Sometimes, people walk into your life when you least expect it, filling a space you didn’t even realize was empty. That was Kaden—someone who didn’t just enter my world but completely shattered my perception and altered my understanding of who I was and who I wanted to be. If you told my 12-year-old self that the kid from peer tutoring would have become one of my closest friends and one of my biggest influences, I would have laughed at you. Kaden and I became friends in 7th grade, just before 2020 shut down schools and threw the world into isolation. Little did we know, this wasn’t the first time our paths had crossed. Our first meeting was in preschool, where we became friends. In a strange twist of fate, we found each other again at the age of 12—and, against all odds, rekindled that same bond, becoming best friends once more. Ironically, both of us had been struggling with our own sense of disconnection from the people around us. While I can’t speak for him, I always felt a suffocating sense of separation from my peers. I was too young to understand it at the time, but there was always a sense of otherness between me and my group of friends. A feeling like I just didn't fit into their world like I should have. In a strange way, I think that sense of estrangement drew me and Kaden closer. For the first time in a long time, I stopped feeling like an outsider, standing on the edge of the conversation. Instead, I felt seen, accepted, and like I truly belonged. Though he might say otherwise, Kaden is impossible to ignore. The most striking things about him are his unapologetic confidence and unwavering assertiveness. No matter the situation, he stands firm in who he is, refusing to shrink himself for anyone. Watching him live his truth, without hesitation, has been a revelation for me. For so long, I had tiptoed around my identity, trying to fit into spaces that never truly welcomed me. But seeing him assert himself with such strength has shown me the power of owning who you are, without apology. His fearlessness has become a source of inspiration for me to step into my power, and be unapologetic about my beliefs, my identity, and my place in the world. Kaden’s journey as a trans person opened my eyes to the complexities and challenges faced by other's identities in the queer community. Watching him navigate the world with such authenticity despite repeated attacks on his rights made me realize how much ignorance and prejudice still surrounded us. More than anything, the fear that he and many others have rightfully been experiencing has awakened a new spark inside me. It's not enough to sit by idly and wait for someone else to start change, change starts with us. I want a world, more than anything, where people like him—people like us— can live without the fear of persecution and discrimination by a government that is meant to protect us. Kaden has taught me what it means to be unapologetic—to stand firm in who you are and demand respect, regardless of the world around you. If they call you by the wrong name, you correct them, again and again, until they learn. If they try to take away your freedoms, you fight back. With that understanding, I’ve vowed to be just as unyielding in my fight for equality and justice, knowing that it’s the only way forward for all of us.

Creativity at its core is a very human concept that allows us the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, and patterns to generate new and original concepts. In its essence, creativity is a concept with many interpretations, and that's part of its beauty. What creativity means to one person may differ greatly from its meaning to another, raising the important question: How do I personally define creativity? To me, Creativity is a unique ability that connects communities and brings dreams to life. It's the spark of an idea that forms in your mind. One that you feel an innate desire to bring into existence. For artists, being creative means envisioning a piece of art—no matter how strange or unconventional— and sharing it with a community of others who can appreciate and share your imaginative vision. The most fascinating aspect of creativity is that it is never static. It evolves and builds upon the artists who came before us. It draws from a library of our lived experiences and the communities that shape us. Continuously inspiring new forms of expression. In my attached artwork I named Peaceful Decay, I explored what creativity means to me. I delved into how nature and decay feed into the human experience, and how from a certain point of view, it can be beautiful. I wanted this piece to push my limits and see how far my creativity could take me if I tried hard enough. I researched the anatomical human structure to give me an outline of where her ribs should rest and how I could form a skull into the face of a living woman. By combining elements of the natural world with the human form, I aimed to illustrate the fragile beauty of existence and the inevitability of change. Ultimately, Peaceful Decay is a reflection of how creativity allows us to find meaning and beauty even in the most unexpected places.