On april 28th 2026, actress andrea-rachel held her annual “family day” event at the craftwork studio in johnstown, pa.. when asked what other things inspired these kinds of events this is what she had to say..
“my watch parties. for so long i had been working on this tech project only to find out that the idea was being taken and used .. and i wanted to build something that i felt was just as meaningful. they say, build what the people want.. so i began paying attention to the patterns of my life. what were the core factors and common denominators. two things were very true for my life.. one, i grew up around people that society mocked, or berated or overlooked because of their unique differences. my neighbor was a little person, my friends brother was the first guy i knew of to be a trans woman, the elderly around me were sick but always had a sense of humor. i had a professor with one arm, i met guys on set when i did extra work that had deformities etc. and had college associations that eventually became wheelchair bound or amputees as well. the second thing that i found true was that, whenever i did a collaborative skit, or a watch party, or threw an event/speaking forum; the same type of conversation would ensue. we would talk about what other projects we were working on or wanted to work on, people would exchange information to keep in contact, but most were always upfront and honest about their limitations. like “alright i got your info, i am going to lock it in, but bare with me, because i have 3 kids and i am about to travel or move or taking care of granny
rightnow.”…etc. so i realized, people wanted to do more creative things, they wanted to meet new people, they wanted to stay in the loop,but also didn’t want to feel like the “slow poke” or the
“burden” or still had to navigate “life” because they didn’t have all the resources. It was like even at my interviews, or panels, people were constantly taking out their phones, but less and less for photos and more so to exchange info to collab or show previous work. everyone wanted to build and i just kept thinking my brother would have loved to be here. so i started to build what we had already put into motion. a one stop shop where we could enter a space and know, without question, that everyone was willing to collab. no need to feel shy or weird or lesser than.. and it didn’t have to be because of finances.. bartering/collab was it. it had been what i had been doing all my life. i took classes, by bartering my time or attention or skill doing something else at one point. now-a-days people say “leveraging” anothers skill or service but it was just collaborating and bartering.
i would throw these activities, these watch parties etc and make introductions. one person would be like, this is what i need if i am being honest, and the other would say, i dont mind helping with that if i could get hep with this. that person would then say, yeah sure. or yeah i have someone i can get to help you with that. we started to build more momentum for things together as a collective. something as simple as ”milan k. carter saying ‘i blame destiny’ in an online posts, and all his college friends running off with it, isn’t just happenstance, it’s about building community.. we attended (lincoln university) together. so when i am mentioning people in certain rooms for certain roles, or giving shoutouts, or extending helping hands, its usually because in some way they have stepped up for me as well, or i have the belief that they would.
i just want to create things i believe in. the parties were to connect directly with my creative peer group. this was about being around creatives who are often overlooked, and can be trusted to collab and barter with. think of a the best pizza party that was ever held for you at school…or a waka flocka concert or beyonce jay-z otr concert??? something high energy, low pressure but within good tast and spirit that you know each part of the collective also are open to exchanging bartering and collaborating. walking into a high momentum place with just pure fun vibes learning and sharing.. but also building was/is the vision. T
he only person who has come close to doing that, in nyc.. was podcaster and vj mouse jones, with his stage karaoke concept. that’s the only other place i know of that the core following all work or are willing to work together. in a non corporate fun cultured way.. we are strengthening the meaning of what it means to be a “peer”. all inclusive. which is why i developed the packages for members and why i provide the tools for free members. not to be “al over the place” but to give my people added knowledge that can be helpful or insightful. they get access to bartering worksheets, networking worksheets, access to audio tools for dream setting, reprogramming the mind and building confidence. they get exclusive deals and access to insider talks not because we are trying to do everything but because we want the mind of our community to be just as sharp aware alert and ready as any. that’s how you begin to break stereotypes and redirect misconceptions.
When people barter and collab it sets them up for success. you have big execs that tell you millions of reasons why you shouldn’t.. we hear the, don’t waste time, etc but the truth is, when budgets increase you know who you want to work with because then, you’ve built or work or met them in some capacity already. it gives you an idea on how to be more of a team player and deal with different personalities.. etc but for us it isn’t about making anything seem like just a transaction. we have online sites that are just like that.. that are transactional. the people who communicate reachout barter share or collab in here build community. this entire working relationship with craftwork started as a collab. shouts to the exec amber dawn who believes in our company too. for those that don’t know, our members get a discount off their classes with the premium vip package. their maker studio space is a gem in johnstown and i think more people should utilize it.
when speaking on packages and why she offers the different tiers…
we just rolled out two new packages, we have an $8usd tier now, the same $20/25usd tier and then we have a $50usd tier with the whole shabang, and i am excited about that one. the idea is to get more people at our free events (2 a year) so they can feel how good it feels to be around the energy. our highest package, offers audio tools, insider talks and etc. but the idea of offering packages is because well, one, we have to sustain what we are growing and two.. in the spirit of creating a dope environment within our community we want to add and pour into them, provide tools, but also deals and discounts as a rewards for being part of the space. the truth is that the packages began as a disabled dollars count initiative to show that there is a community of people who feel forgotten and would love to buy and shop if they’ve felt more seen heard and included. we try to align our members with shop owners, brands, and services so they can see the support, feel the support, and show that they too are into supporting establishments that care and gaf.
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