My junior year of high school, I wrote a play called “Just A Normal Saturday Night”. This eventually became my first play to be produced out of many more. When I watched the play, acted out by actual people with an actual set and people laughing, something changed in me. A feeling I had never felt before. So now I keep writing. I keep acting. I keep making films because that's my joy and my luxury. I have a lot of ideas that I think should be heard, whether people are ready for it or not. I have an entire note folder with ideas and storylines for films and plays that I want to write. My vision for the future isn’t just writing; of course, I plan to act as well as direct films and stage productions. It all goes back to when I had to perform a poem annually in elementary school. I used to hate having to memorize poems that I had no interest in, but it came in handy when in the sixth grade, I decided to audition for my first theatrical performance and first musical theatre production: Beauty and the Beast Jr. and now I’ve been doing theatre for seven years. Sometime during high school, I decided to start writing and I became really fascinated with reading plays more than I would books. I would create scenes in my head and would narrate all the characters to myself. This led to me deciding I wanted to direct plays and I directed a variety of plays from student-written 10-minutes to one acts including Dutchman by Amiri Baraka. Then, in October, I was leaving the Q&A of a show when a group of Black people pointed at me and said “There he is!”. I found out that they were all family members of one of the lead actresses and mostly alumni of my college. By the end of the night, I had felt like family, and when I left, I simply told myself, “This is what theatre should be for everyone,” and now I aspire to be an advocate for theatre accessibility for inner-city communities who aren’t aware of how affordable theatre is. So now I continue to do my work: writing, acting, and directing. Learning and advancing my education at Howard University. I have a lot of quotes in my collection, but one that keeps me going is one from Louisiana-based rapper Lil Wayne during the production of Tyler, The Creator’s album Cherry Bomb: “Work hard, be somebody, be something more than what you see in the mirror. Let the world be your mirror, don’t let them judge you, because the mirror can’t judge you. You judge what you see in the mirror.” I continue to want to be somebody, not for fame or money, but because I can. Because everything I do can be the greatest thing someone’s ever seen. Because my imagination is my greatest gift, and that's my gift that can't be wasted.

“Hey Bud, Mommy needs to talk to you…”. While I was still very young, I remember my mom sitting me down and telling me she and my dad were getting a divorce. I didn’t know exactly what divorce meant, but I knew everything around me was changing rapidly. Within a couple of weeks my dad had moved out. After the divorce, my mother, sister, and I had to move around a lot. We lived in three different cities within 18 months. While my mom was doing her best, all the changes and moving took a toll on me. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 different middle schools. All the moving made it extremely difficult to not just make friends but maintain them. It also affected my ability to create an identity for myself. Despite my lack of social success, I forged a new path and focused on my academics and acting. Acting changed my life completely. It allowed me a chance to step away from my current struggles; with acting I could be anybody, anywhere. From there my love for the arts soared to new heights. My talent allowed new opportunities to come my way. Socially, the Theatre community was very inviting. I found people who were just like me. They showed me that it was okay for me to be myself. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. My goal is to major in Theater and minor in film and business. With this I would love to incorporate my love for African American studies and create works that shine the light on my culture, as well as others. After graduation I want to take a deep dive into the entertainment industry. I am hoping to start acting and be a positive representative of what HBCU’s can produce. As a black individual, I feel a strong desire to see more diverse representation in the media. An addition to acting, my dream is to create a BIPOC led production company that allows people to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see true “representation” in media. The goal is to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. While some may view us as middle class, there are several obstacles we encounter. Financial hardship will be a formidable obstacle on my path to higher education. While the pursuit of my academic achievement is promising for my future personal and professional growth, the burden of financial constraints often causes me to doubt my educational aspirations. After my parents divorced my mother was left to be the sole provider for us. Keeping up with household bills left little room for her to establish a college fund. Along with this, she had to endure several medical issues and tragedies, including the death of my baby brother. In the midst of grieving, she is still left to pay medical bills. I was taught that keeping good grades would yield scholarship opportunities.

“Hey Bud, Mommy needs to talk to you…”. While I was still very young, I remember my mom sitting me down and telling me she and my dad were getting a divorce. I didn’t know exactly what divorce meant, but I knew everything around me was changing rapidly. Within a couple of weeks my dad had moved out. After the divorce, my mother, sister, and I had to move around a lot. We lived in three different cities within 18 months. While my mom was doing her best, all the changes and moving took a toll on me. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 different middle schools. All the moving made it extremely difficult to not just make friends but maintain them. It also affected my ability to create an identity for myself. Despite my lack of social success, I forged a new path and focused on my academics and acting. My goal is to major in Theater and minor in film and business. With this I would love to incorporate my love for African American studies and create works that shine the light on my culture, as well as others. After graduation I want to take a deep dive into the entertainment industry. I am hoping to start acting and be a positive representative of what HBCU’s can produce. As a black individual, I feel a strong desire to see more diverse representation in the media. An addition to acting, my dream is to create a BIPOC led production company that allows people to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see true “representation” in media. The goal is to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. From my earliest moments into volunteerism to the present day, the journey of community service has been marked by moments of inspiration, learning, and growth. Through engagements with diverse organizations, ranging from local shelters to global humanitarian initiatives, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of acts of service, both on individuals and communities at large. My favorite community service assignments always revolve around the elderly. They remind me of my grandparents. We are fortunate enough to be able to keep them in their home with assistance, but I recognize everyone is not as blessed. This past holiday season, I was able to volunteer to serve holiday dinner to the elderly from varies retirement homes within our community. It was a wonderful way to spread holiday cheer and ensure that everyone feels included and cared for during the holiday season. I was able to help collect food donations, prepare the food, serve the food, and interact with the residents. While some may view us as middle class, there are several obstacles we encounter. Financial hardship will be a formidable obstacle on my path to higher education. While the pursuit of my academic achievement is promising for my future personal and professional growth, the burden of financial constraints often causes me to doubt my educational aspirations. After my parents divorced my mother was left to be the sole provider for us. Keeping up with household bills left little room for her to establish a college fund. Along with this, she had to endure several medical issues and tragedies, including the death of my baby brother. In the midst of grieving, she is still left to pay medical bills. I was taught that keeping good grades would yield scholarship opportunities.

Trailblazers are described as people who forge a new path amid unknown territory. While aiming for success I have encountered a lot of unknown territory. Overcoming challenges meant I had to create new paths. My greatest achievement thus far is overcoming adversity and learning to find my voice. As an overcomer, I feel I am the perfect candidate for consideration to receive your scholarship. “Hey Bud, Mommy needs to talk to you…”. While I was still very young, I remember my mom sitting me down and telling me she and my dad were getting a divorce. I didn’t know exactly what divorce meant, but I knew everything around me was changing rapidly. Within a couple of weeks of Mom sitting me down, we came home one day, and my dad had moved out. My mom was a homemaker and couldn’t afford to keep and maintain the household without him. After the divorce, my mother, sister, and I had to move around a lot. We lived in three different cities within 18 months. While my mom was doing her best, all the changes and moving took a toll on me. When my parents divorced it was like my dad divorced me too. We were always extremely close, and, in an instant, nothing was the same. In my mind, my dad left because of me, and he was never coming back. This scared me emotionally. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 different middle schools. All the moving made it extremely difficult to not just make friends but maintain them. It also affected my ability to create an identity for myself. I was already struggling emotionally, but now I was failing socially. “Who was I and where did I belong”? This was a challenge I dealt with daily. Despite my lack of social success, I forged a new path and focused on my academics and acting on my newfound passion. Academically, I excelled beyond belief. The hard work paid off and I was allowed to be promoted and skipped a couple of grades. Because of this, I was 2 weeks shy of graduating at the age of 16. My talent allowed new opportunities to come my way. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. My future goal is to major in Theater and minor in film and business at Howard University. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

As I prepare to transition to college, I often sit and wish there was some magic button that would ensure automatic success. Some secret recipe that I could follow to guarantee that life would be perfect post-graduation. However, the reality is that’s not an option, but thankfully I have principles that I adhere to that will help to continue to propel me into excellence. I do realize that success is subjective and multi-faceted, but these are some things that I feel will contribute to ultimate achievement. Despite facing many obstacles, sticking to these principles has helped me overcome them. Defeating these giants has helped to motivate me to strive for more. I am determined to make my higher learning experience a successful one. I subscribe to 5 prerequisites when aiming for success. They include setting clear goals, continuous learning, self-discipline, relationship building, and strategic planning. Success in any form should start with a clear vision or goals of what you want to achieve. While aiming for success I have run into some obstacles that I’ve had to overcome. As a child, we moved around a lot after my parents divorced. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 middle schools. This made it very difficult for me to make friends and affected my ability to create an identity for myself. Despite my lack of social success, I channeled all my energy into academics and acting, my newfound talent. The hard work paid off academically and afforded me the chance to be promoted a couple of grades. I also began to excel in theater. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. My goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

My passion for theater developed in elementary school with the production of Beauty and the Beast. From there my love for the arts soared to new heights. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing & visual arts high school in Dallas, TX. This is where I met a valuable person who taught me an invaluable lesson that changed my life. At my new school, I found myself in a community of people who were like me, sharing the same dreams and aspirations, but there was a very small margin of people who actually looked like me. This is where Mrs. Guinea Bennett Price comes into the picture. Mrs. Price was my Introduction to Acting teacher as well as academic advisor. Price holds a BFA from Howard University and is also the co-founder and Artistic Director of her own black led performing theater company. She was, at the time, the only black theater teacher on staff and made it her mission to ensure her black students received quality training in their craft and culture. In this moment is where my eyes open about the importance of honoring my blackness. I learned about diverse perspectives and gained a cultural understanding in her class. I gained the ability to relate to the experiences and backgrounds of my fellow black students, which helped provide a more inclusive learning environment. Her developed curriculum reflected accurate and comprehensive views of our history and society. Through her guidance, I have been able to navigate the challenges of racial identity and social pressures. Watching Mrs. Price lead her theater company has helped me make life-changing decisions about my future. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. My goals are radical, but because of the influence of my mentor, Mrs. Price, I believe now that they are attainable. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

I consider myself a black creative. While in high school, I managed to act in lead roles, write and develop screenplays, direct student shows, work on professional sets, and even created my own short film. However, as a scholar creative I have faced limitations and been forced to restrict my work to general audiences. I am eager to attend Howard to further explore my passions in a way and elevated way. My goal is to major in Theater and minor is playwriting and film. With this I would love to incorporate my love for African American studies and create works that shine the light on my culture, as well as others. I seek to learn advanced methods of storytelling. To do this, I plan to study abroad and travel to other countries to get a first-hand look at their cultures. All of this coincides with my post-graduation goals. After graduation I want to take a deep dive into the entertainment industry. I am hoping to start acting and be a positive representative of what HBCU’s can produce. As a black individual, I feel a strong desire to see more diverse representation in the media. By becoming a successful actor, I can help to diversify the narratives and characters portrayed on screen, providing positive role models for others who may identify with my background. Being a black actor can provide a platform to address social issues and advocate for change. Through my performances and public platform, I can raise awareness about important issues such as racial inequality, representation in the media, and social justice. I want to fight for financial equity for African American actors. Aside from acting, I want to take what I’ve learned and apply it to creating my ultimate goal. My dream is to create a BIPOC led production company that allows people to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see true “representation” in film and television. With the overwhelming impact of social media, reintegration is becoming more plausible. The idea of real representation is evident in web series like Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl which was successfully adapted into HBO’s Insecure. I anticipate a lot of challenges while trying to reach my goal of creating a BIPOC production company, however I believe in the importance of positive representation. I believe in the importance of collaboration. I believe that I can be the change that the entertainment world needs! While I view myself as creative, I also take pride in being a continuous learner. I want to continue my education through the graduate level and obtain my PhD. By furthering my education, I will be better equipped to help reach my long-term goals.

“Hey Bud, Mommy needs to talk to you…”. While I was still very young, I remember my mom sitting me down and telling me she and my dad were getting a divorce. Within a couple of weeks of Mom sitting me down, we came home one day, and my dad had moved out. After the divorce, my mother, sister, and I had to move around a lot. We lived in three different cities within 18 months. When my parents divorced it was like my dad divorced me too. This scared me emotionally. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 different middle schools. I was already struggling emotionally, but now failing socially. Despite my lack of social success, I forged a new path and focused on my academics and acting on my newfound passion. The hard work paid off and I was allowed to be promoted and skipped a couple of grades. I was 2 weeks shy of graduating at the age of 16. My goal is to major in Theater at Howard University. My dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. As I am preparing to graduate high school and go to college, I can’t help but be grateful. I was equipped to overcome obstacles. I never gave up on myself and I won’t give up on my dreams. I learned how to create new paths. I survived being a statistic and I overcame the odds!

“Hey Bud, Mommy needs to talk to you…”. While I was still very young, I remember my mom sitting me down and telling me she and my dad were getting a divorce. I didn’t know exactly what divorce meant, but I knew everything around me was changing rapidly. Within a couple of weeks of Mom sitting me down, we came home one day, and my dad had moved out. My mom was a homemaker and couldn’t afford to keep and maintain the household without him. After the divorce, my mother, sister, and I had to move around a lot. We lived in three different cities within 18 months. While my mom was doing her best, all the changes and moving took a toll on me. When my parents divorced it was like my dad divorced me too. We were always extremely close, and, in an instant, nothing was the same. In my mind, my dad left because of me, and he was never coming back. This scared me emotionally. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 different middle schools. All the moving made it extremely difficult to not just make friends but maintain them. It also affected my ability to create an identity for myself. I was already struggling emotionally, but now I was failing socially. Despite my lack of social success, I forged a new path and focused on my academics and acting on my newfound passion. Academically, I excelled beyond belief. The hard work paid off and I was allowed to be promoted and skipped a couple of grades. Because of this, I was 2 weeks shy of graduating at the age of 16. My future goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film at Howard University. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. As I am preparing to graduate high school and go to college, I can’t help but be grateful. I am grateful that I was equipped to overcome obstacles. I never gave up on myself and I won’t give up on my dreams. I learned how to create new paths amid chaos. I survived being a statistic and I overcame the odds. I am blazing my own path!!

I consider myself a black creative. While in high school, I managed to act in lead roles, write and develop screenplays, direct student shows, work on professional sets, and even created my own short film. However, as a scholar creative I have faced limitations and been forced to restrict my work to general audiences. I am eager to attend Howard to further explore my passions in a way and elevated way. My goal is to major in Theater and minor is playwriting and film. With this I would love to incorporate my love for African American studies and create works that shine the light on my culture, as well as others. I seek to learn advanced methods of storytelling. To do this, I plan to study abroad and travel to other countries to get a first-hand look at their cultures. All of this coincides with my post-graduation goals. After graduation I want to take a deep dive into the entertainment industry. I am hoping to start acting and be a positive representative of what HBCU’s can produce. As a black individual, I feel a strong desire to see more diverse representation in the media. By becoming a successful actor, I can help to diversify the narratives and characters portrayed on screen, providing positive role models for others who may identify with my background. Being a black actor can provide a platform to address social issues and advocate for change. Through my performances and public platform, I can raise awareness about important issues such as racial inequality, representation in the media, and social justice. Aside from acting, I want to take what I’ve learned and apply it to creating my ultimate goal. My dream is to create a BIPOC led production company that allows people to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see true “representation” in film and television. With the overwhelming impact of social media, reintegration is becoming more plausible. The idea of real representation is evident in web series like Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl which was successfully adapted into HBO’s Insecure. I anticipate a lot of challenges while trying to reach my goal of creating a BIPOC production company, however I believe in the importance of positive representation. I believe in the importance of collaboration. I believe that I can be the change that the entertainment world needs! While I view myself as creative, I also take pride in being a continuous learner. I want to continue my education through the graduate level and obtain my PhD. By furthering my education, I will be better equipped to help reach my long-term goals.

As I prepare to transition to college, I often sit and wish there was some magic button that would ensure automatic success. Some secret recipe that I could follow to guarantee that life would be perfect post-graduation. However, the reality is that’s not an option, but thankfully I have principles that I adhere to that will help to continue to propel me into excellence. I do realize that success is subjective and multi-faceted, but these are some things that I feel will contribute to ultimate achievement. Despite facing many obstacles, sticking to these principles has helped me overcome them. Defeating these giants has helped to motivate me to strive for more. I am determined to make my higher learning experience a successful one. I subscribe to 5 prerequisites when aiming for success. They include setting clear goals, continuous learning, self-discipline, relationship building, and strategic planning. Success in any form should start with a clear vision or goals of what you want to achieve. These goals should provide direction and purpose, guide your actions, and direct your decisions toward desired outcomes. Setting goals helps me prioritize tasks and forces me to stay focused and not get deterred by distractions. Creating specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely (SMART) goals, ensures that my efforts are targeted and intentional. In our ever-changing society, the desire to be successful should be mirrored by the desire to be a continuous and lifelong learner. This mindset allows for adaptability, the welcoming of new ideas, learning new skills and remaining flexible during change. Success means embracing a growth mindset. Success also demands self-discipline. I have to make a conscious decision to block out distractions and prioritize to achieve maximum productivity. The prerequisite that I excel in the most is relationship building. Excellence can’t be achieved in isolation but instead with collaboration. With networking, I am provided the opportunity for support, mentorship, and access to valuable resources. Lastly, but most importantly, is strategic planning. Creating a strategic plan helps you anticipate challenges, make informed decisions, and seize a chance at growth. My philosophy is that the pursuit of success is a journey and not a destination. It’s about continuously striving to be the best version of myself. While aiming for success I have run into some obstacles that I’ve had to overcome. As a child, we moved around a lot after my parents divorced. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 middle schools. This made it very difficult for me to make friends and affected my ability to create an identity for myself. Despite my lack of social success, I channeled all my energy into academics and acting, my newfound talent. The hard work paid off academically and afforded me the chance to be promoted a couple of grades. I also began to excel in theater. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. My goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. Presenting our past helps us to create a better future. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange worldwide. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. Presenting our past helps us to create a better future. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange worldwide. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

“Hey Bud, Mommy needs to talk to you…”. While I was still very young, I remember my mom sitting me down and telling me she and my dad were getting a divorce. I didn’t know exactly what divorce meant, but I knew everything around me was changing rapidly. Within a couple of weeks of Mom sitting me down, we came home one day, and my dad had moved out. My mom was a homemaker and couldn’t afford to keep and maintain the household without him. After the divorce, my mother, sister, and I had to move around a lot. We lived in three different cities within 18 months. While my mom was doing her best, all the changes and moving took a toll on me. When my parents divorced it was like my dad divorced me too. We were always extremely close, and, in an instant, nothing was the same. In my mind, my dad left because of me, and he was never coming back. This scared me emotionally. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 different middle schools. All the moving made it extremely difficult to not just make friends but maintain them. It also affected my ability to create an identity for myself. I was already struggling emotionally, but now I was failing socially. Despite my lack of social success, I forged a new path and focused on my academics and acting on my newfound passion. Academically, I excelled beyond belief. The hard work paid off and I was allowed to be promoted and skipped a couple of grades. Because of this, I was 2 weeks shy of graduating at the age of 16. My future goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film at Howard University. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. As I am preparing to graduate high school and go to college, I can’t help but be grateful. I am grateful that I was equipped to overcome obstacles. I never gave up on myself and I won’t give up on my dreams. I learned how to create new paths amid chaos. I survived being a statistic and I overcame the odds. I am blazing my own path!!

“Hey Bud, Mommy needs to talk to you…”. While I was still very young, I remember my mom sitting me down and telling me she and my dad were getting a divorce. I didn’t know exactly what divorce meant, but I knew everything around me was changing rapidly. Within a couple of weeks of Mom sitting me down, we came home one day, and my dad had moved out. My mom was a homemaker and couldn’t afford to keep and maintain the household without him. After the divorce, my mother, sister, and I had to move around a lot. We lived in three different cities within 18 months. While my mom was doing her best, all the changes and moving took a toll on me. When my parents divorced it was like my dad divorced me too. We were always extremely close, and, in an instant, nothing was the same. In my mind, my dad left because of me, and he was never coming back. This scared me emotionally. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 different middle schools. All the moving made it extremely difficult to not just make friends but maintain them. It also affected my ability to create an identity for myself. I was already struggling emotionally, but now I was failing socially. Despite my lack of social success, I forged a new path and focused on my academics and acting on my newfound passion. Academically, I excelled beyond belief. The hard work paid off and I was allowed to be promoted and skipped a couple of grades. Because of this, I was 2 weeks shy of graduating at the age of 16. My future goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film at Howard University. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. As I am preparing to graduate high school and go to college, I can’t help but be grateful. I am grateful that I was equipped to overcome obstacles. I never gave up on myself and I won’t give up on my dreams. I learned how to create new paths amid chaos. I survived being a statistic and I overcame the odds. I am blazing my own path!!

As I prepare to transition to college, I often sit and wish there was some magic button that would ensure automatic success. Some secret recipe that I could follow to guarantee that life would be perfect post-graduation. However, the reality is that’s not an option, but thankfully I have principles that I adhere to that will help to continue to propel me into excellence. I do realize that success is subjective and multi-faceted, but these are some things that I feel will contribute to ultimate achievement. Despite facing many obstacles, sticking to these principles has helped me overcome them. Defeating these giants has helped to motivate me to strive for more. I am determined to make my higher learning experience a successful one. I subscribe to 5 prerequisites when aiming for success. They include setting clear goals, continuous learning, self-discipline, relationship building, and strategic planning. Success in any form should start with a clear vision or goals of what you want to achieve. These goals should provide direction and purpose, guide your actions, and direct your decisions toward desired outcomes. Setting goals helps me prioritize tasks and forces me to stay focused and not get deterred by distractions. Creating specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely (SMART) goals, ensures that my efforts are targeted and intentional. In our ever-changing society, the desire to be successful should be mirrored by the desire to be a continuous and lifelong learner. This mindset allows for adaptability, the welcoming of new ideas, learning new skills and remaining flexible during change. Success means embracing a growth mindset. Success also demands self-discipline. I have to make a conscious decision to block out distractions and prioritize to achieve maximum productivity. The prerequisite that I excel in the most is relationship building. Excellence can’t be achieved in isolation but instead with collaboration. With networking, I am provided the opportunity for support, mentorship, and access to valuable resources. Lastly, but most importantly, is strategic planning. Creating a strategic plan helps you anticipate challenges, make informed decisions, and seize a chance at growth. My philosophy is that the pursuit of success is a journey and not a destination. It’s about continuously striving to be the best version of myself. While aiming for success I have run into some obstacles that I’ve had to overcome. As a child, we moved around a lot after my parents divorced. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 middle schools. This made it very difficult for me to make friends and affected my ability to create an identity for myself. Despite my lack of social success, I channeled all my energy into academics and acting, my newfound talent. The hard work paid off academically and afforded me the chance to be promoted a couple of grades. I also began to excel in theater. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. My goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

“Hey Bud, Mommy needs to talk to you…”. While I was still very young, I remember my mom sitting me down and telling me she and my dad were getting a divorce. I didn’t know exactly what divorce meant, but I knew everything around me was changing rapidly. Within a couple of weeks of Mom sitting me down, we came home one day, and my dad had moved out. My mom was a homemaker and couldn’t afford to keep and maintain the household without him. After the divorce, my mother, sister, and I had to move around a lot. We lived in three different cities within 18 months. While my mom was doing her best, all the changes and moving took a toll on me. When my parents divorced it was like my dad divorced me too. We were always extremely close, and, in an instant, nothing was the same. In my mind, my dad left because of me, and he was never coming back. This scared me emotionally. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 different middle schools. All the moving made it extremely difficult to not just make friends but maintain them. It also affected my ability to create an identity for myself. I was already struggling emotionally, but now I was failing socially. Despite my lack of social success, I forged a new path and focused on my academics and acting on my newfound passion. Academically, I excelled beyond belief. The hard work paid off and I was allowed to be promoted and skipped a couple of grades. Because of this, I was 2 weeks shy of graduating at the age of 16. My future goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film at Howard University. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. As I am preparing to graduate high school and go to college, I can’t help but be grateful. I am grateful that I was equipped to overcome obstacles. I never gave up on myself and I won’t give up on my dreams. I learned how to create new paths amid chaos. I survived being a statistic and I overcame the odds. I am blazing my own path!!

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. Presenting our past helps us to create a better future. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange worldwide. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. Unfortunately, due to my mother raising us on her own she couldn’t create a college fund for me. I have strived for academic excellence throughout my school career in hopes of acquiring scholarships. I have been active in my community and a participant in several service projects. There’s going to be a lot of challenges get to school but I am determined. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

“Hey Bud, Mommy needs to talk to you…”. While I was still very young, I remember my mom sitting me down and telling me she and my dad were getting a divorce. I didn’t know exactly what divorce meant, but I knew everything around me was changing rapidly. Within a couple of weeks of Mom sitting me down, we came home one day, and my dad had moved out. My mom was a homemaker and couldn’t afford to keep and maintain the household without him. After the divorce, my mother, sister, and I had to move around a lot. We lived in three different cities within 18 months. While my mom was doing her best, all the changes and moving took a toll on me. When my parents divorced it was like my dad divorced me too. We were always extremely close, and, in an instant, nothing was the same. In my mind, my dad left because of me, and he was never coming back. This scared me emotionally. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 different middle schools. All the moving made it extremely difficult to not just make friends but maintain them. It also affected my ability to create an identity for myself. I was already struggling emotionally, but now I was failing socially. Despite my lack of social success, I forged a new path and focused on my academics and acting on my newfound passion. Academically, I excelled beyond belief. The hard work paid off and I was allowed to be promoted and skipped a couple of grades. Because of this, I was 2 weeks shy of graduating at the age of 16. My future goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film at Howard University. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. As I am preparing to graduate high school and go to college, I can’t help but be grateful. I am grateful that I was equipped to overcome obstacles. I never gave up on myself and I won’t give up on my dreams. I learned how to create new paths amid chaos. I survived being a statistic and I overcame the odds. I am blazing my own path!!

I consider myself a black creative. While in high school, I managed to act in lead roles, write and develop screenplays, direct student shows, work on professional sets, and even created my own short film. However, as a scholar creative I have faced limitations and been forced to restrict my work to general audiences. I am eager to attend Howard to further explore my passions in a way and elevated way. My goal is to major in Theater and minor is playwriting and film. With this I would love to incorporate my love for African American studies and create works that shine the light on my culture, as well as others. I seek to learn advanced methods of storytelling. To do this, I plan to study abroad and travel to other countries to get a first-hand look at their cultures. All of this coincides with my post-graduation goals. After graduation I want to take a deep dive into the entertainment industry. I am hoping to start acting and be a positive representative of what HBCU’s can produce. As a black individual, I feel a strong desire to see more diverse representation in the media. By becoming a successful actor, I can help to diversify the narratives and characters portrayed on screen, providing positive role models for others who may identify with my background. Being a black actor can provide a platform to address social issues and advocate for change. Through my performances and public platform, I can raise awareness about important issues such as racial inequality, representation in the media, and social justice. Aside from acting, I want to take what I’ve learned and apply it to creating my ultimate goal. My dream is to create a BIPOC led production company that allows people to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see true “representation” in film and television. With the overwhelming impact of social media, reintegration is becoming more plausible. The idea of real representation is evident in web series like Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl which was successfully adapted into HBO’s Insecure. I anticipate a lot of challenges while trying to reach my goal of creating a BIPOC production company, however I believe in the importance of positive representation. I believe in the importance of collaboration. I believe that I can be the change that the entertainment world needs! While I view myself as creative, I also take pride in being a continuous learner. I want to continue my education through the graduate level and obtain my PhD. By furthering my education, I will be better equipped to help reach my long-term goals. Performance video: https://youtu.be/n3YCRYZ79XE

I consider myself a black creative. While in high school, I managed to act in lead roles, write and develop screenplays, direct student shows, work on professional sets, and even created my own short film. However, as a scholar creative I have faced limitations and been forced to restrict my work to general audiences. I am eager to attend Howard to further explore my passions in a way and elevated way. My goal is to major in Theater and minor is playwriting and film. With this I would love to incorporate my love for African American studies and create works that shine the light on my culture, as well as others. I seek to learn advanced methods of storytelling. To do this, I plan to study abroad and travel to other countries to get a first-hand look at their cultures. All of this coincides with my post-graduation goals. After graduation I want to take a deep dive into the entertainment industry. I am hoping to start acting and be a positive representative of what HBCU’s can produce. As a black individual, I feel a strong desire to see more diverse representation in the media. By becoming a successful actor, I can help to diversify the narratives and characters portrayed on screen, providing positive role models for others who may identify with my background. Being a black actor can provide a platform to address social issues and advocate for change. Through my performances and public platform, I can raise awareness about important issues such as racial inequality, representation in the media, and social justice. Aside from acting, I want to take what I’ve learned and apply it to creating my ultimate goal. My dream is to create a BIPOC led production company that allows people to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see true “representation” in film and television. With the overwhelming impact of social media, reintegration is becoming more plausible. The idea of real representation is evident in web series like Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl which was successfully adapted into HBO’s Insecure. I anticipate a lot of challenges while trying to reach my goal of creating a BIPOC production company, however I believe in the importance of positive representation. I believe in the importance of collaboration. I believe that I can be the change that the entertainment world needs! While I view myself as creative, I also take pride in being a continuous learner. I want to continue my education through the graduate level and obtain my PhD. By furthering my education, I will be better equipped to help reach my long-term goals.

I consider myself a black creative. While in high school, I managed to act in lead roles, write and develop screenplays, direct student shows, work on professional sets, and even created my own short film. However, as a scholar creative I have faced limitations and been forced to restrict my work to general audiences. I am eager to attend Howard to further explore my passions in a way and elevated way. My goal is to major in Acting and minor in playwriting and film. With this I would love to incorporate my love for African American studies and create works that shine the light on my culture, as well as others. I seek to learn advanced methods of storytelling. To do this, I plan to study abroad and travel to other countries to get a first-hand look at their cultures. I am hoping to start acting and be a positive representative of what HBCU’s can produce. By becoming a successful actor, I can help to diversify the narratives and characters portrayed on screen, providing positive role models for others who may identify with my background. Being a black actor can provide a platform to address social issues and advocate for change. Through my performances and public platform, I can raise awareness about important issues such as racial inequality, representation in the media, and social justice.My dream is to create a BIPOC led production company that allows people to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see true “representation” in film and television. With the overwhelming impact of social media, reintegration is becoming more plausible. The idea of real representation is evident in web series like Issa Rae’s Awkward Black Girl which was successfully adapted into HBO’s Insecure. I anticipate a lot of challenges while trying to reach my goal of creating a BIPOC production company, however I believe in the importance of positive representation. I believe in the importance of collaboration. I believe that I can be the change that the entertainment world needs! While I view myself as creative, I also take pride in being a continuous learner. I want to continue my education through the graduate level and obtain my PhD. By furthering my education, I will be better equipped to help reach my long-term goals.

My greatest achievement to date, is overcoming obstacles that life threw at me. I was predisposed to failure due to my upbringing, but I was destined to achieve greatness. Growing up, it took me a while to find my place of community. Due to divorce, we moved around quite a bit, which meant I was constantly changing schools. I attended 4 elementary and 2 middle schools. This made it very difficult for me to make friends and affected my ability to create an identity for myself. Despite my lack of social success, I channeled all my energy into academics and acting, my newfound talent. The hard work paid off academically and afforded me the chance to be promoted a couple of grades. I also began to excel in theater. In 2020, I was accepted into Booker T. Washington HSPVA, the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. I spent my freshman year at my dream high school isolated behind a computer screen. Like the rest of the world, I was forced to deal with the “new normal”. 10th grade year, I walked the halls of my new fine arts high school for the very first time and instantly everything for me changed. It was like breathing fresh air again for the first time. The students looked like me, talked like me, and had a passion for the arts like me. I was no longer the weird theater kid, instead I was now a part of a fine arts community. Our energy and drive were similar, which helped me to rediscover who I really was and take ownership of my confidence. I no longer felt out of place. My instructors made it their personal mission to make us successful. I have learned so much from them that I will be able to carry with me for the rest of my life. In my new space, I was a creative, I gained the confidence to speak my mind, and I became an advocate for the arts. This paved the way for some wonderful opportunities for me. Because of being a scholar artist at this great school, my skill and talents have soared. For the first time in life, I had a true community! Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. I would tell others going through adversity, that it's ok to lean on your community. It's ok to be different and to not fit in a box. Continue to push for greatness and never allow a temporary situation to force you to make permanent decisions. There is greatness in everyone. My future goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

My passion for theater developed in elementary school with the production of Beauty and the Beast. From there my love for the arts soared to new heights. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing & visual arts high school in Dallas, TX. This is where I met a valuable person who taught me an invaluable lesson that changed my life. At my new school, I found myself in a community of people who were like me, sharing the same dreams and aspirations, but there was an exceedingly small margin of people who actually looked like me. This is where Mrs. Guinea Bennett Price comes into the picture. Mrs. Price was my Introduction to Acting teacher as well as academic advisor. She was, at the time, the only Black theater teacher on staff and made it her mission to ensure her Black students received quality training in their craft and culture. In this moment is where my eyes open about the importance of honoring my Blackness. Through my art I learned the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I learned about diverse perspectives and gained a cultural understanding in class. I gained the ability to relate to the experiences and backgrounds of my fellow Black students, which helped provide a more inclusive learning environment. The highlight of my high school career was starring in a production entitled, 10 Seconds. It gave a firsthand look at police brutality against a young Black man on the way to school. I have also devoted time to creating works that shed light on societal issues and injustices. As a student director, I have created films about social injustices that are currently affecting our community. Through my organizations, I also do a lot of community service projects that are geared toward inner-city outreach. Watching Mrs. Price lead her theater company has helped me make life-changing decisions about my future. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. This is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It is an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color.

From my earliest moments into volunteerism to the present day, the journey of community service has been marked by moments of inspiration, learning, and growth. Through engagements with diverse organizations and causes, ranging from local shelters to global humanitarian initiatives, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of acts of service, both on individuals and communities at large. My favorite community service assignments always revolve around the elderly. They remind me of my grandparents. We are fortunate enough to be able to keep them in their home with assistance, but I recognize everyone is not as blessed. This past holiday season, I was able to volunteer to serve holiday dinner to the elderly from varies retirement homes within our community. It was a wonderful way to spread holiday cheer and ensure that everyone feels included and cared for during the holiday season. I was able to help collect food donations, prepare the food, serve the food, and interact with the residents. Community service also provided a rich environment for me to help cultivate my leadership skills. It provided skill, qualities, and experiences, that I could easily transfer to my extracurricular activities and leadership roles. In the future I would love to combine my love for Theatre with my passion for serving. I would love to host free masterclasses for local community kids. I want to be able to provide opportunities for them to perfect their craft. There are several talented kids who can’t afford private performing arts lessons. By volunteering and giving back to my community, I not only make a positive impact but also experience personal growth. From my earliest moments into volunteerism to the present day, the journey of community service has been marked by moments of inspiration, learning, and growth. Through engagements with diverse organizations and causes, ranging from local shelters to global humanitarian initiatives, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of acts of service, both on individuals and communities at large. My favorite community service assignments always revolve around the elderly. They remind me of my grandparents. We are fortunate enough to be able to keep them in their home with assistance, but I recognize everyone is not as blessed. This past holiday season, I was able to volunteer to serve holiday dinner to the elderly from varies retirement homes within our community. It was a wonderful way to spread holiday cheer and ensure that everyone feels included and cared for during the holiday season. I was able to help collect food donations, prepare the food, serve the food, and interact with the residents. Community service also provided a rich environment for me to help cultivate my leadership skills. It provided skill, qualities, and experiences, that I could easily transfer to my extracurricular activities and leadership roles. In the future I would love to combine my love for Theatre with my passion for serving. I would love to host free masterclasses for local community kids. I want to be able to provide opportunities for them to perfect their craft. There are several talented kids who can’t afford private performing arts lessons. By volunteering and giving back to my community, I not only make a positive impact but also experience personal growth.

As I prepare to transition to college, I often sit and wish there was some magic button that would ensure automatic success. Some secret recipe that I could follow to guarantee that life would be perfect post-graduation. However, the reality is that’s not an option, but thankfully I have principles that I adhere to that will help to continue to propel me into excellence. I do realize that success is subjective and multi-faceted, but these are some things that I feel will contribute to ultimate achievement. Despite facing many obstacles, sticking to these principles has helped me overcome them. Defeating these giants has helped to motivate me to strive for more. I am determined to make my higher learning experience a successful one. I subscribe to 5 prerequisites when aiming for success. They include setting clear goals, continuous learning, self-discipline, relationship building, and strategic planning. Success in any form should start with a clear vision or goals of what you want to achieve. These goals should provide direction and purpose, guide your actions, and direct your decisions toward desired outcomes. Setting goals helps me prioritize tasks and forces me to stay focused and not get deterred by distractions. Creating specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely (SMART) goals, ensures that my efforts are targeted and intentional. In our ever-changing society, the desire to be successful should be mirrored by the desire to be a continuous and lifelong learner. This mindset allows for adaptability, the welcoming of new ideas, learning new skills and remaining flexible during change. Success means embracing a growth mindset. Success also demands self-discipline. I have to make a conscious decision to block out distractions and prioritize to achieve maximum productivity. The prerequisite that I excel in the most is relationship building. Excellence can’t be achieved in isolation but instead with collaboration. With networking, I am provided the opportunity for support, mentorship, and access to valuable resources. Lastly, but most importantly, is strategic planning. Creating a strategic plan helps you anticipate challenges, make informed decisions, and seize a chance at growth. My philosophy is that the pursuit of success is a journey and not a destination. It’s about continuously striving to be the best version of myself. While aiming for success I have run into some obstacles that I’ve had to overcome. As a child, we moved around a lot after my parents divorced. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 middle schools. This made it very difficult for me to make friends and affected my ability to create an identity for myself. Despite my lack of social success, I channeled all my energy into academics and acting, my newfound talent. The hard work paid off academically and afforded me the chance to be promoted a couple of grades. I also began to excel in theater. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. My goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

My greatest achievement to date, is overcoming obstacles that life threw at me. I was predisposed to failure due to my upbringing, but I was destined to achieve greatness. Growing up, it took me a while to find my place of community. Due to divorce, we moved around quite a bit, which meant I was constantly changing schools. I attended 4 elementary and 2 middle schools. This made it very difficult for me to make friends and affected my ability to create an identity for myself. Despite my lack of social success, I channeled all my energy into academics and acting, my newfound talent. The hard work paid off academically and afforded me the chance to be promoted a couple of grades. I also began to excel in theater. In 2020, I was accepted into Booker T. Washington HSPVA, the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. I spent my freshman year at my dream high school isolated behind a computer screen. Like the rest of the world, I was forced to deal with the “new normal”. 10th grade year, I walked the halls of my new fine arts high school for the very first time and instantly everything for me changed. It was like breathing fresh air again for the first time. The students looked like me, talked like me, and had a passion for the arts like me. I was no longer the weird theater kid, instead I was now a part of a fine arts community. Our energy and drive were similar, which helped me to rediscover who I really was and take ownership of my confidence. I no longer felt out of place. In my new space, I was a creative, I gained the confidence to speak my mind, and I became an advocate for the arts. This paved the way for some wonderful opportunities for me. Because of being a scholar artist at this great school, my skill and talents have soared. For the first time in life, I had a true community! Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. I would tell others going through adversity, that it's ok to lean on your community. It's ok to be different and to not fit in a box. Continue to push for greatness and never allow a temporary situation to force you to make permanent decisions. There is greatness in everyone. My future goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film at Howard University. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

While aiming for success I have run into some obstacles that I’ve had to overcome. For a very long time, I felt like I didn’t have a place where I considered myself to be at home. As a child, we moved around a lot after my parents divorced. I attended 5 different elementary schools and 2 middle schools. This made it very difficult for me to make friends and affected my ability to create an identity for myself. I lacked the confidence to embrace who I was. Along the way my mother kept me involved in church, Top Teens, Alpha Merit, and other organizations. They provided a sense of belonging, but something was still missing. Despite my lack of social success, I channeled all my energy into academics and acting, my newfound talent. The hard work paid off academically and afforded me the chance to be promoted a couple of grades. I also began to excel in theater. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. I spent my freshman year at my dream high school isolated behind a computer screen. Like the rest of the world, I was forced to deal with the “new normal”. 10th grade year, I walked the halls of my new fine arts high school for the very first time and instantly everything for me changed. The students looked like me, talked like me, and had a passion for the arts like me. I was no longer the weird theater kid, instead I was now a part of a fine arts community. Our energy and drive were similar, which helped me to rediscover who I really was and take ownership of my confidence. I no longer felt out of place. I was a creative who wasn’t afraid to speak my mind and be an advocate. This paved the way for some wonderful opportunities for my friends and me. For the first time in life, I had a true community! Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. My goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. Presenting our past helps us to create a better future. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange worldwide. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

From my earliest moments into volunteerism to the present day, the journey of community service has been marked by moments of inspiration, learning, and growth. Through engagements with diverse organizations and causes, ranging from local shelters to global humanitarian initiatives, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of acts of service, both on individuals and communities at large. My favorite community service assignments always revolve around the elderly. They remind me of my grandparents. We are fortunate enough to be able to keep them in their home with assistance, but I recognize everyone is not as blessed. This past holiday season, I was able to volunteer to serve holiday dinner to the elderly from varies retirement homes within our community. It was a wonderful way to spread holiday cheer and ensure that everyone feels included and cared for during the holiday season. I was able to help collect food donations, prepare the food, serve the food, and interact with the residents. Community service also provided a rich environment for me to help cultivate my leadership skills. It provided skill, qualities, and experiences, that I could easily transfer to my extracurricular activities and leadership roles. In the future I would love to combine my love for Theatre with my passion for serving. I would love to host free masterclasses for local community kids. I want to be able to provide opportunities for them to perfect their craft. There are several talented kids who can’t afford private performing arts lessons. My passion for theater developed in elementary school with the production of Beauty and the Beast. From there my love for the arts soared to new heights. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing & visual arts high school in Dallas, TX. I found myself in a community of people who were like me, shared the same dreams and aspirations, but there was a small margin of people who looked like me. Not due to lack of talent, but lack of exposure. That’s why I want to give back to my community. By volunteering and giving back to my community, I not only make a positive impact but also experience personal growth. My goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. Lastly, aspects of the company will be geared towards educational development with free master classes.

From my earliest moments into volunteerism to the present day, the journey of community service has been marked by moments of inspiration, learning, and growth. Through engagements with diverse organizations and causes, ranging from local shelters to global humanitarian initiatives, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of acts of service, both on individuals and communities at large. My favorite community service assignments always revolve around the elderly. They remind me of my grandparents. We are fortunate enough to be able to keep them in their home with assistance, but I recognize everyone is not as blessed. This past holiday season, I was able to volunteer to serve holiday dinner to the elderly from varies retirement homes within our community. It was a wonderful way to spread holiday cheer and ensure that everyone feels included and cared for during the holiday season. I was able to help collect food donations, prepare the food, serve the food, and interact with the residents. Community service also provided a rich environment for me to help cultivate my leadership skills. It provided skill, qualities, and experiences, that I could easily transfer to my extracurricular activities and leadership roles. In the future I would love to combine my love for Theatre with my passion for serving. I would love to host free masterclasses for local community kids. I want to be able to provide opportunities for them to perfect their craft. There are several talented kids who can’t afford private performing arts lessons. My passion for theater developed in elementary school with the production of Beauty and the Beast. From there my love for the arts soared to new heights. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing & visual arts high school in Dallas, TX. I found myself in a community of people who were like me, shared the same dreams and aspirations, but there was a small margin of people who looked like me. Not due to lack of talent, but lack of exposure. That’s why I want to give back to my community. By volunteering and giving back to my community, I not only make a positive impact but also experience personal growth. My goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

From my earliest moments into volunteerism to the present day, the journey of community service has been one of inspiration, learning, and growth. Through engagements with diverse organizations, ranging from local shelters to global humanitarian initiatives, I have witnessed the transformative impact of acts of service. My favorite assignments revolve around the elderly. They remind me of my grandparents. We are fortunate to be able to keep them in their home with assistance, but I recognize everyone can't. This past holiday, I was able to serve holiday dinner to the elderly from varies retirement homes within our community. It was a wonderful way to spread cheer and ensure that everyone feels included and cared for during the holiday season. Community service also provided a rich environment for me to help cultivate my leadership skills. It provided skill, qualities, and experiences, that I could easily transfer to my extracurricular activities and leadership roles. In the future I would love to combine my love for Theatre with my passion for serving. I would love to host free masterclasses for local community kids. By volunteering and giving back to my community, I not only make a positive impact but also experience personal growth.

Growing up, it took me a while to find my place of community. Due to divorce, we moved around quite a bit, which meant I was constantly changing schools. I attended 4 elementary and 2 middle schools. This made it very difficult for me to make friends and affected my ability to create an identity for myself. Despite my lack of social success, I channeled all my energy into academics and acting, my newfound talent. The hard work paid off academically and afforded me the chance to be promoted a couple of grades. I also began to excel in theater. In 2020, I was accepted into Booker T. Washington HSPVA, the most prestigious performing arts school in Dallas. I spent my freshman year at my dream high school isolated behind a computer screen. Like the rest of the world, I was forced to deal with the “new normal”. 10th grade year, I walked the halls of my new fine arts high school for the very first time and instantly everything for me changed. It was like breathing fresh air again for the first time. The students looked like me, talked like me, and had a passion for the arts like me. I was no longer the weird theater kid, instead I was now a part of a fine arts community. Our energy and drive were similar, which helped me to rediscover who I really was and take ownership of my confidence. I no longer felt out of place. My instructors made it their personal mission to make us successful. I have learned so much from them that I will be able to carry with me for the rest of my life. In my new space, I was a creative, I gained the confidence to speak my mind, and I became an advocate for the arts. This paved the way for some wonderful opportunities for me. Because of being a scholar artist at this great school, my skill and talents have soared. For the first time in life, I had a true community! Attending this school gave me a sense of stability and self-assurance. It is an honor to carry on the family tradition, of being a Booker T Washington HSPVA graduate! My future goal is to major in Theater and minor in playwriting and film. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities.

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. Presenting our past helps us to create a better future. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange worldwide. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

My passion for theater developed in elementary school with the production of Beauty and the Beast. From there my love for the arts soared to new heights. In 2020, I was accepted into the most prestigious performing & visual arts high school in Dallas, TX. I found myself in a community of people who were similar to me, shared the same dreams and aspirations, but there was a small margin of people who actually looked like me. This is where Mrs. Guinea Bennett Price comes into the picture. Mrs. Price was my Introduction to Acting teacher as well as academic advisor. She was, at the time, the only black theater teacher on staff and made it her mission to look out for her African American students like family. She embraced us like her own. Mrs. Price did more than educate me on improving my craft, she changed my entire perspective of life. She truly led by example. Price holds a BFA from Howard University and is also the co-founder and Artistic Director of her own black led performing theater company. Since middle school I have desired to attend Howard due to their robust acting program and the creative greats they produce. Due to her success within the program she was able to help navigate me through the audition process, which ultimately led to my acceptance. Watching Mrs. Price lead her theater company has helped me make life changing decisions about my future. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can really see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I would love to explore more humanities courses as well to help reach this goal. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. My desire is to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theater programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared towards people of color. My goals are radical, but because of the influence of my mentor, Mrs. Price, I believe now that they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

Growing up, it took me a while to find my place in the community. Due to divorce, we moved around quite a bit, which meant I was constantly changing schools. I attended 4 elementary and 2 middle schools, making connecting with my classmates very difficult. Because of my academic excellence, I was promoted to 2 grades and much younger than my classmates. Aside from always being the “new kid”, I was also developing a love of theater, which instantly put me into the “weird kid” box. I discovered that with Theatre I could instantly become anyone I wanted to be. I didn't have to be lonely "weird" me. I finally found friends in the 6th grade. They showed me that it was ok to be myself, however, I lacked the confidence to embrace who I was. Unfortunately, after finally finding my village, I had to change schools again. The new campus offered new opportunities; however, it was in the inner city and the students weren’t that inviting. I was new, a theater geek, and a nerd, three strikes I was out! This is when I began to throw myself into my passion for the arts. By the 8th grade, things started to fall in place and I began to find the confidence to be myself and I had friends who supported me. I was cast in several productions and truly expanded my knowledge of the performing arts. Aside from acting, I also began my musical journey. I started with piano and eventually picked up the saxophone. I finally started to feel like I belonged somewhere. Then COVID hit and once again I was thrown into the unknown. I spent my freshman year at my dream performing arts high school isolated behind a computer screen. Like the rest of the world, I was forced to deal with the “new normal”. 10th-grade year, I walked the halls of my new fine arts high school for the very first time and instantly everything for me changed. The students looked like me, talked like me, and had a passion for the arts like me. I was no longer the weird theater kid, instead I was now a part of a fine arts community. Our energy and drive were similar, which helped me to rediscover who I was and take ownership of my confidence. I no longer felt out of place. I was a performing arts creative who wasn’t afraid to speak my mind and be an advocate. This paved the way for some wonderful opportunities for my friends and me. For the first time in my life, I had a true community! I AM AN ARTIST!!

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television, and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared toward people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.

In the Fall of 2024, I will be a freshman at Howard University, majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film. Theatre is a true expression of human culture and thoughts, and for me, it serves as a means of cultural expression, storytelling, and exploration of human experiences. I would consider myself knowledgeable in a lot of things, particularly television, and film, and let me tell you, it’s very pale and whitewashed. Until recently, people of color were not featured on mainstream television. We were minimized and forced to rely on channels such as BET and Bounce. When we were put on primetime TV, it would be in supporting stereotypical roles like Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover. In the show Community, he was portrayed as a dumb black jock who was only beneficial in the world of sports. The good news is that we are slowly gaining more representation; however, it doesn’t always equate to good representation. After graduation, my dream is to create a BIPOC-led production company that allows people of color to create media that positively depicts and uplifts their culture. I believe this is a way we can see the true definition of representation. The goal is also to create productions that address social issues, human rights, and environmental concerns. I want to create a safe space to choose scripts or create original works that highlight and challenge social injustices. This will allow us to control the narrative of how people of color are portrayed in the media. It’s an avenue to explore identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of being a minority. I desire to expand beyond our communities and promote cultural exchange. I want to participate in international festivals and programs that promote cultural understanding. Lastly, I would love to have aspects of the company geared towards educational development. I want to create educational theatre programs for schools and communities. For the past few years, I have participated in summer intensives across the US, but none have ever been geared toward people of color. My goals are radical, but I believe they are attainable. There’s going to be a lot of challenges; creating a production company is not going to be easy. I believe that collaboration is going to be the most important aspect. With a strong community and a solid educational foundation, I will be able to overcome anything that comes my way, just like I always have.