Meet Dana and Explore How They’re Serving Their Community

Dana Variano

2026 Ambassador

Dana Variano is a nonbinary artist, communications strategist, and cynical optimist from New York's Hudson Valley.

By day they produce creative advocacy campaigns for issue-driven organizations, and by night they draw (in pen, on paper) and build community through art.

In their art, Dana uses visual data tools like charts, graphs, and diagrams to explore vulnerability and distill the relationship between their emotions, fears, and anxieties, and dreams. Their favorite thing (other than the ocean) is connection.

Community Coping Maps -

You’re invited!

To continue my Cartography of Coping project, I will join existing community events around the Hudson Valley and provide large blank coping maps, stamps, and art supplies, so communities can map their coping skills together. In addition to an opportunity to connect with others around feelings and emotions that are usually kept to ourselves, this will be an on-ramp for community spaces to begin talking about mental health. 

I will also have individual map templates available at each event, so users can make personal coping maps at the event or at a later date. All maps will be left with the organization as a visual reminder of what and how that community copes together. I will also create a semi-permanent coping corner at Rewind Kingston, where a large metal coping map (with magnetic feeling words and geographic elements) will be available for folks to interact with, change, and grow. 

Previous Coping Map Events