Sydney Magruder Washington facts for kids

Sydney Magdalene Magruder Washington is an American ballet dancer, actress, and blogger. She is also known for her work as an advocate for mental health. In 2017, she was recognized by HuffPost as one of 21 Fierce Black Feminists To Follow. The following year, Essence magazine included her in their Woke 100 Women list.

Sydney's Dance Career

Sydney Magruder Washington works as a professional ballet dancer and musical theatre actress. She performs in New York City and is represented by Resolute Artists Agency.

Performances and Roles

Sydney has danced in many famous ballets. These include The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, and The Firebird. She has also performed in popular musicals. Some of these musicals are Anything Goes, Godspell, Curtains, and The Wiz.

Advocating for Mental Health

Sydney Magruder Washington is a strong supporter of mental health awareness. She speaks out about mental health challenges, especially for women of color and dancers.

The Black Swan Diaries

Sydney started a blog called The Black Swan Diaries. On her blog, she shares her own experiences. She writes about being a Black Catholic woman in the dance world. She also shares her journey with mental health. Her blog aims to help reduce the negative feelings people have about mental illness.

Warrior Swans Community

On August 3, 2017, Sydney created a private online group. It is called Warrior Swans (Ballerinas for Mental Health). This community is for dancers who are dealing with mental health issues. She also uses her Instagram and YouTube accounts to share her message.

Public Speaking and Mentorship

On January 7, 2019, Sydney was a speaker at an event. It was called Open Spectrum: A Brilliant Darkness - A Conversation with Artists on Mental Health. This event took place at New York Live Arts. She also helps young dancers of color. She mentors them through the Brown Girls Do Ballet Ambassador Program. This program supports young dancers who want to become professionals.

Media Recognition

Sydney Magruder Washington has been featured in several well-known magazines. These include Teen Vogue, Pointe, Dance Magazine, and O, The Oprah Magazine. She has also appeared in BuzzFeed and Health. As mentioned, she was ranked 44th in Woke 100 Women by Essence. She was also on the HuffPost list of 21 Fierce Black Feminists.

Sydney's Personal Life

Sydney Magruder Washington has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. She also experiences panic disorder and major depressive disorder. When she was 11, she was first thought to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Later, she received the correct diagnosis of autism.

Faith and Community

As a teenager, Sydney explored different faiths. She spent two years learning about Judaism and Islam. Later, she became a member of the Catholic Church. She chose the confirmation name Magdalene. She attends St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church in Manhattan.

Sydney joined an online group for Catholic women called Blessed is She. However, she faced some challenges in the group. She later wrote about her experiences on her blog. She explained that she felt she did not fit in well with the group.

Family Life

Sydney Magruder Washington is married to Elena Washington. They were married on May 12, 2017. Their ceremony took place at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights.