Meeka Fontaine, recently married, is a queer artist with an affinity for dogs. As this year’s high school film/digital media instructor, she is earnest to help guide her students.

She decided to pursue a career in the arts after joining theater in high school, where she discovered the art of working backstage. Her interest in lighting design took her to Western Michigan University. While working there, she discovered costume designing, and that was the career she decided to spend the rest of her life doing.

While she recently earned her graduate degree in costume designing, Fontaine really enjoyed the idea of teaching since she’d spent her entire school career focusing on her own work.

“I got the opportunity to teach in grad school, and so I really realized that I love it,” Fontaine says. “It was really, really nice to be able to focus on someone else’s work… and to help someone else find inspiration and excitement about what they’re making.”

Fontaine has dedicated her life to more than just her job; she’s also committed to her dog Mako, a Chihuahua Toy Fox Terrier, who wears colorful bandanas. He’s a huge part of her life and has helped her through the tough times.

Fontaine’s life is one she greatly enjoys, and she credits it to the queer and art community.

“That’s how I discovered myself, by being in those communities. Art community taught me how to see myself and [that] what you make says a lot about how I see you. And the queer community is learning how to be unapologetic about who you are, and accept love where you can find it,” Fontaine said.

Being queer is something she takes pride in, and she wants to teach about her own experiences in the hope it will help someone who was like her when she was younger.

As she was raised in a very Christian household, being queer challenged some of her family’s beliefs. “The hardest part [of breaking away] was feeling at odds with my family. I mean, we’re in a really good place now, it’s taken years.”

Fontaine hopes to inspire people like her to come out and be true to themselves.