About Me - Labor/Worker Representative

 

Michelle Burghart is the supervising lead of the Mentor & Coach Collective, a neurodivergent led initiative within the Worldwide Starship Foundation.  Michelle oversees the design and delivery of personalized support pathways for our autistic and neurodivergent participants. Her leadership transforms coaching into connection, and makes inclusion not just a value, but a practice.

 

Painting has always been an escape for me. I wasn’t good at school or with social cues. But when I was painting, I was in my own special world. I’m in a constant battle with anxiety and depression and because of that, my motivation takes a hit. I’ve learned to combat it after a few years and using my creativity as an outlet for my negative thoughts. I was accepted into the South Orange County School of Arts (SOCSA) in high school which was the main reason I got my diploma. I experimented with photography, charcoal, sculpting, and many others. I found that illustration is what I’m most confident in. I’ve been more focused on teaching myself how to use animation programs like Blender and Live2D Cubism. I enjoy cross stitching and playing video games. I like to collect old video games and learn about the game industry history. Seeing how gameplay and storytelling has changed over the years I hope to someday design a computer game. Before Visual Arts Academy and Worldwide Starship, I had little hope of breaking into the entertainment industry. I was struggling to find a minimum wage job due to my disabilities. I couldn't think quickly enough to work in a fast-paced environment. They helped me build my portfolio and gave me the confidence I needed to improve myself. I've learned several new skills including anatomy, rotoscoping, and management. I've gotten better at communicating and while I still fumble sometimes, I learned not to let the feeling fester. I truly would've been lost without this program and I'll always be grateful that they accepted me.