Minority Students in Technical Arts

I want to use the skills that I have developed throughout my life to reach God's word to a larger, younger audience. As a young Christian in a modern world that resents our biblical beliefs, I believe that the reason why many show a form of hatred or distaste towards Christianity is simply that they don't fully understand it and/or their encounters with certain people who claim to be Christian have been unpleasant or uneventful. I want to use my audio and video production knowledge to expand the Word of God to new heights. Some of that inspiration is from being a huge fan of Christian Hip Hop and artists like Lecrae, KB, Hulvey, Caleb Gordon, and others. Seeing how they use modern technology and outlets to spread the word of God in a way that is understandable and relatable. I want to reach the masses with that type of message, a message that isn't made to divide and condemn, but to unite and forge a true relationship with a living God. My interest in video production started in middle school when I got into video editing. Finding out the tricks editors and cinematographers use to keep you hooked on a scene is always a joy to figure out. In 2022, I became a part of KISDTV, a Student-led TV production crew, who has recorded and produced for multiple district and city-wide events including sports games, concerts, and graduations. I've met a whole bunch of fun and cool people who helped me refine my craft in videography. I also chose Audio/Visual Production as my main elective, and even though it was a big learning curve I had to overcome, I've grown to enjoy and appreciate it a lot more than initially. From making news broadcasts, and movie reviews, to short films and more, the course has sparked my interest in storytelling and filmmaking. This course even got me to win 1st Place in the SkillsUSA District Competition. And in late February, I passed and became Adobe Certified in Premiere Pro, something I have been wanting for years. Around the same time, I've been more involved in church duties, particularly doing voiceover and editing for announcements and a new Christian web series my friends have been building called the GAP. It stands for God Appointed People, and I have been more involved in this as I made the new intro and was even a host for a couple of episodes. But even amidst all this, I always have a feeling that God wants me to do even more and go even further beyond my limits.

Ever since the sixth grade, I’ve told people ‘I want to be a fashion designer when I grow up,’.I’ve wanted to show people the true love of Christ through my designs. I’ve wanted to bring people together through my designs. I’ve wanted to bring people their happiest memories through my designs. I have simply always had the dream of bringing people joy and working in the fashion industry. For me fashion has always been a form of self expression. In a world of people and opinions, fashion has been the only place where I have always been ok with stepping out of their comfort zone. I tend to be a people pleaser, because I’ve always been wired in a way where I just enjoy making as many people around me as I can happy. Because of this, I often tend to muffle my own voice and opinions. This is a big part of why fashion is such a big deal to me. It gives me a chance to use my voice, to express my opinions and style. It gives me the chance to ‘fit out’ in a sense instead of fitting in, the chance to fulfill the American dream. Many people move to America so that they can have a voice for themselves and for what they want to do and pursue in their own lives. Without a voice for oneself, people tend to struggle and fall. I learned at a young age that my American dream, my voice that I have been born with as an American citizen, is fashion. From designing clothing to piecing together my outfits every day for school. Fashion has become my voice, my expression, my way to show the world that I’m not just somebody to be walked over, but someone who deserves to be loved and cherished. I want to spread this love that I’ve learned through fashion with others by furthering my education in fashion at Savannah College of Art and Design. At Savannah College of Art and Design, or SCAD, I plan on majoring in Fashion design and double minoring in Bridal wear and Fashion Management and Marketing. I appreciate and love so much the simplistic side of fashion, but I have a much deeper love and appreciation for elegant and beautifully designed gowns. That’s why I’ve decided that post graduating from college, I want to go into the bridal industry to design and make dresses. The only issue I’ve run into is the fact that for my college education is roughly $65,000 dollars a year. This is one of the cheapest fashion schools Incan go to that still has good instruction. Without scholarships, I won’t be able to achieve my dream. So I ask that you please consider me and my dream of being able to change the world through fashion for your scholarship. Thank you for your consideration.

It’s about feeling a connection with the art, being immersed in a soulful presence, and being able to experience the embodiment of a production. I could never fully explain the way sound makes me feel. I never realized the power it held until now. Instead of being very poetic, I want to start and tell you where my love of sound and music began. Early on in life, my Nana and my Aunt were involved in the church choir, singing songs and hymns of joy and praise. As a little kid, you would expect my nose to be stuck in a video game, which I did most of the time, but not as much as watching them sing. The sounds that bounced off the church walls made me feel happier than ever. Being in the church showed how strong music and sound can be. The sound from the music created an atmosphere like nothing else igniting people to dance in praise. In the past years, I’ve had more influences that developed my love for music. I have always loved the way music is put together with many different instruments to create a brand-new sound. Music is what got me through everyday life but I never felt eager to share my passion. I’ve even doubted if I should go through with it. In the Summer of 2021, I went to spend some time with my other Aunt who is a musician. We talked about what I love about music and whether or not I can do what she does. She gave me the benefit of the doubt that maybe this lingering love of music is a true calling in my life. That summer I released an original song that I figured no one would care about besides my mom, but the opposite happened. I got a ton of love for what I created. I felt on top of the world. Ever since then, I've been heavy on music. I started to take piano in my school, joined the school choir, and continued to release music. I also performed at a pageant for the entertainment segment and joined my church's praise and worship team. The influences of many helped me create goals and desires I want to accomplish in life. In my passion for sound design and music, I want to help Christian artists expand and push a sound that gives a project life. Like in film and television, the sound effects and soundtracks keep the project from feeling empty and show emotion. These elements create an atmosphere to push stories further. Besides making a change in projects, I want to make a change in my culture and make a name in this industry to encourage people and inspire them. I would like to show future generations that what sound you grow up under does not have to be their sound, but to find and create a new one. I want to show that sound goes beyond music and lets people feel emotions, and nostalgia, and use sound as a way of time travel. As I follow through with my field of study, I want to hold my Christian values, beliefs, and truth through every aspect of creating that I will soon embark on. Link to my original song, Lie To Me: https://youtu.be/oI-FMII3F0g?si=oUU5Hrl0651GjyzK