Drawing from his personal experience as both a working actor and a teaching artist, Julian Elijah Martinez argues that teaching is important to the journey of the artist and should be considered as integral to our careers as learning the craft and the business of our chosen profession. He first discusses his discovery of art, the teachers who helped shape his path, and how he found his way into the classroom as a paraeducator, substitute, teaching artist, and adjunct. He describes a few of the artist organizations he volunteers for, their philosophies and impacts, and how his art has ultimately been impacted by his students. Julian Elijah Martinez is an actor, photographer, and teacher living and dreaming in Brooklyn. He's known for his work on Wu-Tang: An American Saga, and Law&Order SVU, and has appeared on stages of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regionally. Currently, he teaches at Yale College and the New School. He is a founding member of the Encompass Collective, and The Visit and a current board member of the Developing Artists Theater Company. In his spare time, he co-hosts a weekly podcast called The Episode One Show and teaches group fitness classes. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx