About (Talisman)

Hey there 👋 ! I’m really glad you’re here.

Diptych of Talisman as a young girl holding a cat who looks squeamish.

Clear evidence that I haven’t always embodied consent. 🐈

  • • Yes, Talisman is my legal name. ✨

    • I was born and bred in Greenwich Village [NYC].

    • I’ve been called the 'Human Swiss Army Knife' and 'Metro Maven' due to my unique combination of knowledge, resourcefulness, and extensive networks.

    • My parents traveled the world before having me at 42, in 1982. Their experiences gratefully influenced how they raised me.

    • Around 40 yo, I finally embraced myself as being pansexual/queer.

    • I’ve danced my whole life, you name it I’ve likely choreographed, led or followed it. I currently love salsa and am exploring burlesque to reconnect with my body!

    • I burned out as a professional photographer because I had momentum and thought I could do it all by myself. I didn’t understand boundaries, know how to trust others, build a team, lean on a community, pace myself, or prioritize my mental and physical health.

    • I thought I was an extrovert until I was 35, because I wasn’t socially awkward—nope, full on ambivert.

    • I was Chief Operating Officer of a civic-action, non-profit, and oversaw tandem national launches, welcoming thought leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Hendrik Hertzberg.

    • I was a Crisis Text Line Counselor during Covid, and the 30 hour mental health training/100+ hours I volunteered, changed the course of my life both personally and professionally.

    • Much of my life revolves around my profound understanding of the interconnectedness of nature (including humans, animals, plants etc.). Check out asknature.org.

    • I volunteer with animal rescues to heal myself while helping others. Compassion fatigue is real, but working with animals makes my heart full. 10/10 would recommend. 💯 🐾

    • I was diagnosed as Bipolar 2 during Covid, got on Western Meds, and couldn’t have felt more relieved to have a diagnosis and course of action.

    • After a brief stint with SSRIs, I tried micro-dosing psilocybin, which has also changed my life. I support a combination of Indigenous, Eastern, and Western medicines as directed by specialists.

    • I’ve found kink to be a healing and affirming practice in individual shadow work and building community, especially when it comes to practicing communication, consent and boundaries.

    • I love when someone says ‘no’ to me because it means they feel comfortable and empowered.

    • You can ask me anything, I’ve learned not to take it personally. I highly recommend it. ❤️

    • I grew up with a lot of love, adventures, the best of intentions, and zero boundaries.

    • My grandmother was Eva Zeisel [website by yours truly] a Hungarian-born Industrial Designer. I am inspired every day by the love and empathy she put into her design process. She was driven by her playful search for beauty [watch her TED Talk] and deeply understood how to have people feel connect to her and her work.

    • I’m definitely a Taurus.

    • I didn’t have grades in my High School.

    • My favorite classes at Brown University were Cross Cultural Perspectives on Child Rearing and Development, and Modern Culture and Media.

    • I’ve been volunteering with The ELM Project/Camp AmeriKids for over 10 years. As part of the Wellness Team—we hold space for our campers and volunteers during our beautifully intense week of sleep-away camp.