Alisa Astral Andrade

If you had asked the younger version of me whether one day I'd be in this room, sharing my thoughts alongside people whose work I had admired for years, she probably would have smiled and said, "I don't know." A slightly older version of me would have answered, "Maybe. Anything is possible."
Today, I know that some dreams don't arrive all at once. They arrive one opportunity, one conversation, and one raised hand at a time.
This was one of those moments.

On June 24th, I had the privilege of participating in An Enemy of the People, a public reading and discussion facilitated by Bryan Doerries and Theater of War Productions, alongside an extraordinary cast that included Willem Dafoe, Jason Isaacs, Brian F. O'Byrne, Frankie Faison, Rafika Chawishe, Marjolaine Goldsmith, and Laurie Eustis.
My thoughts 💬

Some plays entertain us. Others leave us with questions that stay long after the curtain falls.
An Enemy of the People reminded me of a quote I first read many years ago:
"Intelligence without love is dangerous."
As a psychologist, I couldn't help but reflect on the relationship between truth and communication. Throughout history, we've often rejected ideas not because they lacked evidence, but because they challenged what we believed or made us uncomfortable.
At the same time, those who hold knowledge also carry a responsibility. Truth alone is not enough if it is delivered with arrogance, contempt, or cruelty.
Knowledge should never cost us our humanity.
Because being right doesn't make us better than anyone else—it simply gives us a greater responsibility in the way we choose to communicate.

#willemdafoe #jasonisaacs #harrypotter #spiderman #aquaman