Today’s guest is Janelle De Silva is a journalist, marathon runner, director, producer and actor. She has been in the professional arts and entertainment industry for 20 years. She got her big break to co-host the live music and television program, “Recovery”. Janelle then acted and presented on Channel 9, Channel 10, the BBC and co-hosted live arts events.

After studying at acting at the National Theatre in St Kilda, she continued on to a Graduate Diploma in the Experiential and Creative Arts Therapy. Inflamed by her education, she produced “Birthing The Mother”, a 6 week body centered program of people that identified as women.

In 2016, Janelle formed Cherrypop Productions and began “We of the Night”. This presented emerging and established artists in the Geeling and Surfcoast region and engaged the local community to support the arts and promoted socially conscious projects.

She also started her personal philanthropic project called the “Run, Bitch, Run” campaign and raised money by running marathons for the Cathy Freeman Foundation.  In 2017, she directed, produced and performed 3 original projects in the Melbourne Fringe Festival. This year, she is focusing on her one person show: Frankghanistan.

Janelle is a queer, intersectional feminist and a fiercely autonomous creative. She is a passionate advocate for social change through the arts.