To most people, the major that I picked is a dumb one. I am a BA Theatre major. Many people wouldn't pick this major because of the money it makes. Other people would go to a higher-paying job like engineering, but I do not wish to do that. Although money is a major thing that humans need to survive, I also believe that there is more to life than just money. That thing that I believe in is connection. In my eyes, theatre is more than just something to entertain people, although it is very entertaining. To me, theatre is about the retelling of stories and ideas. In my eyes, it is no different than telling stories around a campfire at night with your friends. The essence of theatre is something that is rooted deep within human essence and history. But why is theatre an important thing in the world? Theatre has the ability to change the world in ways that are unthinkable. We've seen this in relatively modern history as well. The 1993 Broadway play Angels in America was written to bring awareness to the AIDS epidemic in America. Although people knew about AIDS prior to this play being on Broadway, it was treated as more of a social issue. Angels in America significantly shifted public opinion by humanizing the victims. Another prominent example of the power of theatre is the 1959 play A Raisin in the Sun. This play majorly advanced the civil rights movement. At this time, many people viewed racism as a Southern issue; however, this play exposed that it wasn't. This play proved that institutional racism and discrimination was a nationwide issue, not just something in the South. This play also inspired many generations of Black actors to this day. The power of theatre is something that cannot be overlooked. Even though there are many forms of storytelling like TV, movies, and even songs, theatre is the most powerful. I believe that this is because of its intimacy. The action, the peace, the drama—it is all in front of you, happening live as you watch it. That is the reason why I want to be in theatre. The major that I've chosen is for people wanting to become actors, but that doesn't matter to me. As long as I am majoring in something theatre-related, I couldn't care what it is. As long as I am using my talents to keep the stories being told, that is what matters most to me. My major is a BA Theatre because of its versatility. In my opinion, there aren't enough Black male actors in the theatre world. There's a good chunk of them, but there's not a lot. On the other side of the coin, there's also not a lot of Black technicians or administrators. I feel as though it is my responsibility to help inspire more African American people to not only be actors, but be in theatre in general. Theatre is not just a career path for me—it is a responsibility. I want to help tell stories that matter, represent voices that are not always heard, and remind people of the power of live storytelling.

There were a thousand different influential artistic people in my life that I could have talked about, but there was only one person that I immediately thought of. The person that I thought of was my high school choir/drama director. In the town that I come from, theatre isn't a popular thing. When I joined my drama club, my parents thought I was a little bit crazy. Originally, I didn't want to do theatre in high school or choir. That was until the choir director of the high school pestered me for about half of my freshman year to join choir. It was a "war of attrition," and I lost. However, I am glad that I did. After joining choir, she soon convinced me to join the drama club, although I would wait a little while to do it out of fear about how I would be perceived by people. My first year in the drama club was amazing; everyone had welcomed me with open arms, and I had gotten two big roles. I became the costuming officer for the drama department (I really don't know why this happened; I am bad with costuming), and I had become less of a wallflower. In a way, the drama club was like my first real home. But this wasn't enough to make me want to pursue it for life. So then what made me change my intended profession? In my junior year of high school, I had wanted to start exploring theatre more. Prior to this year, I had never seen a musical or play; I've only been in them. I told this to my choir director, and she had recommended a musical called Cabaret. Something that most people don't know about me is that I love history a lot, and one of the subjects that has fascinated me the most was the time period that Cabaret was set in. Watching Cabaret had made it click inside my mind that theatre isn't just about entertaining people, although it is a big part; it is also about retelling people's stories and spreading ideas. The Crucible, Hamilton, Come From Away, Julius Caesar—each time these plays and musicals are produced, the story is retold and the ideas are shared again. That is what theatre is. Ever since I've come to this conclusion, I've wanted to be a part of it. For me, it's not about being famous or being rich; it's about wanting to be part of the process of retelling these stories. Naturally, I want to be the best at doing this; that means I will have to invest a significant amount of time into honing skills. It will be worth it in the long run, though; all time invested matters if it means I can tell the story better. I would have never discovered what I now love to do if it wasn't for her getting me to join drama, taking the time to know me, and getting me to watch cabaret. Lastly, what has been my favorite experience in the arts so far? My favorite moment was going to the IHSA Speech Sectionals. To me, this proved that I could tell a believable story using only my body and voice by myself while holding my composure in front of an audience. The only thing I regret about this experience is that I didn't do good enough to make it to the finals, but this just shows that there is still more that I can improve on. Even though I didn't make it to finals, I am still proud of what was accomplished.