user profile avatar

Jaron Milman

555

Bold Points

2x

Finalist

1x

Winner

Bio

Hello! My names yours, what's Jaron? By day, I am a Studio Art major at Vassar College, and by night, I am a drag peformer and queer activist. Inspired by political and social tensions, with my art, in both the visual and performing realms, I advocate for my community and underscore systemic injustice and social stigma surrounding the queer community. website: https://sites.google.com/view/jaron-milman/works

Education

Vassar College

Bachelor's degree program
2024 - 2028
  • Majors:
    • Fine and Studio Arts

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Master's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Arts

    • Dream career goals:

      Sports

      Dancing

      2016 – Present9 years

      Arts

      • Artist

        Painting
        Art in Bloom, the Palmer Gallery, the Collaborative
        2006 – Present
      • Drag Performer

        Performance Art
        2022 – Present
      • Ballet RI

        Dance
        The Nutcracker, Next Generation
        2016 – 2023

      Public services

      • Advocacy

        N/A — Drag Performer
        2022 – Present
      • Volunteering

        Sowams Garden Committee — Comitee member
        2023 – 2023
      • Volunteering

        Ballet RI — Artistic Director of Next Generation
        2023 – 2023

      Future Interests

      Advocacy

      Politics

      Volunteering

      Philanthropy

      Entrepreneurship

      Wendy Alders Cartland Visual Arts Scholarship
      As a child, I took to pencil and paper as my entertainment, and I quickly discovered that I could make someone smile by giving them a drawing. I realized the power I hold as an artist: to bring others joy. Since then, my life has been filled with paint-stained clothes and fingernails embedded with charcoal, with my eyes on a career as an artist. Coming from a low-income and unstable household, attending an affluent suburban school, and being the only outwardly queer person in my community, fear, stigma, and hate have shaped so much of my life. I grew up feeling like I was the only one in existence like me. I confided in art and studies to and understand how my identity shapes the world around me. My creative passion eventually led me to my career as a drag performer, and a few years ago, after one of my performances, a woman reached out to me. She said that she and her son had attended the show together. Her family had been facing tough times, and her son was enduring bullying at school because of his femininity. She shared that my performance was a source of strength for her son; she called me his "superhero." Her message shook me. I had never imagined I could be a source of strength for someone else. That moment reminded me of everything I had needed growing up. Visibility, hope, someone to look up to. Now, I know that I can be that for others. My experiences as a queer person and a drag performer are my greatest inspiration for my most recent body of artwork, where I explore how queer and trans bodies navigate self-worth within systems of oppression. My paintings are a celebration of LGBTQ drag artistry, and a reflection on the triumphs, losses, and the social/political tensions that define my lived experiences. I hope to carry the baton of the artists and activists that have come before me, making artwork of pain and resilience, not for fun, but for survival; for dancing in the face of grief, for loving loudly and living fully. With my art and my future career, I hope to continue to be a pillar and to encourage others to be fearlessly authentic, even when the world tries to diminish their light. I want to remind people, especially those who feel unseen, that their stories are sacred, their joy is powerful, and their existence is valuable. The world may not always be ready for us, but we show up anyway. Painted, glittering, aching, and alive. Thank you for your time and consideration! Portfolio: https://sites.google.com/view/jaron-milman?usp=sharing –Jaron Milman
      Natalie Jude Women in the Arts Scholarship
      Winner
      Coming from a low-income and unstable household, attending an affluent suburban school, and being the only outwardly queer person in my community, fear, stigma, and hate have shaped so much of my life. I grew up feeling like I was the only one in existence like me. I confided in art and studies to and understand how my identity shapes the world around me. My experiences as a queer person and a drag performer are my greatest inspiration for my most recent and favorite paintings. I explore how queer and trans bodies navigate self-worth within systems of oppression. My paintings are a celebration of LGBTQ drag artistry, and a reflection on the triumphs, losses, and the social/political tensions that define my lived experiences. I hope to carry the baton of the artists and activists that have come before me, making artwork of pain and resilience, not for fun, but for survival; for dancing in the face of grief, for loving loudly and living fully. With my art and my future career, I hope to continue to be a pillar and to encourage others to be fearlessly authentic, even when the world tries to diminish their light. I want to remind people, especially those who feel unseen, that their stories are sacred, their joy is powerful, and their existence is valuable. The world may not always be ready for us, but we show up anyway. Painted, glittering, aching, and alive. Thank you for your time and consideration!
      Mad Grad Scholarship
      As a child, I took to pencil and paper as my entertainment, and I quickly discovered that I could make someone smile by giving them a drawing. I realized the power I hold as an artist: to bring others joy. Since then, my life has been filled with paint-stained clothes and fingernails embedded with charcoal, with my eyes on a career as an artist. Coming from a low-income and unstable household, attending an affluent suburban school, and being the only outwardly queer person in my community, fear, stigma, and hate have shaped so much of my life. I grew up feeling like I was the only one in existence like me. I confided in art and studies to and understand how my identity shapes the world around me. My creative passion eventually led me to my career as a drag performer, and a few years ago, after one of my performances, a woman reached out to me. She said that she and her son had attended the show together. Her family had been facing tough times, and her son was enduring bullying at school because of his femininity. She shared that my performance was a source of strength for her son; she called me his "superhero." Her message shook me. I had never imagined I could be a source of strength for someone else. That moment reminded me of everything I had needed growing up. Visibility, hope, someone to look up to. Now, I know that I can be that for others. My experiences as a queer person and a drag performer are my greatest inspiration for my most recent body of artwork, where I explore how queer and trans bodies navigate self-worth within systems of oppression. My paintings are a tribute and a cross-examination, a celebration of LGBTQ drag artistry, and a reflection on the triumphs, losses, and the social/political tensions that define my lived experiences that I hope to carry the baton of the artists and activists that have come before me, making artwork of pain and resilience, not for fun, but for survival; for dancing in the face of grief, for loving loudly and living fully. With my art and my future career, I hope to continue to be a pillar and to encourage others to be fearlessly authentic, even when the world tries to diminish their light. I want to remind people, especially those who feel unseen, that their stories are sacred, their joy is powerful, and their existence is valuable. The world may not always be ready for us, but we show up anyway. Painted, glittering, aching, and alive. Thank you for your time and consideration! Portfolio: https://sites.google.com/view/jaron-milman?usp=sharing –Jaron Milman
      LGBTQ+ Wellness in Action Scholarship
      Coming from a low-income and unstable household, attending an affluent suburban school, and being the only outwardly queer person in my community, fear, stigma, and hate have shaped so much of my life. For much of my teen years, I had no support system or outlet. There would be days when I would snap at my friends without warning or feel too anxious to leave my room. My mental health struggles became all-consuming; they practically defined who I was. As my mental health suffered, so did my physical health; I lost significant weight, got sick often, and developed alopecia. I had to fight with my family just to see a mental health professional; It wasn’t until recently that I was finally diagnosed with multiple anxiety disorders. I was relieved to finally have language for my experiences, but what helped me most wasn't my diagnosis, it was dance. I had been dancing for years, and I loved it for so many reasons. But, it wasn’t until then that I began to use it as a tool for my mental health. The dance studio became my sanctuary. Unlike at home or school, in the studio, I was recognized for my effort, my expression, and my presence. When I fell flat on my face, I could belly-laugh with friends beside me. I had a community of fellow artists and mentors who danced through life with me. Dance gave me structure, discipline, and joy. No matter how chaotic my day was, I always found the energy to show up and move. Dance helped me process what words couldn’t. Contemporary let me be freely expressive; ballet grounded me with its meditative focus and control. But of all the styles, my favorite was always Indian classical dance. The strong poses contrasted by fluid movements, accompanied by colorful music, was pure joy. Dance gave me a space to care for myself, my body, and my mind at the same time, and it taught me that physical activity and creative expression can be more healing than any medicinal cure. Though I no longer take dance classes, dance led me to the world of drag, where I found another transformative outlet. Drag gave me a new way to celebrate identity, creativity, and healing. After one of my drag shows, a woman reached out to me. She said that she and her son had attended the show together. Her family had been facing tough times, and her son was enduring bullying at school because of his femininity. She said that her son hadn't stop talking about my show a week after the fact. My performance was a source of strength for her son; she called me his "superhero." Her message shook me. I had never imagined I could be a source of strength for someone else. That moment reminded me of everything I had needed growing up: visibility, hope, someone to look up to. Now, I can be that for others. My mental and physical health are important to me because they are the foundation of everything I do—my art, my resilience, my ability to uplift my community. I’ve faced stigma, neglect, and trauma, but I’ve also found joy, purpose, and healing through movement, through art, through being fully and unapologetically myself. Looking back, I’m proud and incredibly grateful for how far I’ve come, not only with my mental and physical health, but also as an artist and a leader.
      Charles B. Brazelton Memorial Scholarship
      As a child, with little more than a pencil and paper, I discovered the joy of drawing. It started as a simple pastime, sketching cartoons and portraits of my family and friends, but quickly became something deeper. I realized that, by giving someone a drawing, I could make them smile. I could connect with them, even without words. The joy of creating something meaningful and sharing it with others planted the seed for what would grow into a lifelong artistic pursuit of passion and purpose. Growing up in a low-income household while attending school in an affluent, predominantly white suburb, I often felt like I existed in two different worlds. My presence was defined by cultural disconnect and social ostracization, and during those years, I turned to art as a safe space for me to explore my thoughts and feeling and begin to make sense of who I was. Art helped me navigate a complicated social landscape, and in doing so, helped me understand myself better. Though I have always dreamed of pursuing a future in art, I spent the majority of my high school career negotiating with myself, bargaining to sacrifice that dream in favor of more “practical” or conventional paths. I explored many different subjects, particularly in STEM fields, hoping something else might spark the same passion. But nothing ever came close. Ultimately, I was pulled back to my love of art, which I now fully embrace as study studio art at Vassar College. I am committed to my art education, with a long-term goal to earn my MFA, and building a life centered on creativity, activism, and expression. As the political state of the United States has become increasingly defined by tenions, miseducation, and hated, I’ve become increasingly aware of how LGBTQ+ and Hispanic communities—my communities—have been marginalized in the U.S. From discriminatory legislation to cultural erasure, these attacks are, in my eyes, deliberate efforts to silence and suppress us. I am deeply unsettled by the fact that, even today, basic human rights for people like me remain up for debate. Through my art, I strive to change that narrative. I want to create works that actively educate and uplift. I want to celebrate my culture while emphasizing the importance of visibility and acceptance. With paint, color, and glitter, I want to fight for a future where we are not just seen, but valued, heard, and embraced.
      Jaron Milman Student Profile | Bold.org