May Hemmer shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
May, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Oh gosh that’s a loaded question. As of this moment in time, I am currently preparing my costume for the Carolina Renaissance Festival, upgrading my camper and as always, being a mom.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
So I’m a costumer, cosplayer, and an actress. A lot has changed over the past few years to say the least. I’ve gone from focusing on burlesque to fully embracing my long-term goal of working as a character actress. It was not an easy transition to say the least, but I’ve made strides. I am currently a member of the following festivals: Carolina Renaissance Festival, Easter North Carolina Renaissance Festival, The Viking Experience, and Festival of Legends. I am to bring forth representation in this field, as I did not have it as a small child. I went from small roles to now being more intricate characters in these events.
As much as I loved burlesque, it’s a stigma. It has been hard to fight against the negative perceptions of the art form, but I’ve refused to let it go. People told me to change my professional name but I refuse. I spent years building this brand and not just with burlesque. It means that I’d have to start from the ground up, and I refuse to let the patriarchal society dissuade me from keeping up the good fight.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
It was my grandmother. My mother understood my hobbies and loves, but my grandmother was my rock. She knew that I did not have dreams of working in corporate America, even though I was pressured to do so. I started sewing and fiber arts at a very young age, thanks to my aunt. She and I had a shared love of the craft world and the like. When my grandmother saw how enthusiastic I was about the hobby, she pushed me to continue it no matter what career path I was to take.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I believe I was about 29 when I decided to stop hiding. When I was 18 and I first auditioned for a Renaissance festival, I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. I was told that because I was a woman of color, I could only be a peasant in that setting. Needless to say, that hovered over me like a storm cloud for years.
When I had my second child, it made me open my eyes. What kind of example would I set if I let such things keep me down and keep me from excelling? It’s then that I decided to step back out in the world of character acting and put myself through several auditions. My first acceptance only led the way for other jobs.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me (as in my professional and content creator self) is just one aspect of my personality. I am still the outgoing and outspoken woman that I am, but at home…I’m more nurturing. I have a family that I help care for, as well as give much more energy into. I’m not saying that I don’t give energy into what I do , but that it’s a different kind. It’s the love a wife gives to her husband. It’s the love a mother gives to her children. It’s the love a daughter gives to her mother. No one else sees that side of me outside of my family, or perhaps those who are dear to me who know my personal life.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If immortality were real, what would you build?
If immortality is real…I wish to build an empire that allows black and brown people not to feel discouraged from the line of work I’m in. I would like to have an agency that is both a training development center as well an advocate. It is still an uphill battle for minorities in all professions, and I want to help bridge that gap.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mayhemmer.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themayhemmer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/may.hemmer
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayhemmer
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/themayhemmer
Image Credits
Lisa Margolis
Paul Cory
Libby McGowan
Dangrrr
