Monika Sadkowska – From Actress to Activist

“My work used to be the stage, now the entire world is my stage”

1. In short, like a sentence-ish if you can, what does your activism entail?

Me being stronger than my enemy and their story.

Foundation worker, job is when i finish my job, media officer at open pit mines no, production and events.

2. Is this a full-time thing?

More than full-time. As the work finishes. The after-work continues.

3. If so, how easy is it to create a livelihood out of your activism? What have been the challenges? (what did you do before)

Actress, theatre, singer, museum in Warsaw. These years have been useful. My scene was small, the stage as actress, as producer, the scene grows even bigger as an activism.

4. What is your activism origin story? How did you get involved in this calling/line-of-work/space?

Feminist movement, black friday protest in Poland, reproductive rights, 3 years ago, women wearing black, street blockades, quiet protest for people going to work, we could see each other. Warsaw. First time i could use my acting skills, much more useful in the outside world than in the theatre. TTIP & CETA realisation of these agreements and global finance, connect the

5. A particular watershed/meaningful moment in your activism career?

One moment during climate camp last year, when i realised it was happening by itself. everything in me was laughing and crying. you can start something and then it started working by itself.

6. A funny, bizarre, strange moment in your activism career? (the story you tell at parties)

The Tempest climate change and refugees and I was not interested in reading about it or thinking about it. You can be inside something and not perceive it. Let it go inside it. It is shocking for me. The door to inner change is locked from the inside only. When i think about inviting people, it matters most what their inner impressions are.
Feminist performance. In India. ONLY MEN.

4 premieres about performances around climate change in 2 months. WHICH PLAYS.

7. What fuels you?

I’m very angry. I’m furious. I hate injustice.

8. What is a bad habit of yours?

M: try to be involved in every interesting thing and i spread myself thin.

9. What is a good habit of yours?

I try to understand before i try to be understood. a good listener. Space creator for others. I am consciously trying to make this my habit.

10. Do you have an activism hero? (famous or personal acquaintance) How/why do they inspire you?

No particular person. in different people i see what inspires me. when i see MLK's speeches, i think. word and voice is so powerful, people don’t listen what you are saying but how you are saying it, but it is authenticity Greta Thunberg. Don’t worship them as a person, i never know how they are.

11. What was the last film/TV show that really made an impression on you?

Bohemian Rhapsody. Live aid concert. SO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING GOOD. yeah theres beer and fun and music. SO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING GOOD.

12. What is good advice you’ve received from a wise activism wizard?

If you want to run a marathon, but if you fell after 20 steps, and you know you will not win, you know you cant make it. but you can run for the running. the success is uncertain, but you can still complete the race.

advice i gave myself: nobody will thank you. do it anyway. dont expect it.

13. If you were to step into the role of wise activism wizard what would you advise young activists?

Advice that is good for actors and singers. make it all a game, make it a play. all the very serious things you are doing need to bring you ease and fun and joy. bring the joy. make activism very joyful for you. joy is magic and contagious.

14. How do you take care of yourself?

I decided a year ago that i need to sleep enough and i started to sleep enough, 7, 8 hours and drinking a lot of water. I am learning to play the piano, i dont have much time and it keeps my head above the water.

15. What is the fucked up thing about the world you don’t work on, that you find most important?

Suffering of animals. as a species we produce so much suffering. I was thinking about shifting my activism into this line of work but it dont think i could do it.

16. What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be these beautiful kids who are protesting, i want to be this kind of kid.

17. Open mic! Any we left out that you’d like to mention?