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What does it mean to choose the creative path—again and again—when it doesn’t promise stability, clarity, or even recognition?

In this episode of The Creative Odyssey, we’re joined by two storytellers from vastly different disciplines but deeply connected by purpose: Mason Bufkin, an author and educator who writes character-driven fiction for young adults, and Sunami Rodriguez, a Colombian-born actress whose art became her lifeline through immigration, motherhood, and self-discovery.

Together, we explore:

• How childhood, culture, and family influence creative identity
• The breaking points that almost made them quit—and what pulled them back
• Writing and acting as tools for empathy and healing
• What it really means to "help a character speak"
• The hidden emotional labor of storytelling
• Rejection, burnout, perfectionism—and how they’ve learned to move through them

Sunami shares how acting saved her at a time when she felt most lost. Mason opens up about rejection letters, abandoned manuscripts, and what kept him writing. Through honest, unscripted reflection, this conversation reminds us that creativity isn’t about the spotlight—it’s about staying connected to who you are, and daring to shape the world through your voice.

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