thing to keep you on that path of discovery and, and the work that you're seeking to do.
Lili Torre: Yes. Not just letting an aha moment end there, but taking it to the next level, applying it to your life and seeing what else there is to discover. I think that's such amazing deep work. And on top of your work as a Community Captain and doing homeroom refresh, I know you've also been part of Jen's coaching fellowship.
I'd love to hear more about that.
Priya Mahendra: Yes. Oh, that's so exciting. I, I truly, I love, this opportunity that I've had with Jen, to do a fellowship in coaching specifically. And what I love about it is that it infuses [00:25:00] so much of the mindset work that I have learned from Jen and implemented in my own way of navigating life, definitely inside the industry, but also outside of it.
And, and the importance of mindset work in our artistic and creative work. I feel like they must go hand in hand if you have the mindset, it infuses and unlocks the creative work. And if you have the creative work, it unlocks and infuses the mindset. So I I've been loving wearing this hat of coach and coaching because I, I love combining the objectivity and the imagination and seeing what is possible.
Lili Torre: Oo, combining the objectivity and imagination? Talk more about that.
Priya Mahendra: I think it's something, it's something actually, Jen... I had. Asked her a couple months ago to identify some artists strengths that I have. And something that she said [00:26:00] was, is I have rigorous objectivity in hand with a wild imagination. And I think hearing that kind of... it kind of- everything made sense in that moment for me of who I was and the way I function and what I bring to my work and, and the way I think about my work, and the ability to step back and kind of look at things like very objectively, but also not lose the imagination and the creativity in it.
And, and knowing that they can both exist and in actuality, both of them existing together kind of multiplies the progress I'm able to make. And my hope is that in being a coach and continuing the truly mindblowingly incredible work that Jen has been doing, helping others as a coach to see both sides of that coin and, and see the exponential growth that's possible in channeling [00:27:00] both.
Lili Torre: Yes. I love that. And, yes, I mean, I'm sure everyone listening to this can already tell that you would be an incredible coach and I'm so glad that you have had this opportunity to foster more growth in that area and to stretch yourself even further from your natural abilities. I think that's really incredible.
And just this idea of rigorous, objectivity and wild imagination, is that right? Is that what it was? That is beautiful to me. Just in general, it's beautiful. But then when I apply it to you, who I know so well, it's so perfect. And it also, to me, applying rigorous objectivity and a wild imagination to your Princess Possibility Project is just like, yet another reason that you are the perfect person to take on a project like that, because those stories require those skills so deeply.
And I just think that's... that just [00:28:00] speaks so clearly to how perfect you are for that project that called to you.
Priya Mahendra: Thank you, Lili. That means a lot. And it really makes me think about, you know, we, we talk about intention and impact a lot. And something during this time that I have really tried to get clear on for myself is, how can the intention that I have translate to impact? And how, how can that impact be an intention that translates into a bigger impact? And so on and so forth.
And this cycle of kind of purpose meets, commercial visibility, or I'm not sure a word is escaping me right now of what I mean, but like purpose meets, I guess just. Visibility.
Lili Torre: Yeah. And, and I do kind of think this goes back to that idea of platform too, that, you know, what you were saying about like commercial visibility is really that like commercial platform that, that digestible vehicle for the change that you want to make and the [00:29:00] purpose that you're putting out there.
I think that's incredible. And I just, I love the connectivity between what makes you an amazing coach and what makes you an amazing artist. I, as you know, very much love the idea of making everything integrated, all of your, all of your skills as an artist and as a person integrated rather than being like, well, this is what I do well, when I'm a performer or an artist, and this is what I do well, and the other elements of my life, I love, integrating those things together.
And I think this is such a clear example that, that what makes you an amazing coach is also what supports your ability to create a project like the Princess Possibility Project.
Priya Mahendra: Yeah. And when you, when you were just saying that I kind of had this aha moment, which was that the strengths that we lead with as, as a human are really the strengths that we bring to our work that we bring to our 9-5 job that we bring to our [00:30:00] hobbies that we bring to our friendships and relationships...
If it starts within, and I really believe that it has to, then there's kind of like an overall, commonality in the way we approach different things and how we... you know, I really believe how you do one thing is how you do everything and, and bringing that level of, passion and your strengths to everything I believe really can make a difference in the way you see yourself and others see you.
Lili Torre: A hundred percent you are speaking my language. Yes. Yes. Yes. And this could not be a more perfect segue into one of the other exciting things that you have coming up, which is the altMBA, which many of our listeners know that I just completed this summer and Priya will be doing in October. Is that correct?
Priya Mahendra: Mmhmm, yup!
Lili Torre: So exciting. And the reason that that came up for me around this [00:31:00] conversation is especially people who know anything about the altMBA, but even just from the name altMBA, like an alternative masters in business, one might think 'What the heck is a performer doing and an MBA program?' But I think what we were just talking about, this idea of integration and bringing all of our unique skills together and not sort of siloing them into different elements of ourselves.
I think that your even desire to do something like the altMBA shows that you really do believe that because you can see the value in a program like the altMBA in your life as an artist and in the work that you do as an artist.
And, you know, having been through the altMBA, I can also say, and vice versa that your skills as an artist, are absolutely going to be valuable to everyone else who's involved in the altMBA. So I would love to hear a little bit about what encouraged you [00:32:00] to participate in the altMBA and what you're looking forward to.
Priya Mahendra: Yeah. I, you know, I think that when you were just saying how the altMBA could help the artistic work and the artistic strengths can help find value in, in the altMBA. I was just thinking of that, that so connects back to what we were talking about, about intention and impact and the kind of global change that I am seeking to make.
And I feel that our artistic strengths and the work we do as artists has such value and is so needed in the broader sense of the world and how we can bring our, our creative lenses and our creative approaches to things that have nothing to do with singing and acting and dance and how that can ignite the changes that we as artists are seeking to make, perhaps not just through the medium of, of performing or [00:33:00] creating, but through all these other mediums, like business, like consulting, like, you know, whatever it is, how can we bring that and infuse it into the work that we do.
Lili Torre: Absolutely. Absolutely. And you know, I think an argument that people make a lot for having other things in your life outside of theater and other interests is that the majority of characters that you play won't be actors or artists. So having a deeper understanding of the world outside of your artistry is important for that reason.
And I agree with that... Though I think its ability for impact is far greater than that. And, you know, even I would just say removing that one level further and saying the majority of your audience isn't going to be artists or actors. And so understanding who you're speaking to and who your audience is, will only make you a better artist.
But I [00:34:00] think it's also sort of the reverse of all of that for me, it's that understanding yourself deeper than just your artistry and, you know, this is so much of what TDQ is all about... That allows you so much more opportunity to infuse the change that you seek to make in other elements of your life.
Your artistry does not have to be the one and only way you seek to make change and everything else that you do as a person contributes to that same change-making and makes you a better artist on top of that.
And I definitely found that in the altMBA. You know, the altMBA, a four week course created by Seth Godin, who's an incredible thought leader and someone, I talk about a lot on this podcast. And most of the way that it works is through writing prompts, answering some deep and difficult questions, but also through collaborations [00:35:00] with small groups of four to five people who you've never met before, who are from all over your time zone and who come from, from such a variety of backgrounds, workplaces, age groups, all sorts of demographics.
And having the opportunity to connect and collaborate with those people was truly for me, the magic of that program and was the, the thing that really helped me see my own value, but also the value and creativity of other people who don't even identify as creatives.
And that was something that I don't think I was anticipating so much as being such a big part of it. I thought that it would be the specific things that Seth Godin had created because I'm such a fan, but really it was the other people involved who like really brought that magic to life for me.
So I'm just curious for you, what [00:36:00] are some of the things that you're looking forward to most?
Priya Mahendra: Yeah, I think I I'm really looking forward to meeting new people. And, you know, for the past couple years I've been so in the world of theater, which, which I am obsessed with mind, body, and soul. and to bring that passion and introduce myself to people who may have nothing to do with that, as a person who is obsessed with theater and mind, body, and soul, and how we can find similarities and commonalities and also differences and help each other be curious and help each other, dig deeper.
And, and I think that's really what I'm most excited about. And I think with the altMBA, I'm leaving a lot of room for serendipity and a lot of room for what I'm going to discover, because I, I think that so many experiences in life [00:37:00] and especially recently are kind of growing and evolving minute by minute.
And something that I've learned during this time is that there is a difference between structure and holding on to an outcome. So I've really been trying for myself, and this has been a personal kind of goal and journey, is to always lead with the structure and not the attachment to the outcome.
Lili Torre: Yes, structure versus holding on to an outcome. That is such an interesting... Delineation to make, because I think a lot of creative people feel sort of a resistance towards structure or, you know, too many constraints because we think it'll like dampen our ability to be creative somehow?
But I, I truly believe, and I think that you believe this as well, that creativity thrives in constraints and [00:38:00] that, you know, an utter and complete lack of constraint is, harder to be creative within than actually having some boundaries in place.
And I definitely will validate that that is part of the magic of the altmBA is there are some, some constraints. There's a lot of like deadlines and time constraints. And I definitely found that super motivating and inspiring. And like, it really got my creative juices flowing because I knew that, you know... first draft best draft ....it was- I wasn't going to have time to really obsess about tons of rewrites and, you know, getting too caught up in the specifics of things and just sort of trusting my instincts on how I wanted to respond to this prompt.
I'm so excited for you to do this program and I can't wait to, maybe we can have a little bit of an altMBA reflection together back on this podcast.
Priya Mahendra: Yes! I would [00:39:00] love that.
Lili Torre: Yes. So I'm sure everyone listening to this is thinking to themselves, 'Oh my gosh. I cannot wait to watch all of these amazing Princess Possibility Project videos!'
Where can our listeners find them?
Priya Mahendra: So the project officially launches on September 9th and I will be releasing one video every week on Wednesday, and I will be sharing them on my website as well as Instagram. And I'm really excited because I, this, this project had me looking back at a lot of old home videos and...
You know, I knew the princesses were a huge part of my childhood, but I, I didn't really know just how much until I was going through all of these videos and pictures, and it's pretty amazing to see like a side by side of me... Here I have some pictures actually right here, but like me dress this Cinderella.
Lili Torre: Oh, my gosh, we're going to need to get that on Instagram [00:40:00] and I will share it on TDQ Instagram. Cause it's the cutest thing I've ever seen.
Priya Mahendra: And, it's just, it's just like pretty amazing to see like, how the side by side of then and now, and, and how I kind of never have lost this, belief in magic and the belief in, in, in knowing who you are and fighting to belong and, and seeing how even at two, three, four, five, how that was so clear in me.
And, and I'm so. So grateful. And it means so much to me that I have the ability to, to make this project and have the ability to be, in a industry and in a world where I can still lead with that. And I can still seek to create change through that, never losing sight of, of who I am.
Lili Torre: I love that so much. And I'm so excited to see the full videos of this entire project. I will definitely be linking Priya's, website and Instagram in the [00:41:00] show notes. So please go check out the videos. They're going to be amazing. And you're also going to see some really cute, 90's throwback, Disney princess realness.
We love it. Well, Priya, thank you so much for coming back on TDQ it is so great to hear from you again, last time that we spoke, you had another amazing project that you were working on, so it only makes sense that we've got you back doing more change-making work. And it's so great to hear an update.
Priya Mahendra: Thank you, Lili. Thank you for having me. I love TDQ and I'm grateful to be here with you today.
Lili Torre: It's always such a joy to catch up with Priya. Even in the midst of all the crazy things going on in our world, one thing that will consistently ring true is the purpose driven way Pria goes about her work and her life.
I hope that you'll scroll down to the show notes to check out the incredible videos that Priya has created. When we recorded this episode together, I had not yet seen the video she created, but now that I have, I can tell you they are [00:42:00] beautiful and heartwarming, so I hope you will enjoy them and share them far and wide to promote Priya's change-making ideas.
As always, thank you so much for listening. I'm Lili Torre, and this has been The Dreaded Question.