“Everything becomes a new kind of hard when you become a caregiver, including upholding your values and practices for environmental justice at home…. However, having a young child also deepened my connection to the land in ways I hadn’t experienced before.” – Stephanie Chavez Noell
Meet Stephanie Chavez Noell, Director of Community Arts for Parents’ Climate Community.
Below, Stephanie meditates on the value of the arts in social change movements, shares tips for incorporating dance movements with kids, and reflects on how her childhood experiences and journey into parenthood have shaped her perspectives on environmental justice today.
Tell us a bit about growing up in Brownsville. How did living in South Texas shape your interests in the arts and/or advocacy?
I come from a large family, and my mother, along with many of my aunts and uncles, were public school educators. This created a childhood filled with opportunities to ask questions, try new skills, and strive to be our best selves. My paternal grandparents were weavers and made nets for catching gulf shrimp, among other things, and grew fruit trees. I remember watching neighbors come by to pick guavas and mangos. I have many memories of giggling with my sisters and cousins as we made dances, puppet shows, and funny costumes for big family gatherings. Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, I was surrounded by a beautifully rich and vibrant mix of cultures. I vividly remember practicing Ballet Folklorico dances in school and dressing up for Charro Days, a binational festival in Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico, celebrating the shared cultural heritage of both communities. All of these childhood experiences still keep me grounded today.
I also feel privileged to have grown up in such a unique physical environment, where coastal, desert, and tropical ecosystems converge. Now that I’m older, I realize how special it was to grow up in a biodiverse area filled with rare and endangered wildlife, including birds, mammals, dolphins, and sea turtles. I know it is those early connections to nature that have kept me striving throughout my life to work to support and preserve Earth and her resources.
In your former role as Senior Director of Community Programs at Creative Action, you coordinated a range of amazing community-based arts programs, from Music & Movement and its connection to Playdates in the Park with Austin Parks Foundation to Community Art Sunday. Is there a particular project, event, or initiative that you feel most proud of or wish more Austinites knew about?
I’m incredibly proud to have been part of Community Art Sunday since its start nearly 10 years ago. It’s a truly intergenerational space that celebrates the arts by centering youth, sparking joy, and inspiring community action toward a better world. Some of my favorite memories include listening to young artists like the Peterson Brothers and The Tiarras when they were young teenagers, building giant recycled cardboard casitas, all the special creations people make alongside one another, and watching children excitedly lead their caregivers from one creative activity to the next.
I also love facilitating Music & Movement classes with partners like Todos Juntos, Waterloo Park, and the Austin Parks Foundation. Helping families connect through music, dancing, and singing is my happy place—it’s where the magic happens. I think there is so much to discover once you become a caregiver to a young child.
What role do you think the arts can have in change-making and justice movements?
When we embrace our creativity and confidently share our voice, we can connect with others in powerful ways. The arts unite people from diverse perspectives through shared experiences, cultivating both understanding and empathy. The arts sharpen our ability to synthesize ideas, communicate, and imagine new possibilities, while also deepening emotional connections. Together, these connections can inspire us to reimagine a future where we thrive in harmony with each other and our planet.
How, if at all, did your relationship to climate and environmental justice shift after becoming a parent?
Everything becomes a new kind of hard when you become a caregiver, including upholding your values and practices for environmental justice at home. So much of the American mainstream “parenting” culture leans heavily toward convenience and “simplicity,” which often contributes to waste and overconsumption that harm our planet. It is constantly a challenge to think resourcefully and critically about how to do things differently.
However, having a young child also deepened my connection to the land in ways I hadn’t experienced before. During those first five years with my first born, I spent a lot of time close to the ground, discovering treasures in the dirt. We watched seeds sprout and once harvested more eggplants than we could carry. This experience renewed my sense of connection to the Earth, which has been one of the greatest gifts of raising a child.
“The arts unite people from diverse perspectives through shared experiences, cultivating both understanding and empathy….these connections can inspire us to reimagine a future where we thrive in harmony with each other and our planet.” – Stephanie Chavez Noell
You have a background in choreography. What draws you to dance in particular? How might caregivers and kids incorporate more dance movement into their day-to-day life?
I love music; it moves me deeply, and choreography brings me closer to it. I began teaching dance to young children at the age of 15 at my neighborhood dance studio (and as a way to trade for taking dance classes). I have choreographed for countless recitals and performances ever since. I continued dancing and choreographing in college and when I moved to Austin I began choreographing more professionally for live music performances, festivals and music videos. I discovered dance as a powerful storytelling tool and it has always been so incredibly therapeutic for me. The mind-body connection I experience from practicing dance regularly brings balance to my life.
For families, music & movement moments are present from the very beginning. When we soothe babies, we instinctively sing, hum, or sway with them. These gentle musical and dance moments don’t have to stop when the baby becomes a toddler, and can naturally evolve as children grow. We can support children’s development by acknowledging how they move, mirroring their movements during play, and providing touch and comfort during tough moments. Dance parties, complete with an ever-evolving playlist, and embrace the repetition of songs, allowing children to learn and discover something new with each listen.
What are a couple of your favorite spots in or around Austin for feeling restored and/or energized?
I love taking walks around the park near my house and seeing neighbors and familiar bikers/walkers. Exploratory hikes with my family are very rejuvenating. Austin has so many pockets to explore, especially through the Greenbelt and Violet Crown Trails.
Banner image: Stephanie speaking at the first ever Art on the Bus unveiling, a program Stephanie helped to develop with the Creative Action team in partnership with CapMetro.