The Work of Warriors

Kim Rapach (02:11.071)
Ahem.

Eliana Cano (02:14.171)
Bye.

Kim Rapach (02:16.024)
Hi, Eliana. I'm good. It's so good to see you. How are you?

Eliana Cano (02:17.051)
How are you?

Eliana Cano (02:21.265)
Thank you, I'm doing well. Yes.

Kim Rapach (02:24.424)
I have been excited since summer to have this conversation with you.

Eliana Cano (02:28.245)
Thank you. I'm so sorry. I've been so just busy with homework and clubs and everything. Yes. Thank you for having me.

Kim Rapach (02:36.096)
No worries. Absolutely. I'm so glad you're here. So we met at your, you did a fashion show at an art exhibit in Chicago. And I was wondering if you could just tell our listeners about what that event was and a little bit about the organization. I think it's called Under 21.

Eliana Cano (02:39.825)
Thank you.

Eliana Cano (02:44.475)
Mm-hmm.

Eliana Cano (02:57.08)
Yes.

Kim Rapach (02:58.534)
and where it was at and all that good stuff because that's how I found you. I was there with my son who had an exhibit and we were checking out everybody else and so that's how I found you. But before we jump into that would you just tell our listeners a bit about what that exhibit was?

Eliana Cano (03:13.381)
Yeah, so the exhibit was curated by an organization called 21 Minus. Sorry, that was the name of the event was 21 Minus, and it was curated by the Teen Creative Agency at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. So thankfully, that was my second time doing that show. And hopefully I'll be able to do it for a third time until I turn 21. And yeah, so it's just a great place. They get usually about

I think like 30 to 50 artists under 21. And everyone just curates different shows and performances and just different pieces that they wanna showcase. So the theme of that one was love and liberation. And so I was able to hold a fashion show with my work and I had, I believe five models. Yeah, five models. And my theme was just, yeah, love and liberation.

just like exploring different feelings of love. So mine was called the embodiment of love. But yeah.

Kim Rapach (04:18.254)
was amazing. So I don't think you know this because I didn't introduce myself until probably half an hour after because everybody wanted to talk to you and congratulate you and tell you how amazing your fashion show was. But when I saw all the models walking, there was such a beautiful representation of humans and diversity. And I just wept. I just cried. I was just so moved and just had so much hope.

Eliana Cano (04:26.151)
Yes!

Eliana Cano (04:41.767)
Thanks.

Kim Rapach (04:48.256)
for our future in what you produced. And it was beautiful. And as I just sat there, know, drying my tears, you know, I think one of my family members, I think my husband leaned over and said, why don't you introduce yourself and ask her to be on the podcast? And I'm like, my gosh, what a great idea. Yes, yes, yes. Because the whole point of this is, you know, to invite all artists to have a space to just be where they don't have to necessarily

Eliana Cano (04:49.127)
Thank you.

Eliana Cano (04:55.269)
Hehehehe

Kim Rapach (05:15.864)
produce anything, but they can be seen because it's such a common theme for artists who they do feel deeply and they are trying to make such a change in the world, right? Through their gifts, through their art. And so this space is for you. And you talked about love and I just felt, I mean, through the entire exhibit, but you you're the keynote speaker.

Eliana Cano (05:24.583)
Mm-hmm.

Kim Rapach (05:40.0)
and just how you talked about love and gratitude and hope for our future. It was very moving. And I just would like to ask you, what inspires you? What inspires you about love, about mental health, about artists? This is your space to just express yourself without having to put on a show.

Eliana Cano (06:02.107)
Well, thank you, number one. I actually, all of my models helped me write that speech right before we went out. So we were in the dressing room, like writing down my speech. And like, I knew what I wanted to say. And like, yeah, I don't even remember what I said. I have it in some journal somewhere. But I like couldn't find the words to like formulate what I was feeling and what I was.

doing when making these pieces. And so I think honestly what really inspired me the whole time was like my models because I handpicked every single model that I wanted and I've met them each in different places or some I hadn't met before but like I had them on Instagram for a long time and I was just like you're gonna be perfect for my show. And so with that I like created

pieces that I thought would look great on them and something that I've also wanted to create. And I was challenging myself in different ways of like sewing fabric together that like I've never done before. And I'm self-taught. So I've never had any like formal training on how to sew and make pieces. So that was like a really big experiment over the summer. And I always procrastinate. So it took me about a month to do everything.

Yeah, so was very proud of myself for that. But anyways, so I think in general, I'm very inspired like with my friends and my family. And I am a second year in college, I go to the University of Illinois. And since coming here, I've definitely learned a lot more just about myself and about my relationships. And like those have been very important to me. And I think I've always taken a lot of love from others for granted.

because you never realize how many people are actually there for you and supporting you until you really, really need it. And there's been a lot of times in my life that I have really needed that support. And it's taken me till now to realize, wait, there's been so many people there for me. And so that's been very inspirational. So I was always thinking of mostly my family, but also friends that have been there and shown up.

Eliana Cano (08:21.037)
in every which way, you know, and I also love to support my community and my environment as well. And so like going deeper, I think I've grown a lot in the past few years. I'm 20 years old, but I have been going to therapy since the eighth grade. So at 13, I'm an only child, lots of, you know, lots of fun facts, but.

I'm an only child and at the age of 13, my parents split up. And that's not something that I like ever imagined at all. And at first it was very great. Like we still had family dinners and it was fine and they were very great co-parents. And once I turned 15, they stopped communicating completely. So like now I can't have my parents in the same room. At my fashion show, they were standing super separate, like apart. They don't speak to each other. And that was like a lot for me to work from.

And I know it's been, you know, a lot for them too. It was always the three of us. But just in therapy, learning, you know, how other people interact with the world and like their people. And now I, yes, they're my parents, but I see them as people. And so now my goal is just to learn what I feel and what I need for myself and be able to set those boundaries, but also remind myself that I am okay and that everything will be okay.

And so I finally got into a point. My therapist told me, she was like, I'm so proud of you. And I was like, why? And she was like, because now you can actually see a problem, find out what's going on, go through what other people may be dealing with their emotions and regulate your own emotions and like know what you have to do from there. And she's like, you don't really need me anymore. And I was like, and like, I still talk to her cause you know, like.

We have great conversations and there's always stuff that comes up that I need to let about. my god, I'm so sorry. I am so sorry. That was... So sorry about that. But... Okay, good. Because I put my phone in Do Not Disturb and everything.

Kim Rapach (10:27.108)
no worries.

Kim Rapach (10:31.17)
No worries. We can cut out anything. We can edit out anything. Don't worry. It's not live. Even if it was, we're not perfect, right? Like the phone goes off. It's okay.

Eliana Cano (10:43.451)
My friends always know my phone is always on Do Not Disturb, so everyone calls me twice, no matter what. Like, it's a whole thing. Yeah. But yeah, so it's just been a lot of learning lessons and also dealing with friendships. you know, there's always, I think there's always hard things in our life that we go through and you always put so much energy into that and think about the negative. And I always forget to remember.

Kim Rapach (10:48.886)
Yeah. It's like I'm getting through.

Eliana Cano (11:11.853)
again who's there for me and like actually the positive things in life and like i'm so grateful to have the life that i do i have so many opportunities i have just so much love in my life so that's something that i've been trying to like remind myself as much as possible and yeah i don't know what else so i think mental

Kim Rapach (11:33.696)
it's a, can I, can I interject for a second? It's, it's such a great reminder. First of all, thank you for your authenticity because it would be easy to assume listening to the keynote that you gave. It would be easy to assume that you have this perfect life and these perfect parents who taught you how to love so well and that you haven't had any adversity because of how you carry yourself and because of, know, it wasn't about

look what I did, it's about look at the world and look at how much love there is. And when we love each other, wow. Right. And that, you know, you're so young, it's easy to assume. would have been easy to assume that you just had this easy life and just full of love and everything was going great. And here you are saying like, my parents were at opposite ends of

the patio because they can't be in the same room together. Like the way that you have brought love out of that situation, I think that really defines what we talk about on this podcast as a warrior, because you are taking care of yourself so that you can navigate the world from a place of, you know, self love, kindness, peace, understanding.

not making assumptions and what I hear is gratitude, right? So thank you for that because I would have never guessed. I try not to make assumptions, but sometimes it's hard, but I would have never guessed that that would have been the situation you were carrying that day. So yeah, thank you.

Eliana Cano (12:59.533)
Yeah.

Eliana Cano (13:05.573)
Thank you. I think it's always hard to... like the more I talk to people, the more I have relationships with people, I'm able to realize everybody goes through something. Like everybody's carrying things with them and you never know what it is. And so like I think especially through like my Instagram posts and you know all of that like I think I portray myself as this like, I just take pictures and that's it and like...

that type of person and very, I try to seem like I'm very put together, you know? But a lot of times I'm not. And that's also okay. And I get flustered with things and I have horrible anxiety. But at the end of the day, that specific day of my fashion show was one of the best days that I have had. It was an amazing day and I was just so happy to like see everything come to life.

Kim Rapach (13:43.619)
Yes.

Eliana Cano (14:01.231)
And I think something else I did carry with me before my speech, the reason the show started a bit later than it was supposed to, it was like off by like five minutes, was because I told everybody, was like, wait, I was like, I don't see my dad. And I thought that he didn't show up to my show. And so I was very emotional and I like told everyone, was like, wait, can we wait like five minutes, please? Like, I don't see him. And that's something that like was a big thing and you know.

my father and I's relationship was that I always like question if he's going to show up. And so then finally somebody, one of the producers looks behind and they're like, that dude looks pretty cool. He has a shirt that says awesome, just like my daughter. And I turned around and it was my dad standing right there. And he wore that shirt. He wore that shirt because I bought it for him for father's day, which was the day afterwards. And I wanted him to wear that to my show.

Kim Rapach (14:50.776)
I have goosebumps.

Eliana Cano (15:01.423)
And so after that was, I took a deep breath and I was like, okay, like we can start now. And regardless, I was gonna push through if he was there or not, but you know, still things carrying with me. Yeah, but it was nice to see, I didn't think it was gonna be that big of a crowd. I was worried the whole day that no one was gonna show up and the news was there apparently. Yeah, and everyone's like.

Kim Rapach (15:24.206)
It was such a great crowd.

Eliana Cano (15:27.953)
face was just so ecstatic to see my work and like, I just love that so much and like I want to curate so much more and do more things. And it gets difficult because I am in school, I am in three clubs, I'm, you know, a full-time student. So it's difficult to keep carrying out with my business because I usually make custom orders. But I've stopped that recently because I just realized I don't have time and I want to sit

on the couch and watch Dance Moms with my roommate because that's my favorite thing to do in the world right now. So yeah, and like this is the only time that I'm going to be able to do that. I'm in college right now. I don't have a job. I have a job, but I don't consider it like I have a job because it's fun. And like when else am I going to be able to wake up at 10 o'clock, make breakfast and not have class all day? Like that's literally my day today.

Kim Rapach (16:04.113)
I think that's beautiful.

Kim Rapach (16:14.926)
Sir, sir, sir.

Kim Rapach (16:24.408)
Sure. Yeah.

Yeah, awesome. Well, thank you for taking time to be here. So I want to back up a little bit. So you have this successful fashion show. It's your second one. You get great feedback. All the models get great feedback. Everybody's just, it was just one of those experiences that that's just what art does, right? It brings people together. It gives you hope. Everybody feels like they're, you know, just madly in love with each other and want to meet each other and get to know each other.

Eliana Cano (16:30.831)
Yes, of course.

Kim Rapach (16:55.54)
Did you experience any of like the fall afterwards where like you have this excitement and all the you know adrenaline is going did you experience at all where like life is back to reality or did were you able to just carry that forward and keep it with you because sometimes we were like we want this big successful thing but then we get dropped back into reality and we think there's something wrong so i'm curious about your experience

Eliana Cano (17:21.423)
I think I was able to carry that with me for a while, at least for the rest of the day. I was super excited. So the boy that I was dating at the time who has known my boyfriend, he, yes, he is my boyfriend now. We had only been going out for three weeks at the time of the fashion show. And I knew he really wanted to go, so I invited him. But then I was like, my God, he has to meet my mom.

Kim Rapach (17:29.462)
Okay.

Kim Rapach (17:35.692)
He is? Okay.

Eliana Cano (17:51.021)
if he goes, because I know she's gonna go up to him and say something. And my mom was actually in Hawaii the whole week before the show. So she hadn't seen anything. She didn't know anything about it. Like she didn't see the final product. And so my boyfriend now, he was there the night before and he steamed every single garment, every single thing for me. It took like three hours while I was finishing my outfit, because I made my outfit.

the night before. yes, of course, know, procrastination at its finest. And so he showed up to the show and he met my whole family, which I didn't even think about, and they invited him to dinner and I was like, my God. So we all go out to dinner, but like it was fine. And then me and him, him and I went to Summer Smash after that, the festival.

Kim Rapach (18:22.326)
Of course you did.

Eliana Cano (18:50.023)
But we didn't go inside. We sat on the hill outside of Summer Smash and you can see the main stage. And so we watched the main performer, like as a picnic after that show. And I was like, my God, like this is just the perfect day. Like it was so much fun. And the next day I woke up and I just felt even more motivated to create. And like, I just felt kind of whole, if that makes sense. And it was just very inspiring, especially

Kim Rapach (19:17.006)
Yeah.

Eliana Cano (19:20.079)
like the words I got from people there and just knowing that it's been stressful for the past month and a half. And obviously I've been working on the show for even longer than that because with the museum you have to put out how many models do you have? Where do you want the runway? Like what's going on? And they give you free creative liberty. So like, you just have to do everything. So yeah, that was just like, just feeling like.

I did it and I can take a little bit of a break now because I had been stressing so much for the past couple days. So yeah, that was that. And now looking back on it, I have been making my portfolio recently, so I'm able to look at those pictures. And yeah, I am eager to create more this summer and hopefully do that show again.

Kim Rapach (20:15.904)
Awesome. Well, think sometimes, mean, especially artists, but I think all of us, especially artists can get wrapped up, like their identity can get wrapped up in their gifts, in their work. And so they can feel on top of the world while things are going really well. And while the, you know, you're leading up to the concert or the fashion show or, you know, the book signing, whatever it might be. But then afterwards to have like this depression.

Eliana Cano (20:32.132)
Mm-hmm.

Eliana Cano (20:45.029)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (20:45.438)
of, that that's over. And I'm not necessarily hearing that from you, which also gives me hope because you're young. And that's, want to teach everyone right that our worth is not tied into what we're producing. It's in how we show up in the world. It's who we are, how we love ourselves, how we love each other. And so I just, I just wanted to know about your process. So thank you for sharing that. And it sounds like a really magical day that you probably will carry with you forever. Yeah.

Eliana Cano (21:10.116)
I'm sorry.

Eliana Cano (21:14.287)
Of course, I do have some more words to speak on that. I think like I do separate myself from my art a lot. And that may sound like kind of odd, because you know, a lot of people don't do that. But I think like in my life, so my whole life, from when I was three until I was 15, I was a dancer. So ballet was like my thing. From age 13 to 15, I was at the Joffrey Ballet.

Kim Rapach (21:17.92)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (21:26.061)
No, same one.

Eliana Cano (21:44.311)
I thought I was gonna like make it big. And I got Achilles tendonitis when I think I was 13, about 13, and I had it like for a while. And it happens in both of my Achilles. And so I kept going to the doctor. I was in boots for a while. I in crutches sometimes, but they said they were like, if you continue to do point, your Achilles is gonna rip and like you're not gonna walk. And so I still did it anyways.

And then it just kept getting worse and worse to the point that like I would walk and it would just ache and like it's like this like strenuous tension like it feels like someone is like clawing at your Achilles and

Kim Rapach (22:25.912)
Well, fun fact, my dear, I'm in a boot right now for Achilles tendonitis. Right now. So I feel it. Yeah. Yeah. I can't imagine having it in both sides in two boots and crutches, but yeah. I hear you. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Eliana Cano (22:29.573)
Really? my god. That's not exciting.

Eliana Cano (22:38.632)
Thank you for relating to me because a lot of people don't understand. But yeah, so I couldn't dance anymore because I was dancing on point. I was dancing over 20 hours a week. And so they were like, well, like, I don't know what to tell you. And so by my 15th birthday, this was right before COVID, I decided that I didn't want to do it anymore. And also it took me until

coming to college and writing a 10 page essay on it on why ballet is actually bad for mental health. I did not like think about it. And I've been, you know, in many environments and scenarios, I've seen my friends go through eating disorders. I've seen us like compare bodies in the mirror. And very honestly, I gained 20 pounds when I came to college, which it does not look like I gained 20 pounds.

Kim Rapach (23:37.282)
Mm-mm.

Eliana Cano (23:37.677)
But it was a lot and that was a change for me and my body had not changed since I was 12 years old. Even like all through high school. And so I'm looking at myself in the mirror and I just like see this change and I'm happy. Like I was honestly very, very happy with myself. But sometimes you still got those feelings that you look back at yourself and you're like, my God, what is going on? But I remind myself, I'm growing up and that's okay.

But it took me a long time to realize that I seek for validation from others because in ballet, you can only do what your teacher says it's right. And unless they tell you it looks good, it doesn't look good enough. And I look in the mirror for a very long time because you're looking at a mirror for four hours at a time, wearing literally nothing but a leotard and tights and just comparing yourself to other girls. And so the last day,

that I was in class, my teacher lined us up from best to worst dancer. And I was not towards the front. And though she didn't say that, she didn't say those words exactly. You know in the class who's good and who's not. Like everyone knows they make a mental note and it's a mental game, you know? And I still have so much love for ballet. I go to class when I can.

but I can never do point again, which is really sad because I loved it and that was my whole life. so that's why I started like creating clothes after that is because I was bored and I needed something to do. So I just looked at YouTube videos and you know, started sewing. But regardless, my whole family doesn't know I make clothes unless I like tell them.

because I stopped being close with them by the age of 13 when my parents separated and so everybody still calls me like la ballerina so like the ballerina because that's what they know me as and even in college no one knows I make clothes because unless again I tell them or they like know me more closely and we've had a conversation about it because I've just kind of

Eliana Cano (26:03.393)
not shared that as much because I've stopped making orders at the moment. you know, closer friends know that that I do fashion shows and all of that. But the club that I'm in didn't know that I made clothes until two weeks ago when there was an entrepreneurship panel and they had me on the panel speaking about my business. And everybody was like, my God.

Kim Rapach (26:25.838)
Which you started at age 15, by the way.

Eliana Cano (26:28.505)
Yes, yes I did. Which I didn't think it was like that serious. I was just like, whatever, I'll sell clothes. Like sure, because all my friends kept wanting things. And then it just got bigger and bigger. And I will say some of my biggest supporters were from my high school because we had fashion shows at school and you know, all of the grade would be models and like I would be a vendor and an organizer and a model.

and like a designer, which modeling your own clothes, I would say is one of the best feelings in the world. Yeah, so much fun. And like I was able to help choreograph all the models and like they're all my friends. So much fun. And like I've had my high school auditorium before has like chanted like everyone says EVC because like that's the name of my company. So they'll just chant like EVC, EVC.

Kim Rapach (27:07.052)
I could only imagine.

Eliana Cano (27:27.163)
That was cool. I will say that. Anyways, so in college, I'm an advertising student and that's what I'm working towards. And everybody questions you like, you're not a fashion design student. And I'm like, no, because I don't want that to like consume my whole life. And I feel like I would burn out and just like dance. I felt in a sense, I did burn out and I don't want that to happen with clothes. So I keep it more as like,

a hobby. And so I feel that every section in my life, yes, it is like me, but I do keep my identity sort of separate, at least, you know, in whatever space I'm in. So some people know me as a dancer, some people know me as a creative, and right now I'm a student. And so I think, to me, that's how I haven't felt that sort of like

putting all of my life into my art because to me it's a hobby and like I make it when I want to make it and there's times I'm super stressed about it you know but I've just really learned that it's okay to have my own life and do that when I want to do it because at the end of the day I am my own boss though yes I may be losing money by telling people no if I don't have the capacity

to make something for somebody, then I'll tell them, hey, I'm available in the summer, so come back. And yeah, that's my long story of that.

Kim Rapach (29:02.51)
I'm so glad that you talked about it though, because what I'm hearing is you're a 20 year old student with a clear career path, an awareness of a creative, you know, dance path that you had the repercussions of that. And also you have a gift and a flair that you reserve for your own, with your own boundaries. You do it when you want. And the reason that's so important,

And I think so many artists miss this and the fact that you're so young and you get it early in the game is gonna change everything for your future because what I'm hearing at 20 years old, you're not willing to sacrifice your mental health to run a business or to bring your art into the world. And I just say, hallelujah, amen to that. I mean, on this very serious note, we know of artists...

Eliana Cano (29:46.886)
Yeah.

Eliana Cano (29:52.62)
Thank you.

Kim Rapach (29:59.01)
that we've lost because they didn't have that boundary. And it is a tragedy. And so the fact that 20 years old, you know that.

I can create something for you in the summer, but right now I don't have the capacity. Whereas we live in a world that's conditioned us that the hustle and the grind is the way to go, right? And we see that it doesn't end well. And so if we lose ourselves to our art, to our craft, to our business, whatever it may be, it doesn't end well. And then everybody loses. And so I just want to say how much I love and honor and respect your knowing.

your self-love and your boundary because that definitely is the definition of a warrior. Good job.

Eliana Cano (30:44.369)
Thank you. Thank you for your affirming words.

Kim Rapach (30:48.63)
Yeah, absolutely. So, EVC is your company that you started at 15, that you obviously have healthy boundaries around. But do you want to tell us a little bit about what you do and how that started?

Eliana Cano (30:55.025)
Mm-hmm.

Eliana Cano (31:03.365)
Yeah, so my name is Eliana Veronicano. So ABC are my initials. Pretty cheesy, but I do have a tattoo actually of my logo. Thank you. So I, okay, so my logo is because again, I was 15. So this is like pretty cheesy, but so since the fourth grade, I, okay, every night, every Tuesday night.

Kim Rapach (31:15.466)
It's beautiful. It's beautiful.

Kim Rapach (31:24.878)
Sure.

Eliana Cano (31:33.167)
my parents and I would watch Dance Moms, because I had a break from dance on Tuesdays, and that was our show. Anyways, at the time, there was still commercials. You know, we watched Cable. It was great. And so they had just come out with like the slogan, every kiss begins with K, from K Jewelers. And they had this like little heart-shaped necklace, and it was like the infinite heart. so I always, after that, I always drew that on my paper.

Like at school, in fourth grade, I don't know why I would grab markers and draw on people's wrists. And they were like, wait, draw it on me, draw it on me. And I would draw the little logo on their wrist. Which I did not realize until after I got my tattoo. And I really reflected on that. But yeah. Yeah, I was like, wait, why? But yeah, so that.

Kim Rapach (32:21.902)
You're like, wait a minute, this feels familiar.

Eliana Cano (32:31.247)
was the reason for my logo. I've just always been drawing that little symbol and like, obviously it's infinite love. beautiful. thank you. But yeah, so then at 15, I again, had stopped dancing and I had a sewing machine. So in third grade for a week, I took a sewing class.

Kim Rapach (32:42.752)
I don't think that's cheesy at all. think it's beautiful.

Eliana Cano (33:00.107)
And it was like literally just a little boot camp who was like with another friend of mine and that Christmas my parents bought me a sewing machine. Now as most third graders, I of course didn't use it ever after that, you know. So I had it in my closet and I was like, okay, I need to make something like whatever. So I brought out my sewing machine and I started just reworking clothes that I had in my closet. So just things that I didn't want anymore, I like.

was reworking it because my parents would say if I get new clothes I have to get rid of some clothes. So I was like okay. So I started redoing it and I started posting it on my Snapchat story and my friends were like my god can you make me clothes and I was like no that's weird. Like I was like no like that's too much pressure to make clothes for other people. So then I just kept doing that and posting different outfits and I started wearing my outfits out and after that

It was, I remember very vividly, it was during COVID at this time now. And so this was my freshman year and one of my friends at the time, his name is Michael Heywood, I will say that. But he texted me and he was like, hey, like you really need to start a business. He was like, I know you don't want to, but like you just need to.

He was like, because you're doing great, you're making clothes, you can make money off of this. Like everybody wants to buy your stuff. And I was like, okay, like, you know, I'll, I'll think about it. And so right after he sent that text, I was in the car with my parents and I had a little journal and I started, I, it's this page in my journal. One day it will be a museum. I will say that this specific journal. I like flipped open the page and it was like new chapter in life, starting a business.

And I like, the next page I... Yes. No, and I like, I have not talked to him in a long time. He texts me like once a year and is like, hey, how's the business going? But like, I tell people this, but like, I don't tell him that he was the reason that like I started a business. So like, I really need to let him know that. Because he transferred out of my school after that. We like didn't talk as much, you know?

Kim Rapach (34:51.182)
15 years old. Way to go Michael Heywood.

Kim Rapach (35:14.786)
Yeah. Yeah, we never know the impact we have on each other just through encouragement. we see what's true and we see what's obvious maybe to us that isn't obvious to the other person to just shine a light on it and say, you really have something special here. You did that.

Eliana Cano (35:19.886)
Literally.

Eliana Cano (35:27.823)
Yes. Yes.

yeah which was like again i wouldn't have you know thought of that like i had no motivation to because like my whole thing was why would i make clothes for other people when i can just make it for myself so that was a whole whole thing but yeah so i still have the journal and and then i started drawing out the logo and this was always the logo this was like that was it there was no other draft

And so my dad actually got it. He took a picture of it and sent it to a graphic designer and got my logo made for me. And so I've used the same one ever since. And I think it's so simplistic. It's so cute. It's very me. So, and I have tags of it. have like the little, yeah, I have a bunch of stuff. have stickers, a bunch of things. So yeah, so from there.

Kim Rapach (36:11.363)
Wow.

Kim Rapach (36:17.454)
Yeah. Yeah.

Eliana Cano (36:29.615)
I went to the thrift store and I got a hundred dollars, I had a hundred dollars and I got a hundred dollars worth of clothes that I was like, like extra large clothes. And I was like, okay, I'm going to strip this, like strip the fabric from this and make whatever I want. I can show you pictures. So.

Kim Rapach (36:52.832)
And afterwards, if there's any videos like of your fashion show or pictures that you want me to share when I, you know, like promote the podcast episode, make sure you send those to me via email too. Yeah, but show me.

Eliana Cano (36:56.048)
Yes.

Eliana Cano (37:03.365)
Okay, perfect. So this is how I started was with like these reworking of clothes. So you can tell they were from the thrift store and like, you know, so that was like my first introduction to just figuring out clothes. And I was like, you know what, whatever, I'll start an Instagram account and just post it and see what happens. Every single piece got bought. And

Kim Rapach (37:10.324)
Okay, amazing.

Eliana Cano (37:33.709)
It was definitely, I remember there was one girl who was not a friend of mine who like bought a piece and I was like, my God. But everybody else was just friends and family, which was like so cute. Cause like they were being supportive and I like a thousand percent appreciate that forever. so yeah, so bought out those clothes. Then I got another hundred dollars and started making reworking things. And I was like, you know what? I'll just put out clothes and whoever wants to buy it can buy it.

And so then after that, I had my first fashion show at my school, which was my junior year. I was very excited. And I think there was about like six models and they were all in my things. And then after that, had, I made a bunch of clothes, as many things as I could think of. And I had my first photo shoot and that was the beginning of my senior year. And, sorry.

crucial part. In between that, I was making lots of bucket hats for custom order and the main thing I was selling was satin lined beanies and hoodies. That was like the main thing because a lot of my friends were like, hey, I want a satin line hoodie. Like, could you make this? And I was like, yeah, of course. And so I would, I bought a bunch of beanies in bulk. I got all the satin. I would let people choose their colors and that was my main thing. And I sold

over 40 of those and I had the satin line hoodies as well so that was like my main business thing so after that I was like okay like I'm tired of these I want to do more stuff so I put out a photo shoot and the photo shoot was very successful I'll give you picture references so I was also making masks during COVID so that was from another fashion show that we did this was me

Kim Rapach (39:23.534)
Bye.

Kim Rapach (39:28.789)
wow.

Eliana Cano (39:33.631)
selling my satin mask and satin beanies because I was like, I have so much satin, what else can I do with them? And I was like, okay, masks. So everyone had those. Then I got another bulk of like thrift clothes. So I made like those little sweaters. These went like, this was a reason why now I make tapestry things. I found this huge tapestry blanket.

Kim Rapach (39:50.67)
It's amazing.

Kim Rapach (39:59.022)
So cool.

Eliana Cano (40:01.927)
for like $5 at the thrift store and I made pants out of it. And after that, I ended up selling them for a great amount, will say, thankfully years later. And after that, well, I'll get to that. Okay, so this was my first fashion show with things. Yes. And this was my first photo shoot, which one of my friends is the photographer. And after that,

Kim Rapach (40:13.128)
Wow.

Kim Rapach (40:21.122)
Fun, and this was at the high school? Okay.

Kim Rapach (40:30.424)
So professional.

Eliana Cano (40:31.375)
was more high school fashion shows. And one of my friends, she bought two pairs of pants for me and she was like, hey, I loved your tapestry pants. Can you make some for me? And I was like, yeah, of course. And she always knew I would make things for her. And like, I was like, okay, I don't really know what I'm doing, but I'll try. She's like, no problem. And I charged her 80 bucks for everything. I was like, I'ma just try. And so I started making...

Tapestry pants for her. I made tik-toks about it and those blew up and so people started asking for more orders and one girl specifically Which thank her I don't remember her name, but she was a great customer She goes hey, I have this idea and I don't know if you'd be able to do it and I was like, okay What's up? And she was like, can you make a tapestry pleated tennis skirt with my school logos on it and

I was like, I can try. knew this place. It was this website where they're called what? Woven blankets and fabrics. It's like woven fabrics. Shout out to them. I've ordered from them so much and you send them whatever design you want and they will print it out on a blanket. And the quality of their tapestry blankets are very great. So.

Kim Rapach (41:38.946)
Okay.

Eliana Cano (41:55.407)
I ordered from them, I designed the whole thing and I gave her different mockups. I was like, okay, do you like these logos? She was like, yeah, perfect. I got those and I made a TikTok about it, about me making this skirt. I have not seen anybody else making custom tapestry skirts, like at all. yeah, so I'll show you a picture. So that post blew up and now that's...

Kim Rapach (42:14.574)
Sure. I'd never heard of it.

Eliana Cano (42:25.091)
my main thing of what I do. So they're for different like colleges. And so people will be like, hey, like I want this design and they'll send me their custom measurements and I'll make a custom order for them. So yeah, and then after, I think before that, I think before that skirt, no, after that skirt, I did my first

Kim Rapach (42:30.486)
cool.

Eliana Cano (42:52.657)
fashion show at the Museum of Contemporary Art, which was last summer. And then I had been making those skirts all of last year, all through summer. And then I did my second MCA fashion show. And yeah, so I have taken a break from making those tapestry skirts just because I've made so many and it gets tiring sometimes, but also because

Kim Rapach (43:17.538)
Well, and it's not like you can just crank them out. You're making them specific to people's measurements. And so that takes all the more time. You're not just making it standard small for everyone.

Eliana Cano (43:20.313)
Yes. Yes.

yes which i realized someone told me like well why don't you just make some small some medium some large and like you know drop them but i do like the fact that each one is custom i appreciate that because everyone knows that i'm the person that makes custom ones and no one else is going to have the same exact skirt as you and i try not to use the same design either for the fabric so yeah

Kim Rapach (43:52.034)
Yeah, that's amazing.

Eliana Cano (43:55.623)
And the thing is, I also realized that I was not getting paid for my time. So if a skirt is $120, I spend $60 on the fabric and the rest of it is $60 for labor. It takes me about, well, it used to take like 10 hours. Now it takes about like five hours to make everything.

Kim Rapach (44:21.282)
Mm-hmm.

Eliana Cano (44:22.203)
Really, I'm not making that much. I'm making less than minimum wage. And I was like, okay, I have to think, is this really worth it for me? But also, I don't want to raise my prices that much because I know who my target audience is, which is college students. So I still want that to be accessible. And I want people to feel good about themselves when wearing something super cute. So still trying to figure out that balance and also making a website because I am the one that is

in contact with the customers back and forth, sending them pictures, getting the measurements, making everything, packaging, walking to UPS to go ship it, because you know, it's a big campus so we gotta walk everywhere. So I just realized like, let me reflect on this business model and make it stronger. So yeah, website coming soon.

Kim Rapach (45:11.416)
Sure.

Kim Rapach (45:15.955)
Awesome. I love that so much.

Eliana Cano (45:17.447)
Thank you. So yeah, that's been my business. And I've had many opportunities to do vendors tables, which has been great. I was able to teach a class on sustainability at the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, which was really great. And I taught them how to like sew a little bit too. So yeah, so before my business model was a lot more on reworking things.

Kim Rapach (45:34.37)
Wow.

Eliana Cano (45:46.361)
And now it is more, you know, making fashion show pieces. But I appreciate the journey and like, honestly, I never thought I would be here at all. So very grateful for that.

Kim Rapach (46:01.004)
I love that. Good job. Way to focus on the gratitude. I think it's easy to get.

Eliana Cano (46:02.823)
Thank you.

Thank you.

Kim Rapach (46:09.278)
bogged down with the stress of what's next. You know, again, we're conditioned to kind of keep moving that goalpost. And when we're high achievers, which clearly you are like you're driven, and you have lots of ideas, and you want to bring it all to the world. It's so easy to lose yourself in that, right? It's so easy to say, No, I have to do more. No, I can't have boundaries. I can't sleep. I can't take care of myself. But you're you're on the right path.

You really have good boundaries around it, which is just going to help your own sustainability for the long term to be able to do it. Yeah.

Eliana Cano (46:34.065)
Thank you.

Eliana Cano (46:39.665)
Thank you. I think that also has taken a long time to learn too, because I am a very stressed child. So, you know. Yeah.

Kim Rapach (46:47.648)
Yeah, so let's talk about that. You said you have horrible anxiety and it does not, it does not translate. It certainly didn't translate the day of your fashion show. So do you want to share a little bit about that?

Eliana Cano (47:01.777)
Thank you. I think so I am definitely a perfectionist and I don't know if that stems from ballet or from just me in general. But either way, I just have a lot of anxiety that I carry with me and that might be either worrying about what's gonna happen next or things aren't perfect or why am I not in control of this situation.

And so I think that's something that I worked on a lot and I'm not perfect at all. It needs a lot more working on. But my parents always said I've been like that since I was very little. And it's just always that I want everything to be perfect and everyone to do everything how I think it should be done.

Kim Rapach (47:52.846)
You

Eliana Cano (47:52.979)
so yeah, I don't know, but I have been working on it and, yeah, I think honestly, this semester has been the best that I've felt in life, which is like crazy to say. would say besides, besides I was a child, but, I've like felt very great. I have my own apartment now. very calm life. I don't have that many classes.

Kim Rapach (48:09.39)
you

Eliana Cano (48:22.956)
I'm not really stressed about work. And that's a great feeling. That's like, so many people don't have that. So yeah, so I think I've been able to just kind of take a more slower pace. Cause like in high school, I was always doing something. I was always busy throughout my childhood. I was again, dancing 20 hours a week.

So every weekend dancing then I have huge family. So family party every Saturday night, Sunday church and hanging out with my cousins and like just never like nonstop like in high school. I well, seventh, eighth and freshman year I was on dance team. Well, I was in dance in high school. OK, this was freshman year of high school. Yes, that's what it was. I was on dance team.

And so school would end at three. I had dance team at 315. I would leave by 430 to make it to dance by five. Dance would start at five. So I would eat in the car, change in the car, do my hair, get there, stretch for like literally two minutes. Dance would start. And then if the teacher didn't walk in on time, I would literally lay on the floor and like take a nap while stretching that like closed my eyes.

And then I would be dancing till 8.30 at night, get home at nine, do my homework till like 10.30, and then go to sleep and be at school by 9 a.m. So that was like my every single day. And so I feel like it's always been so much and like rapid pace all the time that now I have my own space. I'm able to make my own schedule. I can choose what I want to do. And so...

My choice is to not do that. So it's felt nice.

Kim Rapach (50:18.838)
And why, why is that? think it's such an important conversation and so counter cultural in so many ways. Why do you choose a slower pace?

Eliana Cano (50:31.343)
I think it gives me more peace of mind and it doesn't trigger my anxiety as much. Because when I have so many things to do, I'm anxious all the time. And there is still days that, you know, I'm very busy. Sometimes on Monday, I have this class from two to five o'clock, my God, and then I get out and I have two meetings back to back. And it's like, my God. But like, at least for this semester, I know next semester is gonna be super hard.

But like right now, if I don't have anything tying me down to go out and do something, it's okay to like rest. And if I want to rest and also like just taking into account my friendships, like I want to spend time with my roommate. And when else are we going to have time to just sit and giggle and laugh at a TV show and talk about every single thing that's on our mind.

Kim Rapach (51:28.024)
Yeah, that's beautiful.

Eliana Cano (51:28.433)
We're not, and I feel like I have this time now. So super exciting. And like, I want to go into advertising and I know that that's going to be a more hectic, you know, lifestyle and like, just like the job structure of them. They work all the time. And that's okay, because that's something I'm passionate about. But yeah, it's okay in life right now. So.

Kim Rapach (51:47.65)
Mm-hmm.

Kim Rapach (51:55.182)
which are not at an advertising agency right now. Like you said, you're a student, you're with your friends, you have a roommate, it's amazing. What are some other things that you do on a daily basis to take care of yourself? Do have any non-negotiables or just things that you know that you try to do often because they make you feel better or they help with your mental health?

Eliana Cano (51:57.871)
Yes, precisely.

Eliana Cano (52:03.355)
Yeah.

Eliana Cano (52:19.143)
Honestly, I think eating breakfast every morning is like great. Even through like high school, through college last year, I am a stickler. I have to eat breakfast. And like, I do think that that helps you throughout the day. And so now we have our own kitchen, which is great. Dining hot food is horrible. I'm also a pescatarian. So like, there was not a lot of options. We were eating potatoes and pasta every single day. And...

So now we're able to cook all the time. my roommate actually introduced me to sourdough. I had never had that before. Love, it's my favorite. And so like today we made sourdough toasted in butter with avocado and eggs on the side. And so every single morning, we both have time in our schedule to wake up, make breakfast and enjoy it. And sometimes I get to make pancakes.

Kim Rapach (52:56.078)
Really?

Eliana Cano (53:17.349)
Which is great, because I never really got that growing up unless it was on the weekends, because we were always rushing to go to school or rushing to go to work. And so, yeah, my favorite thing, we cook all the time. So we always, sometimes we skip on lunch, we'll have a little snack, but we always cook breakfast and dinner together. And so that's amazing. And we're able to sit down and enjoy it. And I think that's what I look forward to in the day.

And yeah, and I think also I'm paying bills for the first time. So I'm enjoying the space that I pay for.

Kim Rapach (53:59.284)
sounds wise. Like I'm paying for all this and I'm gonna enjoy it.

Eliana Cano (54:00.603)
Yeah, but... Yeah.

Yeah, so, and my roommate and I actually will not be roommates next year. So I think that that's why I'm like, we're both enjoying each other's company as much as we can.

Kim Rapach (54:11.374)
Kim Rapach (54:18.796)
You seem like you are really skilled in the act of just being present. Do you practice mindfulness or meditation or anything like that?

Eliana Cano (54:32.563)
used to because my parents used to make me do that because they were like you need to get it together but honestly I think it's easier to talk to people about things than it actually is to remind yourself that in your daily life so I think

Kim Rapach (54:39.502)
Ha ha ha!

Kim Rapach (54:48.236)
Yeah, you just seem like you have like this you keep coming back to present. And you keep coming back to what do I have right now? And what's happening right now? And what do I want to enjoy right now? And that's, that's something that a lot of adults can't figure out. And so that's why I was just wondering, like, how did you develop that? How do you, how do know how to do that?

Eliana Cano (54:52.433)
Yeah.

Eliana Cano (55:09.369)
I think, again, going back to therapy, I think that's been the biggest lesson of being present in the now. Honestly, I don't know where this is coming from. I think it's just because we're talking back and forth. But I do need to remind myself more of that on the daily. I will say that because I stress over little things all the time and I get super overwhelmed. But when I'm able to talk to somebody and talk out

your feelings and your emotions and where it's coming from, it's a lot easier to say than practice, you know? But I think there have been times that I practiced that in my life. I have my notes app of like running lists of things to remind myself. Like, it's okay, just breathe, like don't worry about everything and like, you know? So I think though I recently haven't practiced that.

Kim Rapach (55:45.784)
Yeah.

Eliana Cano (56:08.569)
intentionally, it's still there in the back of my mind and I've worked on it throughout years.

Kim Rapach (56:14.286)
Sure. Yeah, I speak on.

the four pillars of optimal mental health. And one of them is connection. And I've heard that throughout our conversation, just, you know, from picking your models to making sure your dad's there to, you know, thinking about your boyfriend and his, you know, interaction with your family and your roommate. And when will I get to do this again? think connection, it sounds like to me, you have a strong draw toward connection to other people, which I do too. thrive.

connection. If I'm connected, I'm good. If I'm not, I'm a mess. But also you seem really connected to yourself, which is something that I think we're not really taught to do, but is so crucial for mental health. So many of us are looking outside of ourselves for that affirmation. And there's nothing wrong with that as long as you have that yourself. But you know, if no one's going to applaud for you, are you going to applaud for yourself? And it sounds like you know how to do that.

Eliana Cano (57:16.049)
Thank you. Thank you. Your words are very kind and very helpful.

Kim Rapach (57:18.018)
Yeah.

Kim Rapach (57:22.232)
Good, good. Well, the work of Warriors is on a mission to help artists practice mental wellness and to ultimately eliminate celebrity suicide. And so as we talked earlier, we know we lose a lot of artists who lose themselves to their craft, their industry, whatever it may be.

Eliana Cano (57:28.998)
Mm-hmm.

Kim Rapach (57:45.28)
If someone were listening to this and just thought like, what's the point, know, life sucks, whatever. What might be something that, you know, we're not going to replace mental health care, but what is something you would say to them if they were listening?

Eliana Cano (58:05.443)
honestly, I know that there is nothing that anybody can ever say that will... I mean, there is things that people can say, but I feel like, you know, a lot of the time, everyone is...

Eliana Cano (58:27.129)
Everyone goes through what they go through and no one else will ever be able to know what you experience. And that is a thousand percent valid. But just always...

Just remind yourself that there are people that care. As much as you feel that there may not be people there and maybe they're not as present as they should be in your life, somebody out there cares. And somebody out there does not want to see you gone. And no matter what, you do have a light in this life. you were put onto earth for something. You're not here for just no reason at all, whether that's through art.

whether that's being a friend to another person, whether that's just being a neighbor to somebody. You are here for a reason and you are staying here for a reason. like, yes, I understand it may be a very hard time and it's been hard for years and maybe your whole life has felt that way, but something good will come and it will be okay.

So.

Kim Rapach (59:41.772)
I love that so much. That is what I felt, like just what you just said, like that's what I felt when I heard your keynote in the summer. It just felt like this lightness and this like ease and hope and love. So thank you. It just emulates from you in everything that you say. So thank you for that. The last question I have for you is an easy one. How can people find you and your work and your passion?

Eliana Cano (59:49.927)
Thank you.

Eliana Cano (01:00:00.081)
Thank you.

Eliana Cano (01:00:07.719)
So again, website hopefully coming soon. That will be spread out. But my work, you can find me on Instagram at EVC underscore creations on Instagram. And yeah, there will be much more to come.

Kim Rapach (01:00:14.764)
No pressure.

Kim Rapach (01:00:28.586)
Awesome. Thank you so much for being here.

Eliana Cano (01:00:31.291)
Thank you for having me so, so, so much. You have helped me in so many more ways than you know.

Kim Rapach (01:00:37.752)
my goodness. Well, thank you. I'm glad to hear that. I just appreciate the inspiration that you're willing to share. And I just appreciate how you're doing life and your perspective and your boundaries. And thanks for sharing it with us.

Eliana Cano (01:00:52.241)
Thank you. Thank you so much. Is that the end?

Kim Rapach (01:00:57.1)
Yep, I'm gonna stop recording, but you can hang out.