(NEW YORK, N.Y.) — Karli Brae was dressing performers for the Broadway production of Mean Girls when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The theater business shut down, but she decided to use her professional skills to make masks for people in need.
Brae’s family jumped in to help out with her mask making project by finding patterns and cutting fabric. As she realized the pandemic was going to last longer than anticipated, she started creating different collections: trendy, stylish, and even holiday inspired.
“I try to find the beauty of everything in life,” said Brae. “It’s not convenient to wear a mask, I know, but I think we all want to take of ourselves and each other. If I could make that more beautiful for anyone, then I think I’ve done my job.”
Brae has made more than 550 masks during the pandemic. She charges $8 to $10 per mask and says she’s earned enough money to support herself, despite Broadway’s shutdown.
She’s also made enough to help others, giving to organizations like The Farmworker Project, which helped Californians affected by the wildfires last year.
If you have any interest in purchasing a mask from Karli, you can contact her on her Instagram: @Karlibrae.
Related Posts
June 26, 2024
Podcast: Stage For Change – No Theater on a Dead Planet
After climate activists disrupted the Broadway revival of "An Enemy of the People," Holly Chen and Genevieve Hartnett spoke with eyewitnesses, experts, and the activists to uncover what theater, and all of us, should be doing to address the climate crisis.
May 3, 2024
Artist Mark Saldana Heals Through Heritage and Identity
Queens-based queer Latino Artist Mark Saldana taps into his community and roots to bring overlooked stories to life in his art.