This week we bring you a very special story for our Carte Blanche episode on the idea of “escape.” We all know escape can be interpreted in many ways, and sometimes it can mean taking a terrifying risk to leave behind everything you know and your preset path, in order to find your true path.
Today, Linne is sitting down with actor and producer, Melissa Weisz, to talk about her experience growing up in the Satmar sect of the Hasidic community in Brooklyn and ultimately her decision to leave this community to live the life she was meant to live.
Curious by nature and never one to shy away from questioning things that don’t make sense to her, from a young age Melissa pushed against the expectations of women in her community while also trying to navigate her place within it, which is something I think we can all relate to. It wasn’t until years into her arranged marriage that Melissa finally made the incredibly hard decision to leave everything she knew and loved behind her, to be a stranger in her own country. With a lot of courage and the help of Footsteps, Melissa was finally able to break free.
Today, she is a strong, independent queer woman proudly living her life in New York City. She has navigated her journey with thoughtfulness and grace. Her story is one that we can all learn from in one way or another, and we are so honored to share it with you.
Source: Atelier Doré – Carie Packard