Connect How did your love story begin?

We met through a mutual friend in New York City during the pandemic. We both arrived at our friend's house to get care instructions to cat sit for her upcoming trip, and the sparks flew. The next day we were each asking our friend about the other person and went on our first date a couple weeks later. Through our shared love of theatre and animals we found love and have now been married for almost 2 years.

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

LaRena is a life long pug lover and has managed to convert Michelle to a lover of the best dogs in the world! One of our favorite memories is getting engaged at a pug cafe. The owners were in on the secret and helped LaRena by sliding the ring out of her purse at the coat check and hiding it in a bowl of treats for the dogs. When the bowl of treats was brought out, the pugs swarmed, excited for strawberries and LaRena proposed to a very surprised Michelle.

What would you do with $20,000?

We both are passionate theatre makers and the $20,000 would allow us to have money in the bank for our new production company. Making theatre anywhere, but especially in NYC is expensive and winning this money would give us a cushion that would allow us to take risks with more new work and help produce innovative theatre that we believe in around the city.