Brennan Symposium

Embrace Flaws and Imperfections

Carri Twigg is the co-founder and head of development for , a Black, Brown, women-owned TV production company that specializes in storytelling. Before the media industry, Twigg spent nine years in politics; she graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. in political science and government. As a child, Twigg believed her calling was to work at the White House, and she forged her path by working for the governor of Ohio, helping with the presidential campaign for Barack Obama, and eventually landing a role at the White House in Obama's administration. However, work at the White House was tiring and rigorous, and she didn't feel like she was making the difference she imagined.

Leaving her role at the White House led to a spiritual and intellectual identity crisis. Twigg felt she had no purpose after the White House, having spent most of her life working toward that goal. She had to piece herself back together. To help her figure out what she wanted in life, she had to look at where she had fallen and get back up again. This led her to pursue a career in writing and making TV content that explores her interests. Twigg said she makes herself try different things, even something as simple as reading something new. She believes life is about finding yourself and seeing what interests you. She said our lives are non-linear in a beautiful way. The older one gets, there is a better understanding of the scale and scope of the choices made. Twigg also said that sometimes one experience will bring you something better, and being present in what you’re trying to do should be your guide. She ended her remarks by saying not everyone will feel like they have a purpose in life, and that it’s fine to feel that way. She said she is still trying to find her next purpose and mused that if she asked her younger self, she would have had an answer. But for now, she said life is about embracing her flaws and imperfections, and appreciating them for their beauty.

Kevin Lux Ven, Carroll School Undergraduate Program Assistant