Maren Wade sits down with two-time world champion acrobatic gymnast Shenea Stiletto. She spent more than a decade with Cirque du Soleil, founded the Circus Arts Guild of America, and is now running for Nevada State Assembly, District 22. Confessions: how a circus artist landed at the White House, triple backflips by 6 a.m., and who to call about the stoplights in Las Vegas.
Maren Wade sits down with two-time world champion acrobatic gymnast Shenea Booth, professionally known as Shenea Stiletto. She spent more than a decade with Cirque du Soleil, founded the Circus Arts Guild of America, and is now running for Nevada State Assembly, District 22, under the name Shenea Booth.
Confessions: how a circus artist landed at the White House, triple backflips by 6 a.m., and who to call about the stoplights in Las Vegas.
In this episode
00:00:00 Okay, I Have a Confession to Make …
00:02:46 Triple Backflips Before Sunrise
00:11:10 Circus Takes Washington
00:21:50 Acrobat on the Ballot
Find Shenea
TikTok: @sheneastiletto
Instagram: @sheneastiletto and @sheneabooth
YouTube: @sheneastiletto
Website: sheneafornevada.com
Find Maren
TikTok: @marenwade
Instagram: @marenwade
Website: marenwade.com
Confessions of a Showgirl:
confessionsofashowgirl.com
Hosted by Maren Wade.
Maren Wade (00:00.47)
Okay, I have a confession to make. Showgirls are having a moment, and I think they're misunderstood. Because if you think the glamorous part is what makes a showgirl interesting, you've never met one. This is the unglamorous side of the glamorous life of a showgirl, and it deserves the spotlight. I'm Maren Wade and welcome to Confessions of a Showgirl.
Maren Wade (00:22.786)
Welcome back, everyone. Okay, I have a confession to make. Some of you may be surprised to know that I had a career in politics. I did. It was a brief one, but nonetheless. So I used to have a column in Las Vegas Weekly, and I would write weekly about all of the different antics in this quirky life of a modern-day showgirl. And it opened the doors to some really interesting opportunities. At one point, I got a call from a major TV news network.
They asked if I would like to comment on a big political debate that was taking place in Las Vegas. They said, we're looking for someone who embodies iconic Vegas and we'd love a showgirl. Are you available? It was so flattering to be asked. And I thought, I can't say no to national television. This is a huge opportunity. The only problem is I had to brush up on my politics. And this was 2016, so I just needed a crash course on about two hundred and thirty-nine years of American history.
So I'm going over it all and I'm feeling really ready and I'm thinking, you know, I've got this. I mean, they want iconic Vegas? I'm gonna give them iconic Vegas. And long story short, I didn't get the job because apparently while I was gearing myself up to be iconic Vegas, there was someone more iconic Vegas for the role. And, it was Wayne Newton.
So interestingly enough, I actually got to work with him a few years later. I got to sing backup for him, and it was such an amazing experience. I mean, who would have thought that the man who ended my political career would end up being my boss? You just never know what to expect in this crazy world. And I bring all this up because my guest today did the thing I almost did, except she did it for real. Here with us is Shenea Booth, professionally known as Shenea Stiletto. She is a two-time world champion acrobatic gymnast.
A USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame inductee, a circus performer who spent over a decade with Cirque du Soleil, a creative director, and a Las Vegas mainstay. And if that's not enough to keep her busy, right now she is the Democratic nominee for Nevada State Assembly, District 22. A working circus artist running for office, which means she is currently doing two of the hardest jobs I can think of at the same time. And I want to know all about it. So here she is.
Maren Wade (02:44.656)
Shenea Stiletto, welcome to Confessions of a Showgirl.
Shenea Stiletto (02:48.422)
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here today.
Maren Wade (02:52.242)
Honestly, I'm so excited. I know you are so busy on this campaign trail, and so I think it's so much fun to just hear about what you've come from and where you're headed. It's just all very fascinating. Can we start at the beginning? I know you weren't expecting to do like your whole life story, like this memoir, but where are you from?
Shenea Stiletto (03:08.328)
I was born in Northern California and I was raised in California and I was raised here also too in Las Vegas.
Maren Wade (03:15.504)
Yeah. How does someone become a two-time world champion acrobatic gymnast?
Shenea Stiletto (03:21.028)
I was really fortunate. I was in a ballet studio and I was discovered by my first acrobatics coach then when I was a little bitty girl and still little.
Maren Wade (03:35.720)
Me too.
Shenea Stiletto (03:42.000)
Us both. Yeah. I imagined that I would, you know, maybe end up being a ballet dancer, a ballerina like Misty Copeland, but then my path veered into gymnastics.
And I really took to it and I was a very shy little kid, youngest of five. And they really wanted to get me to do something that got me out of my shell. And gymnastics was that, and specifically acrobatic gymnastics. We are the like non-Olympic version or discipline in USA Gymnastics, still fighting for that Olympic recognition, by the way, till this day. Wink, wink.
And you know, they had to really create things for me because I ended up, you know, becoming a two-time world champion, the first ever champion in acrobatic gymnastics from America, the first ever two-time world champion from America, and then also the first acrobat inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame, and then the first ever acrobat given the honorary Olympian title as well. So it was, you know, wrapped up in so much community, and I'm grateful that I had so many mentors and amazing people in my life and my family that believed in me because it truly does take a village to be able to do all of that for so many years at that high level.
Maren Wade (04:59.016)
Well, and not just that, like also, you know, I look at what you've done and you know, some of these you have to go look her up and like on YouTube, there's like one that has like twelve million views. There's so many of them. But I look at you and I just think like, first of all, the first thing that comes to mind is fearless. Like that's terrifying to me to be up there like that, hand balancing, getting thrown around, totally trusting who you're with and also discipline, right? Fearlessness and discipline, and to do that at such a young age, what was that like for you?
Shenea Stiletto (05:30.972)
It was what I think got me to where I am today. That discipline of training, you know, twice a day, eight hours, sometimes nine, ten hours a day, homeschooled, traveling all over the world as a little girl, without my family, without my parents, entrusted to my coaches and other adults and mentors with my care. And that structure I think was so pivotal.
What I love about acrobatic gymnastics is that it's actually a partnership gymnastics. So you really learn how to work with people from when you're really young under very challenging circumstances. I remember coming into the gym at like 5:30 in the morning and you know, having to be on in like 30 minutes doing triple backflips, you know, by 6 a.m. and just being so tired and overwhelmed and, you know, nervous and scared, all the things. And I think that having that resolve within you really sets you on a path of being fearless, if you want to call it that. But I think it's so much calculated chaos and calculated risk that the exposure to that over time really helps you to be someone who can target bigger mountains in your life in years and days to come.
Maren Wade (06:49.584)
Yes, calculated chaos, calculated risk. I love that. I'm gonna use that. Definitely for sure. So in addition to being an acro gymnast, you're also a circus artist and you know, obviously through your career took several evolutions. So talk me through how you got from USA Gymnastics to circus artist and kind of that whole realm.
Shenea Stiletto (07:13.886)
So I was recruited by Cirque du Soleil, for example, when I was still competing in acro. And many of the performers that you see in Las Vegas and on the Strip in shows are from my sport. They're from acrobatic gymnastics. So it was, you know, a really organic transition for my career.
My coach let them know at the time, you know, I don't want you to take her now because she's got aspirations and we want her to go further in the sport. And I could have been working for them even longer than I have now. But I'm grateful that my coaches saw the fact that I could do more competitively and that it was good to keep me not performing professionally for a little while longer. I would not have actually become world champion if I had signed a contract with Cirque when they wanted me initially. So he, you know, continued to pause that opportunity for me, but I still did start performing before I was even 18. It was a very alternate path. It was a very non-traditional path. And for my parents to have some type of assurance of, my gosh, we're gonna let her go into circus, we're going to let her go into Cirque du Soleil. I mean, we've been watching these shows from when she's really little, but is this really, you know, a serious career path? You know, is she not gonna, you know, go to traditional college or traditional like university? And is she going to be okay? So it was something that I always saw myself doing.
Maren Wade (08:48.528)
Yeah. I mean, and also, you know, when you think about like kids, what do they want to be when they grow up? I mean, that's what I love about Vegas because these jobs are so wacky. And like in talking about just sort of the performing world, right? I would love to know like this show is all about the unglamorous side of the glamorous life of a showgirl. I mean, do you have any fun stories about, you know, things that like went hilariously wrong or unexpectedly unglamorous, like in your long, vast career of performing here?
Shenea Stiletto (09:16.450)
I think there's like too many stories that I could speak to. I think just in general of how challenging and different and weird that this career is, there is almost probably no experience that I have not had performing here locally.
Maren Wade (09:19.804)
Yeah.
Shenea Stiletto (09:37.720)
In shows I have had anything and everything happen, you know, when you're like barely getting to the stage or, you know, an audience member doing something, you know, very uncouth or a costume having an issue. I mean, there is nothing that I have not experienced at this point or seen, yeah, in my career.
Maren Wade (09:56.562)
Which just makes you perfectly prepared for politics, right?
Shenea Stiletto (10:00.542)
I mean when people said, you know, how are you gonna deal in politics? I'm like, have you been in circus? Yeah. Have you been in the local entertainment scene? We've seen it all and y'all haven't seen nothing yet until you've experienced what we've all experienced here.
Maren Wade (10:13.758)
It's so true. And I mean, before, you know, before we kind of head into that a little bit, I just want to like share with the audience like how we met. So I think we met, what is it, like a year and a half, two years ago. We were in a show called Ladylike at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and you were guest starring in it. And we were in the dressing room together. And I remember like, I mean, we only did a handful of shows together. And I remember we talked like the whole time. We were talking the whole time backstage and things got very deep. But I don't remember, I don't remember what they were. I just remember they were very deep.
And you were telling me everything that you had going on. And I think, you know, as if I wasn't, you know, I'm even more so now because I've done all the deep dives on you. But like at the time you were saying, you know, you're busy performing all around. You also had your, you have your podcast, Circuspreneur, which is the most amazing title. I love that title. Since then I've listened to many episodes, all very entertaining, you know, and very informative, right? About all the stuff behind the scenes. But also we have to get into this.
You started Circus Arts Guild of America. You founded this. Like tell me all about that and how that came to be.
Shenea Stiletto (11:19.054)
It came to be during 2020. So the pandemic, I think, is something that brought every single industry and brought Vegas to its knees. It definitely brought our industry to its knees. If you survived the crash of '08 and then you saw what was happening in 2020, like I did and like so many of us have, I don't think that you could come away from that experience not saying that we needed to do more, we needed to do better by way of our like local industry and like all of our friends and all of our community. And so I was out, you know, that was born out of frustration, out of the fact that I felt that you know, local representatives, state, federal, everybody just really dropped the ball for our industry. We had so many of our friends, all of us were out of work. Yeah. All of us were going to lose so much, all of us did lose so much.
And for those of us that all work so hard, that are like the backbone of Nevada and the economy and the creative economy. I thought that along with so many of us, how unfair. And we need to get in there and we need to fight for our rights and our industry. So it's been a six year journey in creating the Circus Arts Guild of America, in giving us a name, a collective name, an industry name. You know, even speaking back to what stories I've had, I think the majority of the stories that we all have had of being quite like kind of nameless of being in an environment that everyone says is so glamorous and so amazing.
But we know how hard it is behind the scenes to sustain these careers of being a working artist. Yeah. And anyone wants to cut a budget within any type of company or corporation, they cut us first. We are the first on the list to go and we're the last to get the support that we need. So that's really where that came from and we started, you know, building and drafting our own policies to answer to those issues and those problems when we saw that no one else really wanted to.
Maren Wade (13:17.374)
I mean, what is that like, right? I mean you're a performer, you know how to do all this, now you're pivoting into a world where you're figuring out how to make policy. Like what was that journey like?
Shenea Stiletto (13:28.998)
I mean, nightmare. Like, absolute nightmare.
Maren Wade (13:32.114)
You fake it till you make it, right? I mean you gotta figure it all out.
Shenea Stiletto (13:36.336)
Like we know how to do. I think that, you know, being self-employed for all of these years and being a small business, like all of us are, being entrepreneurs, has really at least taught us all how to be super crafty and very creative in how we go towards anything because we're always locked out or always trying to explain and defend our right to exist in the economy all the time, right? I have always struggled with what to put as my profession or having to, you know, provide like fifty pieces of documentation to prove like you're supposed to be here, you're supposed to work here, you want to buy this car, or you want to, you know, rent in this apartment. When you're drafting policy from scratch for an industry that, you know, unfortunately doesn't get the I think respect or the provisions that it's due, in some ways it was hard, in some ways it was easy because we were like, we know exactly what the issues are, but we went down so many different rabbit holes over the last six years. We went down some very frustrating, you know, rabbit holes and some pathways that didn't really lead us to much. And then we went down roads that, you know, we were able to salvage and create structure and create and inform policy. But also too, this will speak to I know the next conversation that we're gonna have around my experiences as a survivor of USA Gymnastics. And so I had to lean into that policy experience that I gained over the last 10 years in drafting policy for our workforce and for our industry around labor provision. So those two experiences that have impacted me personally are really what go hand in hand together because I don't know if I'd be able to journey in the way with the Circus Arts Guild in the way that I have if I hadn't had the experience for about six years leading up to that as a survivor of USA Gymnastics.
Maren Wade (15:27.079)
You've been so public about surviving sexual abuse in USA Gymnastics and you've had the courage to speak out about it. How has that whole experience shaped you?
Shenea Stiletto (15:36.446)
Thank you, Maren. Yeah, it was, you know, it was one of the great tragedies of my experience in my life, but something that I was able, along with thousands of other survivors that were involved in my case, just to remind everyone how many of us were a part of this case. Wasn't just a few people, right? Sometimes people see just maybe like one or two or three or four faces, which I'm very, very, very grateful for that. But even in the lead up to our case, there was about almost two to three years where it was not public. People saw things kind of start to happen in 2016, but there was like two or three years in the lead up to 2016 before our cases became quote unquote public. So there were thousands of us that were a part of this case in a civil and criminal way. And it was very challenging. It was, you know, a lot of institutional pushback.
You know, we were a part of a case where we were treated very unfairly for a very long time. Now it has shifted. You know, you see that a lot with the Epstein survivors. And our case really helps, I think, in the support of, you know, the Epstein survivors, and where you know, they exist now. Now when we go to Washington, DC, they're very, you know, open and happy to see us as survivors. But it didn't start out like that prior to 2016 and throughout that time. You know, we had to fight very hard. A faction of our survivor group even had to, you know, sue the FBI in one. And it was, you know, almost 10 years to resolve those cases and testifying under oath for almost 10 years, testifying behind the scenes, participating in investigations, working with the Department of Justice for almost 10 years. I mean, it really takes over so many aspects of your life when you are a survivor and you're not just having folks represent you in a very superficial way. It takes a lot of time and effort out of your life to represent yourself and have to come back to experiencing that level of trauma every single time when your case takes so long.
Shenea Stiletto (17:43.186)
to be dealt with and for laws to be able to shift. I mean, there were several laws that had to go into effect for us to even have our cases be brought to justice. And so that is why I very much believe in the system. And even though the systems didn't do right by us, I also, you know, am grateful for being able to use the system, change the system, make it safer for women and children and survivors of all kinds. And I brought that hat and that perspective into representing our industry that I have found to be very similar in a lot of ways, in the fact that it's very niche, still struggles with regulation and also too struggles with representation in the halls of government where it deserves to have a voice. Yeah.
Maren Wade (18:31.518)
I mean, thank you so much for sharing all that because it is a lot. And I think people would be so interested to understand, I mean, what it takes, right? The stamina, the stability and the inner strength, right, to have to relive all that, to have to go through that for 10 years and then to say your truth, right? Over and over again and be involved in all that. So I don't know. I'm so moved by it all. Honestly, it's one of those incredible stories that you've been able to take something and help other people with for sure.
And I also, you know, in terms of so much of the work you've done. I was looking at, I mean, this another extraordinary thing. Like, you went to the White House. I mean, these are the things that Shenea just like casually, like she doesn't even drop it. Like I'm just looking at like, she just, she went to the White House. I mean, please speak to me how that even happens.
Shenea Stiletto (19:20.016)
For the circus.
Maren Wade (19:21.850)
Yes, for the circus. I mean, this is what I love. This is why I love Vegas. This is also why I love Vegas performers because they are amazing.
Shenea Stiletto (19:30.216)
We're like fearless, like what you said. We're like, we don't care. We will do and say whatever. I mean, I, you know, got a special invitation to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris. And that was, you know, absolutely fantastic and amazing. And that led to our relationship with the Department of Labor and the White House on behalf of the circus industry. So it was great. We still have, you know, work to do. But it was amazing. What we did is we highlighted the Nevada economy and the Nevada entertainment industry. And we used that on a micro level to amplify the effects and the support that we need on a macro level. So it was phenomenal to have the support of the White House in saying and recognizing our industry, you know, on the level that they did. And then also too wanting to work with us and highlighting our policy ask, our legislative ask, our issues, bringing so many people to the table. What we try to do is bring the different, you know, institutions and organizations that affect our industry en masse and not just ask them for support, but to, you know, give tangible and active pathway forward in what are you going to do for our industry? What are you going to do to help performers in this way that, you know, seem to be having so many issues and problems in terms of safety, in terms of workmen's rights, workforce development, all of those different issues that we have, but make it solution based. So we had some great work that we were gonna do in 2025. Unfortunately, that was cut short. But it also kind of got me again to where I am now because, you know, the White House and folks that we worked with during that time, the different unions and such were like, have any of you thought of running for office? And in seeing like, you know, our efforts not being able to be brought fully to fruition with the work that we were gonna do with the White House in 2025, I thought, you know what, this is maybe now the time for someone, someone from the industry. I didn't necessarily think that it was me, to be honest, but I was, you know, I started thinking about that in a stronger way, in terms of maybe it might be me.
Maren Wade (21:45.788)
Yeah, and now it is. Yeah. I mean, so here, in terms of it, like I have a confession to make. I don't know anything about politics. I don't know anything about running for office. You certainly made me do my homework before we spoke because I really didn't want to sound terribly, you know, unknowledgeable. But for people like me out there, can you please share what is the Nevada State Assembly? Like, what is it? What do they do?
Shenea Stiletto (22:12.252)
Yes, we are the state house. We are the state congress for the state of Nevada. So, like you see, the members of Congress in Washington, DC, you have that exact same thing on a state level. So you have a representative from every single district, and you are voted in by your district in the state of Nevada, but you vote on all statewide bills. So for folks that know that I'm running in Assembly District 22, for example, in Henderson, it doesn't mean that I only represent Henderson. I don't vote on Henderson specific bills. I vote on everything statewide. Okay. That's usually the thing that I have to explain mostly to folks that think like, well, how will she affect me if she's like only representing Henderson? Like
Maren Wade (22:54.046)
It doesn't work that way. It's a whole body. It doesn't work that way. But you're one part of the body. And if someone like, I mean, if someone wants to, you know, get in touch with a representative or change something, like that would be your role, right? Like they get in touch with you if elected. Okay, just you make an appointment and you just go and you talk about your concerns, right? Or issues or what you'd like brought up at some point in legislature. In legislation?
Shenea Stiletto (23:08.303)
You can call me.
Shenea Stiletto (23:21.032)
Like we're the people's house. Yeah.
Maren Wade (23:23.000)
People's house.
Shenea Stiletto (23:24.000)
Yeah. You're saying like all the great things. Yeah. Everything you say is exactly the way it is. Yeah. And they created the people's house to represent the people. So typically, it was created so that anyone in these seats was from some part of your community. It was a small business owner. It was a showgirl. It's supposed to be someone who's a lawyer, someone who's a school teacher, someone who's a mom. Really, that's what it's supposed to be. Now it doesn't exist that way. It's mostly lobbyists and lawyers. But it's not uncommon. Like me being there, that is what the state house is supposed to be like. That is how you make a very well-rounded, you know, decision because you have all of those minds included in those decisions. Yeah.
Maren Wade (24:11.166)
On a side note, I've had something, a cause that like I feel really passionate about for the last 10 years. And I'm wondering if like this is something I could bring to the table for you. Who do we need to talk to about the stoplights in this town? Because they're so long. I mean, have you noticed this? Like you miss a stoplight, you're 10 minutes late, you're 15 minutes late, you're sitting there, I'm watching these intersections all the time, and like the green ones are going by, but no one's going. And then the lines, they pile up on the other end. I would desperately like to address this. Like I've been talking about this for ten years. I don't know if anyone feels the same as me, but like could you connect me to this person who programs the stoplights? Can we start a movement to make this change? Because I think people would like to be on time.
Shenea Stiletto (24:56.092)
Yes, they would like to be on time and we have so much to do and it's unfair. And I feel you, Maren. And that is definitely a city council issue.
Maren Wade (25:04.000)
Okay.
Shenea Stiletto (25:05.000)
And if I were you, I would be making public comment at a city council meeting.
Maren Wade (25:09.000)
That's where I should go.
Shenea Stiletto (25:10.000)
Pushing them to make that change. Because I was literally in a conversation. Yes, you are gonna go to city council wherever you live, whatever district, you know, represents you for the city council, and make that pledge to them because I was just in a conversation with some voters about this the other day, and there happened to be a city council member there, and they were talking about very similar things where they were asking for a stoplight or asking for this. City council was talking about how it costs millions of dollars to install a stoplight system and how it's extremely expensive. And they were like, well, we would like to see how you guys can make that a focal point of your budget, because I think that this would increase safety around this particular intersection. So that is their wheelhouse in that. And I completely second that and experience that and feel exactly the same way that you do. And have been made late for no reason when I've given myself these amazing buffers of time.
Maren Wade (26:08.360)
I know, it's unbelievable. So long story, you know, short here, when you're elected, what's on your agenda to tackle first? What's most important to you?
Shenea Stiletto (26:19.442)
Workforce protections and workforce development. I know that it seems wild, but that will be my top initiative. And then we will be rounding that out with protections for women and children, because that's also my wheelhouse. Affordability, education, housing, trickling down to everything that affects us as local workers, as local people. Can we afford to live where we work? And that is becoming more and more of a massive issue and problem. Can you sustain working here? Do you have to leave the state? Do you have to go and get one or two other jobs because your main career is no longer viable for you? It's an issue. And if we don't have a job for you, like we saw, you know, two big shows just closed down, just laid massively off so many workers in many capacities. It's not just the performers. Where is the workforce development to recoup those performers? Are they opening up two or three more shows? Was it okay or fair that you close down two massive shows within less than a month of one another? I don't think that it's fair. I think that we need to set up way more provisions around how we have skilled employment here.
And do you have enough to back you up if you're going to be unemployed for the next six months or a year or two years as a worker here locally? Are we gonna lose you to tour, or retire? Yeah. Yeah.
Maren Wade (27:55.942)
That's a big thing, isn't it?
I see a lot of that. Like in the last few years I've seen, you know, performers just, they're off again, they're in and out and Vegas is the home base again. But that's the thing I love so much about this town, was that you could have a life as a performer and live here. And you know, so it'd be great to keep it that way for sure.
Shenea Stiletto (28:18.846)
It would be great to have like a living wage. Yeah. And to make sure that you can still afford your health insurance. Yeah. And that you can have a baby. I see there's so many performers out there right now that are my friends that are having babies right now. So I'm just like all about it. And it is so fun. And I'm going to all the baby showers.
Maren Wade (28:36.516)
I know. It is fun, but that is really challenging, you know, being, you know, a working performer and having a baby, like you do have to take a lot of time off. It's not just the time, you know, a lot of people just do the standard maternity leave, but as soon as you start showing, I mean, you're out. So it's, you know, it can be, it's months, it's a year. Like, you know, that I remember. So you know, that is quite a challenge. And I mean, we, you know, for the most part, we've touched a lot on this, but you know, I find in general, and I don't know if you feel the same way, but I feel like people really underestimate Vegas performers at times, like showgirls, acrobats, like anyone in Vegas. Have you felt that at all running for office? Like, and you know, what would you say to someone who thinks like a circus artist, you know, might not be qualified for this job?
Shenea Stiletto (29:24.722)
I have definitely experienced that. I've also experienced, you know, a ton of folks being like, it's beyond time that your sector was represented in the legislature. And I've never thought about it in this way until I have met you. So, you know, for anyone that, you know, questions that, I do think that my experience is pretty multifaceted. I am not only a performer that stepped into this because of my background, which I could have never imagined that it would have gotten me here. But outside of that, I just want to bring people back to the fact that, you know, the state house and being a representative comes from the fact that you are someone that knows your community. You are someone that knows your industry. You are someone that understands how things operate and how things can work, and that that experience is valuable because you're not supposed to know everything when you are in these particular roles.
You know, it's not someone that's supposed to be all knowing. It is someone that is supposed to be giving a defined perspective that is useful and that is going to support the voices of thousands of other people that do not have that voice sitting there for them every single day and fighting for their rights and fighting for the policy positions that they know will make their lives better.
Maren Wade (30:39.742)
Well, I mean, and on that part, you know, you have years of history of that, right? You know, of advocating and fighting for rights. I mean, you have had a long career already of public service in that respect. So it's just really inspiring to see you grow, right? Each step along the way in this whole process. And I think it's just, people don't realize when they look at these entertainers and performers on stage all the stuff that's happening behind the scenes, everything they're working on, everything they're building, everything in between. And you just are such a perfect example of so many of these types of things that I get to see in this town. And so one of the things I love about Vegas is Vegas, you know, performers in general, they're so supportive of the community. Like the Vegas entertainment world, they don't donate their time to go perform at things. They volunteer. They're always involved in charitable causes. And, you know, I mean, obviously, like you as an example and everything you're doing with your public service. Like I'm just curious, what is your favorite part about Vegas?
Shenea Stiletto (31:41.146)
I have so many favorite parts, but I think the fact that on any given day you are just inspired by someone who is doing something really phenomenal. And people doing a lot of things that they love to do. People are coming to Vegas to live out their dreams, and then they are actually able to do that. Yeah. I think that's really phenomenal. There's only a few places in the world where you can come and see that playing out in real time, where I came and saw shows as a little girl, brought to shows by my family, and now I'm in those shows. I just think that's so special. I know a lot of passionate, hardest working people here. It is not easy to work, you know, 10, 12 shows a week and be here, you know, weeks and weeks and weeks on end. And in the service of joy and entertainment and fulfillment that we have for others. I just think that's really beautiful. Like people come here and they always say, like, we are the showgirls, the acrobats, entertainers. We were their favorite part of coming and being in Vegas. And now they're inspired in other ways in their life. I mean, you're a part of a really special group.
Maren Wade (32:52.648)
I share your same sentiment. That is so great. And where can people find you? Where can they find you? How can they get involved?
Shenea Stiletto (32:58.856)
So you can find me at sheneafornevada.com. That's S-H-E-N-E-A, F-O-R-N-E-V-A-D-A.com. And as you said, Maren, we are a community that loves to show up and volunteer for our community. If you are interested, please, we would love to have you for the campaign to volunteer to knock on doors and tell voters: hey, we need to get an entertainer and performer and an acrobat into the state legislature because she represents all of our interests and we are a community that deserves a place in the legislature. So if you would like a yard sign, if you would like to phone bank for me, you do not have to live in Henderson to get me elected, but tell all of your friends and your colleagues and your family that this is such a pivotal race for us this year. And who knows if we'll have this opportunity or this shot again. Yeah.
Maren Wade (33:51.198)
And do you plan also, you'll be performing as well, right? All along the way? Is that correct? Because it's like you do both, you're gonna be juggling, you'll be juggling both jobs. Like, I mean, so you know, that's the thing. I mean, there's nothing like an acro gymnast, acrobatic gymnast, two-time world champion to be juggling circus arts and Nevada State Assembly member, District 22.
Shenea Stiletto (34:16.072)
That's just what we do. That's just what we do. Just what we do.
Maren Wade (34:18.095)
That's Vegas for you, yeah.
Shenea Stiletto (34:22.054)
Yeah, that's because like that's just what we do. We know how to do it. We get the job done. And yes, I have been performing and working this entire time. I have had to pivot my schedule a multitude of times to be able to make, you know, everything work for the campaign. But like that is what I was committed to do. And we've been campaigning now for over a year. So it took us over a year to get to this point in leveraging this campaign. And I wanted everyone in our industry to know that we had a viable candidate. And it's also a grassroots campaign at the exact same time because I'm just a local like everybody else. I'm not a part of any establishment. I'm not a part of any political machine here. I'm just like you, where I might be working with you guys next week. I mean, I was just performing at Allegiant just a few weeks ago. And you know, me and you, Maren, could be on a stage within like the next month too. Like that
Maren Wade (35:15.004)
I mean, it's so true. So we'll be sitting and chit-chatting again, another deep conversation in the dressing room, and then you'll pivot around and you'll go straight to the legisl— what is it, the legislation desk? What is it? Is it, you meet in Carson, right? Like only a certain amount of times a year, right? See, this is how good I am at research, right?
Shenea Stiletto (35:31.855)
Carson City.
Shenea Stiletto (35:39.752)
You know, I mean it's good to know because some people are like, how are you gonna keep performing? How do you do it? Well, the legislature meets every other year for just a couple of months. Yeah. And it's every other year, so we don't even meet every year. Other states meet every year and they meet for a lot longer. Yeah. But like that's why so many folks have to keep their day jobs. So I didn't stop performing, I'm not retiring from performing. I gotta keep my day gig.
Maren Wade (36:02.482)
Also, your day gig, you know, keeps you very involved in what's going on. You know, you're not somebody that now goes into a different world and isn't necessarily connected with the current state of affairs. You know, you get to live it, you breathe it, and you're in it with all the, you know, all the rest of the people that you're representing. So you know, it makes sense. Totally makes sense.
Shenea Stiletto (36:20.732)
Yeah. Yeah. I always wanted it to be that way. Like, you know, some people were like, well, you know, maybe in the next like how many more years, you know, maybe when you retire, then you should run. 'Cause it'll be so difficult if you run right now and all the things. I said, you know what? There's no better time than being impacted along the lines of every other local person that I know and being in it. So they know that I am up against the same challenges, difficulties, and risks just like you. I am still in that game too.
Maren Wade (36:48.734)
Yeah. It's so valuable. Yeah. Well, honestly, you are so inspiring. It definitely makes me, I need to step it up. That's why I watch you, I see everything you do. I need to step it up. So maybe I'm gonna go to that city council meeting, you know, and start. That might be a good place to start.
Shenea Stiletto (37:07.016)
I adore you. Thank you so much for like having me on the podcast, Maren. You're so fantastic.
Maren Wade (37:12.466)
Thank you for coming on, please. I'm very excited to see where all this goes and I know that you are gonna make a huge difference as you already have. So Shenea Stiletto, thank you.
Shenea Stiletto (37:22.088)
Thank you.