Matthew VanLeeuwen
Debra Messing is a household name. She is beloved to many as Grace Adler in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace. After six Gold Globe nominations, five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and an Emmy win, Debra is focused on how to use her platform for change. Here’s the change she wants to make in the world.
Amanda Nguyen: What makes you get up in the morning?
Debra Messing: Well, I’m a single mom, so it’s always my son.
Nguyen: What social change do you want to see in the world?
Messing: I want to see Restorative Justice. The police funding should be cut drastically (they don’t need tanks) and those funds should go to social programs for poor communities. Accessible publicly funded mental health services, Pre-K education, afterschool activities, bail reform, an independent agency that handles police brutality ensuring real accountability, programs to address homelessness, all of it.
Nguyen: Who are your role models?
Messing: Meryl Streep, for one. She is an exquisite talent, a dedicated mother and a passionate outspoken activist. Really it’s anyone who lives authentically, has a clear sense of purpose, and is fearless in their pursuit of their dreams. The last three and a half years have been so hard—divisive, regressive, demoralizing. My co-host, Mandana Dayani, founded iamavoter and is also very passionate about activism. We started sending each articles and links about extraordinary people. It was a way for us to buoy each other, energize each other so we could continue in our activism. One day we realized that a podcast would be a great way to celebrate these heroes, and inspire and empower our listeners. We wanted to add a little light to the podcast world. It has turned out to be a gift to both of us. Being able to sit with our hand-picked roster of Dissenters and ask all the questions we wanted, felt like Christmas. Mandana and I are self-described nerds, so having a reason to research and learn about people in worlds that are foreign to our own, is actually our idea of heaven. But our ultimate goal is to show people that just taking one step can lead to impactful change in our world.
Nguyen: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned over the past decade?
Messing: Oh! That not caring what people think of me is the greatest liberation.
Nguyen: What advice would you give to aspiring world change makers?
Messing: Help the helpers. Seek out those leading in the lane that you are drawn to and help them. You will learn so much, you will build confidence, and you will clarify for yourself exactly what you want your place to be in the effort.
Nguyen: What has inspired you during this period of quarantine?
Messing: Surprisingly, it has been playing music. I learned piano when I was a little girl and gave it up. Since the quarantine, I have been teaching myself piano through books and apps, and honestly it is saving my sanity. I have to concentrate so hard that it is impossible to think about what is happening across our country, or in our White House. I am glued to the news all day so it is a soothing respite.
