Rebecca Kopycinski is a multimedia and performance artist.

By JT Thompson

Rebecca Kopycinski grew up in Lowell, MA, runs a video making business, and is a multimedia and performance artist. She speaks with the calm reflectiveness of someone skilled at introspection.

“I’m very fortunate with my business, I have a lot of flexibility and freedom, and I have many clients with missions I believe in. Of course, there’s also work for tech companies that offsets the non-profits, but I feel fortunate I have the talent to help promote missions I believe in.”

“As a personal project, I’m currently working on Reagan Esther Myer, a 90-minute multimedia one-woman show. There’s live music, video, and theatrical performance, all employed to tell this twisted tale of a universe featuring elements terrifyingly reminiscent of our own social zeitgeist. The show touches on themes of socio-political power dynamics, feminist resistance, and trust – while maintaining levity with off-brand campy humor.”

What was your experience of the Women’s March?

“I went down to the Common with a group of friends. We couldn’t really see very much, but we were just so amazed to see how many people were there. It was so amazing to be in that sea of people still fighting for a world that’s loving, caring, accepting, kind, a come one come all world.”

“So many people fighting for that. I really felt that we have a lot of people in our corner. I know this is a blue, progressive state, but it was like putting a salve on a wound. A feeling of, I don’t feel so hopeless now. That feeling of togetherness imbued me with hope.”

What’s your perspective on the #metoo movement?

“I feel really grateful that I’ve never been sexually assaulted. Now that women are feeling more safe to tell their stories, there’s so many stories. It’s so pervasive. ‘I’m so grateful no one has attacked me’ shouldn’t even be a sentence! It’s been good to see women feel safe and supported in telling the truth.”

“So many people in our culture slip so easily into anger – if you’re getting mad that someone is just telling their story – maybe you’ve done something questionable yourself.”

What do you think a more woman-led society would be like?

“So much better. I know it’s a dangerous thing to think that – being a woman is not a guarantee you’ll be a good leader. I was not a Hillary supporter, I was for Bernie. I mean, I did vote for her. But where has she been since? Nowhere. She’s not out there fighting for women.”

“Our problem now is that it’s all one group. There just should be equal representation. I mean, I do think women are more empathetic. I think women are stronger. They’ve been put down so much during history, they’ve needed their strength.”

“But I think it’s only a matter of time before things change. I’m very hopeful about the generation that’s coming into voting now, and are pretty fed up with what the government is doing now.”

What would you like to say to women in America today?

“To female artists, make it happen. You’re worthy and good enough. In the arts so many areas are male dominated, music, film making, visual art. It’s another area where women need to make a stand for themselves.”

“To women in general, be vigilant. Be vigilant in your relationships. With the men around us – professional relationships, friends, family – there’s so many microaggressions that happen. It’s important to notice them and defuse them.”

“It’s not up to us to educate men not to be a misogynistic jerk. But you need to deflect the negativity that damages your self-worth. There’s so many ways we’re told we’re lesser. Be vigilant. Just notice them and disrupt them.”