The Long Story

Here is more than you'd ever need to know about me, all in one convenient wall of text. Given the chance, I'd probably tell you every last detail anyway.

My name is Jesse and I was named after my mother's Uncle Jesse. As a 90s kid, I believed I was named after the Uncle Jesse, John Stamos from Full House. I was devastated to learn this was not true. 

The Utility Player

I grew up outside Washington, D.C. playing all sorts of team sports—soccer, softball, field hockey, swimming and diving, basketball, and so on. I loved not only the energy of sports, but also the tremendous sense of team spirit and the strong bonds with my teammates. Of course, I received the same seasonal trophy every kid got playing rec soccer, but I am proud to say that I earned the Utility Player Award and the Coach's Award in softball for my willingness to “go anywhere needed” and “give it my all.” While I was a mediocre athlete at best, I am still remembered as an enthusiastic and supportive benchwarmer.

Growing up ginger was no easy feat. Of course, I got picked on and called names. I was the only redhead in my entire elementary school, so I really was a freak to the other kids. Every morning on the bus to school, I asked myself, "what makes me special today?" No doubt, it was something pretty trivial, like a new slap bracelet or keeping my Tamagotchi alive for one more day. I learned that people have emotional connections to even the tiniest of details.

Finding (Art) Direction

After graduating from Winston Churchill High School in 2005, I hit Boston full force to attend Emerson College. From the moment arrived, I knew it was the place for me. I studied Integrated Marketing Communications and minored in Photography and Psychology. In my sophomore year, I spent a semester abroad in Emerson's castle (yes, castle) in the Netherlands and took the opportunity to travel throughout Europe. During my time at Emerson, I often sought out opportunities outside of the classroom, trying my hand at EmComm, Emerson's on-campus marketing firm; EAGLE, Emerson's GSA as the PR chair for one year; and Developed Images, in which I was selected as a photographer for the Headshot Fundraiser.

After spending some much needed time with family in the summer of 2015, I found my way to the offices of Global Protection Corp. in the Seaport district of Boston. I met with the ONE® Condoms team and very shortly after the interview, contacted them and told them the job was mine and they had to give it to me. I suppose I had always been a bit of a "slacktivist" regarding sexual health education, safer sex, and human rights. To have an active role in that area was incredibly rewarding.

In 2016, I took classes at Improv Asylum in Boston's Historic North End. Improv training strengthened my ability to think quickly on my feet and really listen in a totally new way. I've never been one to shy away from a crowd or a chance to speak, but I may never get used to the wonderful and horrible anxiety that standing under stage lights produces. I participated in a few runs of the IA House Teams show and did a one time set with a group of fellow redheads called “Risky Ginger”.

In early 2017, I was invited to sell my wares at an Activist Art Market. All of the vendors donated a portion of their proceeds to local organizations. I benefitted BAGLY, "a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization committed to social justice, and creating, sustaining and advocating for programs, policies and services for the LGBTQIA+ youth community." It was that day that I decided to start Casualigraphyand attend fleas and art markets around the Somerville/Boston area. It has been a pleasure getting out and meeting all kinds of people and talking to all of the strangers… and making a little extra money doesn't suck either

Ever the constant dabbler, in late 2018, I enrolled in the part-time UX Design course at General Assembly Boston. I learned new approaches to exploring user needs and translating those findings into intuitive experiences. Mere moments before my final presentation, I was offered a position as an art director at CTP Boston and re-entered the advertising agency world in February 2019. I’ve had the pleasure of contributing to campaigns big and small.

In July 2019, I stepped away from the screen and into the woods of Vermont for Firefly, a regional arts festival inspired by the principles of Burning Man. It was my first time camping (or "glamping," let’s be honest), and as a group of mostly new participants, my friends and I decided to go all-in. We didn't just attend; we collaborated. We built a sprawling LED light installation and designed a scavenger hunt that spanned the entire event. It was a crash course in "radical participation"—the idea that the experience only exists because you helped build it. That ethos stuck with me. I eventually joined the LNT (Leave No Trace) volunteer core, focusing on the massive logistical effort of leaving the land better than we found it. I also spent two years on the Communications Committee, serving as the Lead for one of them.

Like for so many worldwide, 2020 was a rough year. I was fortunate to live in a house with plenty of space for myself, my amazing roommates, and two cats, but the isolation stripped away the usual distractions. It provided a rare, quiet window to finally explore my identity—a process that led me to realize and embrace being non-binary.

After the layoff in October, I did something I didn’t think I could do: I stopped. The pandemic was a brutal catalyst, but it gave me the chance to examine my values and live more authentically. I spent 2021 on a deliberate sabbatical—recharging, recalibrating, and taking on freelance projects for various Boston agencies and the open-innovation firm yet2.

The Pivot to Community

In October 2021, I traded pixels for produce and my desk for a register joining the team at Neighborhood Produce as an Operations Associate. While this was intended to be a placeholder while I searched for full-time design work, I found that this small grocery scratched an itch I hadn’t been able to reach. I leaned into those “utility player” roots, and in November 2022, I was promoted to Store Manager. My favorite part of the job is being embedded in my community. Many of my customers are regulars and my impact in their lives is a tangible thing.

In 2023, I joined the inaugural Polyday Market as a vendor and the energy of the space immediately resonated with me. Recognizing the need for more intentional community-centered events, I stepped up to help grow the vision. Since then, I’ve been a co-host and vendor for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

The last few years have taught me that family is a verb. My friends have become my chosen family—the people I show up for and who show up for me, whether we’re navigating the logistics of a growing community or the complexities of daily life. In a world that often feels politically and existentially trying, these relationships are my grounding force.

I don't know exactly where the story goes from here, but I know it involves building the world I want to live in.

@casualigraphy on Instagram