"Xavier has spent a few years working as an outdoor educator and Elizabeth has been a barista for nearly 9 years. We got married last June and have had an adventure of a first year of marriage. We spent the first 9 months living out of our fairly small suv. We visited friends and family, camped a ton, and worked on farms as we went. In April we started a 7 month apprenticeship at a farm in Hillsboro. We feel overwhelmingly amazed that we have the opportunity to live and learn on a farm in this uncertain time. We do desperately miss our friends and family though. We are not sure what our lives will look like post November. 

In our free time can find Xavier reading a novel or ravenously consuming information on small scale, diversified farming. For me (Elizabeth) I am slowly working on my masters in creative writing for poetry, so I spend time writing/reading. Phone calls to my siblings and friends have kept me sane during this pandemic.  I also like cooking, walking in the forest, and have also been photographing strange vegetables which catch my eye."

- Elizabeth

“Love wins. That’s my biggest takeaway from this season. Being a husband, a farmer, and a Black citizen of Portland, I’m seeing again and again that love wins. When my wife and I disagree about something, it’s being able to love her more sincerely that brings us back together. When I’m angry about making a mistake on the farm, it’s loving myself and appreciating even being able enough to do the work that makes the rest of the day worth it. When I witness injustice, homelessness, and abuse, it’s not airtight arguments or enough money that shakes the situations. It’s love. Love wins. 

When I love myself, when I love my neighbor, when I love simply getting to live the moment we have right now, nothing seems to stand a chance. Maybe change happens best for society in ones and fives. I know at least one person I can love better, who I can attend to the needs of. If one of us shares what we have, two are taken care of. So I’m learning how to share love so that we can all have enough.” 

- Xavier

Ants is a 40 year old mental health activist, dancer, designer, and chef. An immigrant from Peru, she has focused her time during quarantine on cooking and painting while missing dancing the most.

As a disabled introvert, her work life hasn’t changed much with the social distance recommendations. She continues to work from home and be thankful for a job that supports her special needs.

Ants has sensory processing disorder and needs soft clothes in her everyday life. Organic cotton undies are one of the most valuable and underrated finds while shopping.

She’s also currently working on her wedding plans! She is scheduled to get married this year, but the currently financial crisis and travel restrictions have changed those plans for the couple and their families. With lots of creativity and patience, new plans are being cooked up.

If she can give a takeaway to anyone who meets her is that not all disabilities are visible and everyone is worth of love and support.

- Ant

Eleanor is the artistic director of Dance Naked Productions, a sex-positive theater company based in Portland, OR.  She’s toured the world with solo shows Lust & Marriage and How to Really, Really? Really! Love a Woman and produces the Come Inside: A Sex & Culture Theater Festival.   

Vana is an actress and a therapist, and loves to put her hands in the dirt.  She is a resident artist at Artist Repertory Theater, and has acted on stages all over Portland (and has popped up in more than a few Gus Van Sant films). 

Eleanor loves ecstatic dance, hot springs, high swings, and any opportunity to fling off her clothes.  She is a proud pleasure activist, an erotic creative, and a lover of bodies in all shapes and sizes.  She is eternally grateful to have parents who didn’t squash her self-expression, and who encouraged a belief in gender equality, sexual sovereignty and racial justice.

Vana is known for her affinity for crosswords, detective novels, and spoiling the grand children. Travel is a life long passion and one she can’t wait to return to.  She and her husband Mike love to hit the road in their teardrop trailer and cook out under the stars.

Eleanor discovered Thunderpants while looking for a mother’s day gift, and couldn’t be more proud to pose with her mama for a local, ethically-resourced, woman-owned company! 

Vana’s happiest moments onstage have been with her daughter Eleanor (Eleanor wrote that). Friends and cast mates will attest to the deliciousness of her cinnamon rolls. 

- Eleanor