Photo by Morgan Miller Photography
Mere mortals don’t stand a chance if they venture into Tracey DeMarea’s orbit. Before they know it, they’re immediately pulled into her Chatty Cathy vortex. Her ability to talk to anyone about anything for any length of time has served her well as the Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce executive director.
When asked for her bio, DeMarea quips—in her Devonshire accent—that she’s a 53-year-old gin-drinking Brit who loves everything Kansas City. (We can attest to the fact that she’s become her own one-woman KC CVB.)
She’s also been instrumental in helping the chamber continue to thrive by garnering new members and spearheading countless networking/community partner events.
DeMarea jokes she’s a chocolate aficionado who’s constantly looking for the next fad diet. “I bring pounds of chocolate back with me when I visit the UK,” she tells us. “Oh, and I’ll name any ’80s pop artist from the intro of a song in under three seconds.”
Because she’s perpetually swamped, we caught up with DeMarea at 7:00 a.m. one recent weekday morning for coffee to query her with our funky questionnaire. We wisely ordered her decaf. Bless.
Photo Courtesy of Tracey DeMarea
The Pitch: What scene in a movie always gives you goosebumps every time you watch it?
Tracy DeMarea: Oh, I very rarely watch movies, so there’s only a small handful to pick from! I do always feel butterflies and goosebumps watching the airport scenes in Love Actually—especially the shots of people arriving and meeting loved ones. These were filmed at Heathrow—an airport I know well. And they were real people and actual travelers, not actors.
It’s just very real and emotional for me, as it reminds me of the joy of seeing my family in England when I visit.
What’s one thing you can draw marginally well?
I can draw a droopy-looking cartoon dog with floppy ears, sad eyes, and a goofy, toothy smile. On reflection—with such talent—I’m surprised I’ve not been snapped up by some art gallery!
Photo Courtesy of Tracey DeMarea
What English/British word or phrase do you constantly use that no one knows what the hell you mean?
Oh, there are soooo many! Words like ‘swede,’ ‘naff,‘ ‘trump,‘ ‘bollocks,‘ and ‘rubber!‘
Then there are sayings like ‘wooly jumper,‘ ‘just crack on,‘ ‘what a fuss,‘ ‘what a wally,‘ or ‘what a muppet.’ And then there’s also ‘mad as a box of frogs!‘ I’m happy to go drinking with anyone who reads these and knows what they all mean!
Name something you’re hilariously bad at…
Talking without bloody swearing! I really do try hard not to swear, but I’m just sh*t. I’m dreadfully bad at not using rude words.