Q&A With Starfire

I can’t even say this Q&A stemmed from an interview. My time with Starfire on a chill Friday was a pure exchange of ideas and energy. We started off with our photo shoot to catch the sunlight and then headed over to La Colombe on Frankford Ave to chat. To be fair, the conversation was already flowing pretty easily before the shoot –  that’s evident by Statfire’s playfulness and illuminating smile that is visible in every photo. There is something to be said for organic connection and discourse, maybe that’s why this interview kicks Starfire asking me a question. 

The hostess with the mostesst doesn't even begin to describe how Starfire shares her gifts with the world. The correct title would be Curator of Energy and Creative Expression. As you read you’ll learn what that means and how Starfire is working to revolutionize the art of hosting.

Currently, you can find Starfire regularly hosting VinyTap215, af wax-centered open for DJs and the Sisterhood Sit-In tours. During these black women-centered weekend events, Starfire leads a group of folks on an excursion across the city to visit various businesses owned by black women. You can join Starfire every Saturday in April with two different time slots to choose from. 

Hailing from Washington, D.C., and raised in Baltimore, Starfire made the leap to Philadelphia to pursue her passion for theater at the University of the Arts. Following her studies, she delved into a theater apprenticeship at the Wall Street Theater and later worked at various Theater Companies across the city. Initially driven by the ambition to become a renowned actress, Starfire's journey took an unexpected turn as she transitioned into teaching. This evolution marked a significant chapter in her exploration of new avenues for personal and professional growth that eventually led to her work as a Curator of Energy and Creative Expression. 

As you delve into this interview you’ll witness how Starfire infuses every moment with intention, joy, and a deep commitment to connection. You’ll begin to look past the bright and playful aesthetics and demeanor as she reveals a quieter side that prioritizes space for reflection, and introspection, as she navigates the complexities of the modern world.

Starfire: Where have you shot that had you like oh this is a vibe? You could shoot anything and make it look cool. 

Melissa Simpson: It’s not even places. 

Starfire: It’s people?

Melissa Simpson: Yeah, it’s people. But I will say when I go on photo walks I get really excited by architectural structures and I like shapes and how they kind of like play and contrast with the blue sky. It gets real geometric for me. 

Starfire: That for me is how I see fashion. When I see your artwork, I want it to be one of those blowout print T-shirts. Like the ones from the 90s. those 90 – a high-resolution graphic that you could just wear. I'm so interested in those and wearing the things I see and how it looks. 

Melissa Simpson: So you brought up your fashion. And I feel that's one of the most obvious things that people would want to talk about. So I'll let that be the first question. 

Starfire: I would say it’s more style than fashion.

Melissa Simpson: Thank you for correcting me. 

Starfire: It’s the way I can communicate who I am. I’ll put something on and it will be a theme. So for today, it’s the leggings because later I'm going to wine tasting. If I'm going to host an event, it'll be from the theme of the picture or it could be from the colors inside the poster. I challenge myself and think about how can I create this look.

I'm inspired by nature. I'm inspired by art. Like if I go into a gallery I think about the colors and the people. Like even the palette you have on now makes me want to create a whole other look that's inspired by that. I have a simple closet, but I curated it to where I have everything I need at my fingertips, even if I don't think I have it. 

It's, it's the way I communicate without saying anything.

Melissa Simpson: I love that 

Starfire: It's evolved too. 

Melissa Simpson: It has to, it has to, it has to evolve with your personality. The word fun is being used a lot in my vocabulary lately and I love it when people are having fun with fun pieces. 

Starfire: Well it becomes a thing of are you dressing for you? And that's the thing about me. I'll put something on and I'll forget it. Like, I'm not aware of it. And I think that's the difference between style and fashion. When you have style, you can put it on and it's like you forget you have clothes on. I've walked into rooms where people have the most beautiful pieces on, but they're so aware of the piece they have on that they're not living through the piece. They're not just allowing it to be, you know what I mean? It's armor in a way. I mean, if I could walk around here naked, I would, but that's not allowed. And I don't know if I would, but I like playing around with how I want to show up and communicate. 

Like tomorrow, have two events in a day. One is in the morning, one's in the evening. And how do I have one look that transcends all of them without having to change? I don't like to change my clothes. I like to walk up and say, this is my look for the day. And unless I have to I won't change. It's functional. And it's now that I'm older, it's comfortable.

Melissa Simpson: I love that you mentioned functionality. 

Starfire: I don’t want to be uncomfortable. And I'll be uncomfortable for a second if I'm like going out the door to an event. I don't think I should be uncomfortable. It should be comfortable and beautiful. And I should feel like I'm not so aware of it. And it's also like letting, and knowing who I am and knowing how I show up is enough for me.

Fashion is fun for me. In the way that Iris Apfel is amazing. 

Melissa Simpson: Yes, I love her. Rest In peace to her. 

Starfire: Yes. Like how can I live and take care of myself because I want to see the fruit of my work? You know – what I'm here to do – I wanna see the fullness of that. I wanna be old and wise, of age, and satisfied. 

Melissa Simpson: Satisfied with self. 

Starfire: It’s about who you are. I can be the most majestic and magical being but I can’t burn out. Like learning how to honor yourself, your body, your mind, and what you need. The reason why I was five minutes late today is, not that it matters because I like to respect people's time, but I took the extra 10 minutes for accessories.

Melissa Simpson: Because it sparks joy. 

Starfire: Yes!

Melissa Simpson: I believe the world would be a better place if more people leaned into what sparks joy for them. 

Starfire: And whatever that means when it comes to dressing for you. 

Melissa Simpson: Not even just dressing. 

Starfire: Just being. Yeah, that is so true. 

Melissa Simpson: We should go into the world allowing ourselves to find joy. 

Starfire: And to have an agenda, but to be open for adventure. I just recently read something about when stuff is delayed or things are going wrong, instead of thinking something's bad think that it's directing you to a higher path.

Melissa Simpson: And making space for something else. 

Starfire: And if we know that everybody is just trying to cultivate their own happiness, what someone does might not be personal. Which is why I love being in a space of gathering energy and being responsible for energy. What I'm doing is trying to harness that power where I can cut through chaos, I can cut through dissonance, I can cut through fear with love, harmony, and joy. 

Melissa Simpson: Fear is good and fun sometimes too. Sometimes we have a valid fear response to keep us out of some bullshit.

Starfire: This is for instinct and safety. 

Melissa Simpson: Yes, but then sometimes you have to ask if it’s just you placing that fear upon yourself. You have to think: what is confronting this fear going to do for me and is there an actual risk? 

Starfire: And is it an on-ramp to teach me something deeper about myself?

Melissa Simpson: That part. 

Starfire: I live with the uncertainty that is now my friend. People wouldn't know this because I'm all about joy, and positivity, and that's true. But under that is a healthy dose of anxiety, pessimism, and fear. And if anyone says they don’t have that, it’s not sustainable.

It’s like the Pixar movie In Living Color – I'm all about allowing all the hues that make me human to be present, and that’s important to me. If I don't know sadness, I can't know joy. I started taking bitter herbs every day just for my health. It's interesting when you taste something bitter, it reminds you of the sweetness that you have afterward. A lot of times those bitter things that we  go through in life are the things that teach us. It's where I fell short, it's when I don't show up for myself, and it's when I have to be vulnerable. Because at the end of the day, I’m the only one who could sabotage my dreams. I'm the only person that I'm my own worst enemy. No one else is. I need to be excellent for myself first. That power – I can't give that authority to anybody else. 

Melissa Simpson: That can be a hard lesson to learn and a lesson that you need to repeat. 

Starfire: It’s a marathon for me. I’m still learning and I hope that I always am. 

If I want the world to meet me with grace, I have to meet myself with grace. And I've done this thing where the world gets the best version of me because I have to, but I don't give that to myself. I need to be healthy and whole. And I'm finally realizing that. When I'm not aligned, my body and my immune system will literally attack me and I will flare up in a psoriasis outbreak. And there have been so many times that I've been full flared and no one knew because I’ve just learned to function. Yeah I can still function and I can still do it, but to be whole and well, and to go through that journey and to now have that healing back – I’m grateful. 

Life will break you, not to hurt you, but to transform you. And we don't talk about that enough. We don't talk about the broken parts that are necessary. That's why I'm a firm believer that no one can be you but you. If I can do anything, I can shine in my authenticity, not so that you could be me, but it's so that you can do the work to be you. It costs to be authentic in this world. It costs to be original and it costs to be me. 

Melissa Simpson: And to lean into yourself and experiment with yourself. 

Starfire: Yes! And to allow yourself to evolve. 

Melissa Simpson: And there’s going to be a lot of trial and error.

Starfire: That’s what my whole life has been. If you tell me this is a dark alley ditch, don't go in there. I'm gonna have to be like, okay, thanks for sharing but I’m going into that darkness myself, unless my gut tells me no.

I've been really in tune with following my instincts now. Like if my gut says move, I  just go. And listening just to find a balance so that I can sustain myself. Whatever impact I have, I want it to be sustained in something that's rooted in truth and authenticity so that no one can tell me who I am. Others can only reflect what I know I am. Now I know what I can and cannot offer because I don’t try to do things that are not in my wheelhouse. 

Melissa Simpson: So you said you don't want to do things that are not in your wheelhouse. Previously you mentioned entrepreneurship and hosting – what is your professional title?

Starfire: That's a great question. The fun title is Curator of Energy and Creative Expression. And under that would be the Ultimate Master Ceremonies, event host, and audience engager. I come from an arts and theater background. That’s my concentration – I can do other things well, but what I want to do is revolutionize the art of what it means to be an event host and a master of ceremonies. That’s why I like working with VinylTap215 – it's so fun because it's a marathon for me. How can I go for six hours without stopping energy one time? How can I make everyone feel that way? How can I listen? It's like an open improv of holding space. And I think the art of hosting and what it is to be a host to me can be very haphazard. 

Melissa Simpson: So you mentioned you wanna revolutionize the space. What does that revolution look like to you? 

Starfire: Well, when I go into an event, I can tell when they needed to host when they didn't, especially if someone's trying to get the audience's attention. If they have one person that could be like, “Hello, everybody, pay attention here”. Or a lot of times I find that it's like two-for-one specials where somebody might just wanna do one thing, but then they're tasked with doing another – that happens a lot. Just because you're a comedian and you're funny doesn't mean that you can host. Just because you're a great creative or an artist or a vocalist, that doesn't mean that you have what it takes to host. It’s an art form. 

Melissa Simpson: That makes sense. 

Starfire: I would want to do what Tina Turner did to rock and roll to the art of hosting. When Tina Turner went from Soul to R&B and transitioned, nobody questioned that. She did it and she did it well. I'd like to be a formidable presence so that when they say Starfire is hosting, they know they're gonna have a good time. I've also learned when I'm in a space to radiate love and joy. I can't just see a play, I can't just go see a show – I'm gonna give all I am. That's the difference between me being part of the experience and the content creator of the experience. I'm in support of what's happening. I'm the ultimate plus on because you're going to have a good time. People say I should podcast, but I rather be the ultimate guest on people's shows. I like to step in and step out.

Melissa Simpson: Why is that?

Starfire: Because it gives me time to recharge my energy 

Melissa Simpson: Valid. What do you love most about the work that you do? 

Starfire: The energy of the ride every week. I know that there's a, there's another group of people that I have to lock into this experience. And to bring harmony, I love working towards that. Whether it's open or if there’s a script, I love seeing how my energy magnetizes a space. 

If it's in my hands, whatever organization, institution, or person has me around, it's held up. 

One of my favorite quotes is from Maya Angelou. She said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Ultimately in the energy business. I'm in the energy and creativity space. So I want to be used, I want to be everywhere, but I wanna be where I'm meant to be. 

Melissa Simpson: What is something that you wish more people knew about you?

Starfire: I wish people knew how easy it was to connect and collaborate with me.

Also, there’s a quiet side to me. We live in a very isolated world. It’s not that I'm not down to play, but I’m open. Like how people say, “Holla at me” – I mean that especially if my energy can be of service to you. For me to be loud and boisterous, there’s a counterbalance to that. Once you get to know me you get that one-on-one. I’m the ultimate ambivert. I need my quiet time and my sacred space. I need my time with my loved ones where I can just recoup. I didn’t grow up knowing that I could rest, so now rest is really important. If it’s about the coin I’ll book it, but I’m measuring extracurricular activities to things that truly bring me joy. I need that to function in the holiness and the purity of it because I am a vessel to the experience. 

Melissa Simpson: I don’t have any more questions but is there anything else you’d like to share?

Starfire: I'm very grateful to be a part of what you're creating. 

Melissa Simpson: Thank you.

Starfire: I think that you see the world in a very unique way. And I hope that both of us and whoever reads this continues to have grace for their journey. Because I'm realizing that what is allowed to happen to us is for our transformation and our highest good. Know that nothing is against you. Everything is working for you and trust that. I want us all to be individual flames that link up together to be accountable and to light up in authenticity.