As a gay, gender-queer, legally blind child of a Cuban-born Haitian immigrant and a white woman from New England, growing up in the seacoast of New Hampshire, was salient. I often stood out in more ways than one. This empowered me to transmute unremitting discrimination into actionable change. Being out and brown in a predominantly white state during the height of the ubiquitous, socially acceptable catchphrase, "That’s so gay!"; I did my best to use my uniqueness as an advantage, often through creativity or humor. Unfortunately, I would have to endure such bigotry without the solidarity of my father. After a random act of homicide that left my mother a widow when I was only a month old, she moved my older sister and I to Florida. We lived there for a several years with our younger half siblings and my abusive stepfather. He would often single me out for his personalized brand of abuse. At about age nine, one of my proudest moments was finally standing up to his homophobic violence. I declared that he would no longer hurt me. Soon after, we returned to N.H. sans stepdad and beloved half-siblings. Circumstances befell us which lead to homelessness and poverty. From time to time, we stayed with my grandparents. My grandfather, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, once renounced his membership in the KKK and its hateful ideology. Though he was a model of successful rehabilitation, his story I am always proud to share, most of my relatives from both the "Live Free or Die” state and “United We Fall, Divided We Stand” state, proudly wave their confederate flags. Which leads me to my motivation that since I cannot escape the influence of my phenotypical appearance, I can either submit to discrimination or work towards a progressive and inclusive society. My resolve was to be myself, even if it meant being alone. One day, somehow, I wasn't alone. I discovered the local LGBT youth group, Seacoast Outright. Their motto, "You are who you say you are", inspired me immensely. Soon I began speaking on panels and social programs, as a member of the speaker’s bureau at the University of New Hampshire. In my late teens, I volunteered for AIDS Response Seacoast in Portsmouth (ARS), eventually becoming the community-at-large board member. It was such a privilege, that I could help others through fundraising or even lending a ear when someone needed to talk. Undoubtedly, because of the hardship I lived through, I still feel lucky to be a survivor, so I can't help but find ways to be an improver. In summer 2007, my mother falling into a coma, would be the biggest test of such an aspiration. Chances of survival were very slim. Back then I was studying Qi Gong meditation, an ancient Chinese healing practice. That night after the meeting, I suggested to my sister that we perform a technique I learned called "sword fingers". This required joining the index and middle finger to chop up the undesired energy, (in this case being my mother's chest area) to then replace it with positive chi. Feeling silly, my sister was reluctant. It didn't help that the nurse scoffed at us but we had nothing else to lose. The next day, we were called in for another family meeting by the doctor. She reported that my mother made a sudden recovery and would be moved out of the ICU. Offering my story about performing Qi Gong the night before, the doctor showed no judgement. Whether it was meditation, magic or a miracle that healed her, mom is still going strong today.

As a bi-racial, gay and gender-queer legally blind child of a Cuban-born Haitian immigrant and and a white woman from New England, growing up in the seacoast of New Hampshire, I often stood out in more than one way. Being out in a predominantly white state during the height of the ubiquitous and mostly socially acceptable catchphrase, "That’s so gay!"; I did my best to use my uniqueness as an advantage. I’d like to briefly describe my personal experience in the field of social justice. After a random act of homicide that left my mother a widow when I was only a month old, she moved my older sister and I to Florida where we lived for a time before we returned to N.H. From time to time, we stayed with my grandparents. My grandfather, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, renounced his membership in the KKK and its bigoted ideology. Though he was a model of successful rehabilitation, most of my relatives from both the "Live Free or Die” state and “United We Fall, Divided We Stand” state, proudly waved their confederate flags, refusing to concede that the south lost. Which leads me to my motivation that since I cannot escape the influence of my phenotypical appearance, I can either submit to discrimination or work towards a progressive and inclusive society. Homelessness was a constant feature in our lives after that but at eighteen, I was to happy discover the local LGBT youth group, Seacoast Outright. Their motto, "You are who you say you are", inspired me so much. Participating in the local queer culture, I began speaking on panels and social programs as a member of the speaker’s bureau at the University of New Hampshire. In my teens, I become the community-at-large member of the board at AIDS Response Seacoast in Portsmouth. For two years, I volunteered in organizing educational events like fundraisers, and community outreach programs to assist in educating youth about safe sex. Years later, I moved to Little Rock and I would soon be invited to perform on stage as host/comedian/featured player at the local club as Elvira aka The Usherette. I choreographed and was a featured dancer at the Gay Pride and within a year, I won the semi-finals of a drag competition at the club. Among these accomplishments, I have also offered many hours of volunteering time, organizing special events and mentoring young performers. My service work extends to other areas of my life, perhaps, it began particularly with my family. For years I helped care for my mother, before and after her pneumonia-induced coma, even after her recovery from losing almost half of her 450 pound weight. Unfortunately, I had to put college on hold to work and help out. In 2022, I finally found the right time to apply to college and after much red tape and some doubt, I was accepted as a Freshman to UA Little Rock. Around that time, I had been living in southern France as a guest fellow at the CAMARGO Foundation, a residency for scholars and artists alike. Then, in the Spring, I assisted my husband in researching the Haitian Revolution at the Musée des Archives Nationales - Hôtel de Soubise in Paris. Living in France was beyond rewarding. Practicing my fluency and learning more about my Haitian heritage were experiences that has made a lasting impact on me. With a scholarship, it would help in focusing on my studies without sacrificing my sleep, time, energy or enthusiasm for my educational, creative or community-building goals.

I am a Saintil, a proud legatee of the name of my late father, a Haitian-Cubano immigrant. The legacy of his hard work and dedication to the community is what has helped me through homelessness, poverty and a corneal condition called Keratoconus. Born in Palma Soriano, Cuba of a Cubana and a Haitian native, Levey Saintil Sr., worked hard his whole life. As the family patriarch, he assisted his own relatives in pursuing their legal status. He was also an intelligent man who spoke four languages including; Haitian Creole, French, Spanish and English. Sadly, he was murdered in a random attack merely thirty-one days after my birth. His killer, only serving seven years in prison. Decidedly, a miscarriage of justice but it did not deter my love for the father I never knew. Knowing what I know now about the incredible impact of the success of the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804), I am proud to possess such a heritage and want to emulate my father’s drive, as well as his multilingual fluency. Speaking of language, American Sign Language (ASL) Studies is one of my chosen college concentrations, followed by Music and Theatre. ASL as a bilingual designation, also speaks to my background as a singer, public speaker and as an ally for social justice. Years prior to transplanting to Little Rock, I was on my way to apply as an undergrad, at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Though I was not officially a student, I was very much involved in academic and extracurricular activities, like working for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and participating in theater and fundraising. I wasn’t yet fully confident in my scholarly abilities then, but I maintained that persistence would take me further than not trying at all. Perhaps because of this conviction, I was chosen as a member of UNH’s Public Speakers Bureau. Since then I have been an advocate and board member in several surrounding LGBTQ plus organizations. For nearly four years, I worked for non-profit education organization, Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. Being from an underserved minority group, it was so rewarding sharing my experience to help educate the likes of social workers and speaking on panels at functions alongside allies of the Black, LGBTQ community, homeless families and other underrepresented groups. Likewise, I grew up in a family that was often homeless with bouts of food insecurity, so I know what it means to lack. Discrimination isn’t new to me either, not even in my own bloodline. For example, my grandfather was a white Kentucky native. He once was given the ultimatum to choose between accepting myself and my older sister or embracing his heritage as a member of the KKK. Lucky for me, he chose us and proved to be a model for redemption. Grandad was living proof that people can work through problems, becoming a stronger society as a result. Such wisdom I wish to impart to others. Policies under the current U.S. regime have unequivocally exposed minority groups to unbridled bigotry. Considering my brown skin, I do not have the privilege of ignoring the potential deleterious effects of the obviation of a particular set of civil liberties, in recent history. As W.E.B. Du Bois illuminated in his book, The Souls of Black Folk, "To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships"(1903). One does not need to be a historian to research the timeline of racialism in North America. This timeline can be traced back to slavery, then subsequently the Jim Crow era, and the Civil Rights era to name a few. Racism wasn't solely meant to install regulated violence against and within the Black and Brown communities, but it served as a rubric to purposefully preclude a foundation of financial health. Likewise, visiting just about any major city in the country, it wouldn't take long to see the results blueprinting the division of racial groups through red-lining. The remnants of the various "Black Wall Street" burgeoning assemblages that were obliterated like that in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the historic West Ninth Street here in Little Rock, Arkansas (“The Forgotten Stories of America’s Black Wall Streets.” Time, time.com/6050811/tulsa-black-wall-street). Even though racism targets certain commonwealth's like Blacks in America, in order to exclude them from growing capital, they are not the only to suffer. Racism is a veritable golden child of patriarchy. Those who assume to be beneficiaries of either of the aforementioned schema, suffers a well. Previously, I talked about my grandfather's change-of-heart and ultimately rejecting hate. His was a self-imposed act of reparative justice. Perhaps it was not a remunerative redress but my granddad inspired me to want to share my experience with others through speaking on panels, acting in plays and volunteering for organizations fighting for human progress. Any given Black citizen of the U.S. is not a monolith representing every perspective of their larger collective, but there is a shared experience, a shared trauma. Alchemizing trauma through music, spirituality and building businesses, is a common feature of how Black culture engages in healing such enormity. I am so proud to say that I work for a Black, Women-owned cajun restaurant in the city - this to me demonstrates how people of African descent take responsibility for such powerful alchemy - not giving up even when faced with so much inequity. The responsibility of White individuals is to use their white privilege to do good. If bigotry hurts everybody, then justice is its 'bette noire'. Stories of my Haitian-Cubano father and my maternal grandfather, the reformed klansman, highlight an inexorable resolve in the face of abject ignorance. Whether it is preparing meals for the World Central Kitchen during the lockdown of 2020, volunteering at a Catholic Charity or managing chapters of a national nonprofit educational organization in Little Rock, like them, I am happy to be a part of social change for the greater good.

As a bi-racial, gay and gender-queer legally blind child of a Cuban-born Haitian immigrant and and a white woman from New England, growing up in the seacoast of New Hampshire, I often stood out in more than one way. Being out in a predominantly white state during the height of the ubiquitous and mostly socially acceptable catchphrase, "That’s so gay!"; I did my best to use my uniqueness as an advantage. I’d like to briefly describe my personal experience in the field of social justice. After a random act of homicide that left my mother a widow when I was only a month old, she moved my older sister and I to Florida where we lived for a time before we returned to N.H. From time to time, we stayed with my grandparents. My grandfather, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, renounced his membership in the KKK and its bigoted ideology. Though he was a model of successful rehabilitation, most of my relatives from both the "Live Free or Die” state and “United We Fall, Divided We Stand” state, proudly waved their confederate flags, refusing to concede that the south lost. Which leads me to my motivation that since I cannot escape the influence of my phenotypical appearance, I can either submit to discrimination or work towards a progressive and inclusive society. Homelessness was a constant feature in our lives after that but at eighteen, I was to happy discover the local LGBT youth group, Seacoast Outright. Their motto, "You are who you say you are", inspired me so much. Participating in the local queer culture, I began speaking on panels and social programs as a member of the speaker’s bureau at the University of New Hampshire. In my teens, I become the community-at-large member of the board at AIDS Response Seacoast in Portsmouth. For two years, I volunteered in organizing educational events like fundraisers, and community outreach programs to assist in educating youth about safe sex. Years later, I moved to Little Rock and I would soon be invited to perform on stage as host/comedian/featured player at the local club as Elvira aka The Usherette. I choreographed and was a featured dancer at the Gay Pride and within a year, I won the semi-finals of a drag competition at the club. Among these accomplishments, I have also offered many hours of volunteering time, organizing special events and mentoring young performers. My service work extends to other areas of my life, perhaps, it began particularly with my family. For years I helped care for my mother, before and after her pneumonia-induced coma, even after her recovery from losing almost half of her 450 pound weight. Unfortunately, I had to put college on hold to work and help out. In 2022, I finally found the right time to apply to college and after much red tape and some doubt, I was accepted as a Freshman to UA Little Rock. Around that time, I had been living in southern France as a guest fellow at the CAMARGO Foundation, a residency for scholars and artists alike. Then, in the Spring, I assisted my husband in researching the Haitian Revolution at the Musée des Archives Nationales - Hôtel de Soubise in Paris. Living in France was beyond rewarding. Practicing my fluency and learning more about my Haitian heritage were experiences that has made a lasting impact on me. With a scholarship, it would help in focusing on my studies without sacrificing my sleep, time, energy or enthusiasm for my educational, creative or community-building goals.

“Advocacy At-Large”: In Pursuit of Identity and Community - Saintil As a bi-racial, gay and gender-queer legally blind child of a Cuban-born Haitian immigrant and and a white woman from New England, growing up in the seacoast of New Hampshire, I often stood out in more than one way. Being out in a predominantly white state during the height of the ubiquitous and mostly socially acceptable catchphrase, "That’s so gay!"; I did my best to use my uniqueness as an advantage. I’d like to briefly describe my personal experience in the field of social justice. After a random act of homicide that left my mother a widow when I was only a month old, she moved my older sister and I to Florida where we lived for a time before we returned to N.H. From time to time, we stayed with my grandparents. My grandfather, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, renounced his membership in the KKK and its bigoted ideology. Though he was a model of successful rehabilitation, most of my relatives from both the "Live Free or Die” state and “United We Fall, Divided We Stand” state, proudly waved their confederate flags, refusing to concede that the south lost. Which leads me to my motivation that since I cannot escape the influence of my phenotypical appearance, I can either submit to discrimination or work towards a progressive and inclusive society. Homelessness was a constant feature in our lives after that but at eighteen, I was to happy discover the local LGBT youth group, Seacoast Outright. Their motto, "You are who you say you are", inspired me so much. Participating in the local queer culture, I began speaking on panels and social programs as a member of the speaker’s bureau at the University of New Hampshire. In my teens, I become the community-at-large member of the board at AIDS Response Seacoast in Portsmouth. For two years, I volunteered in organizing educational events like fundraisers, and community outreach programs to assist in educating youth about safe sex. Years later, I moved to Little Rock and I would soon be invited to perform on stage as host/comedian/featured player at the local club as Elvira aka The Usherette. I choreographed and was a featured dancer at the Gay Pride and within a year, I won the semi-finals of a drag competition at the club. Among these accomplishments, I have also offered many hours of volunteering time, organizing special events and mentoring young performers. My service work extends to other areas of my life, perhaps, it began particularly with my family. For years I helped care for my mother, before and after her pneumonia-induced coma, even after her recovery from losing almost half of her 450 pound weight. Unfortunately, I had to put college on hold to work and help out. In 2022, I finally found the right time to apply to college and after much red tape and some doubt, I was accepted as a Freshman to UA Little Rock. Around that time, I had been living in southern France as a guest fellow at the CAMARGO Foundation, a residency for scholars and artists alike. Then, in the Spring, I assisted my husband in researching the Haitian Revolution at the Musée des Archives Nationales - Hôtel de Soubise in Paris. Living in France was beyond rewarding. Practicing my fluency and learning more about my Haitian heritage were experiences that has made a lasting impact on me. With a scholarship, it would help in focusing on my studies without sacrificing my sleep, time, energy or enthusiasm for my educational, creative or community-building goals.

“Advocacy At-Large”: In Pursuit of Identity and Community - Saintil As a bi-racial, gay and gender-queer legally blind child of a Cuban-born Haitian immigrant and and a white woman from New England, growing up in the seacoast of New Hampshire, I often stood out in more than one way. Being out in a predominantly white state during the height of the ubiquitous and mostly socially acceptable catchphrase, "That’s so gay!"; I did my best to use my uniqueness as an advantage. I’d like to briefly describe my personal experience in the field of social justice. After a random act of homicide that left my mother a widow when I was only a month old, she moved my older sister and I to Florida where we lived for a time before we returned to N.H. From time to time, we stayed with my grandparents. My grandfather, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, renounced his membership in the KKK and its bigoted ideology. Though he was a model of successful rehabilitation, most of my relatives from both the "Live Free or Die” state and “United We Fall, Divided We Stand” state, proudly waved their confederate flags, refusing to concede that the south lost. Which leads me to my motivation that since I cannot escape the influence of my phenotypical appearance, I can either submit to discrimination or work towards a progressive and inclusive society. Homelessness was a constant feature in our lives after that but at eighteen, I was to happy discover the local LGBT youth group, Seacoast Outright. Their motto, "You are who you say you are", inspired me so much. Participating in the local queer culture, I began speaking on panels and social programs as a member of the speaker’s bureau at the University of New Hampshire. In my teens, I become the community-at-large member of the board at AIDS Response Seacoast in Portsmouth. For two years, I volunteered in organizing educational events like fundraisers, and community outreach programs to assist in educating youth about safe sex. Years later, I moved to Little Rock and I would soon be invited to perform on stage as host/comedian/featured player at the local club as Elvira aka The Usherette. I choreographed and was a featured dancer at the Gay Pride and within a year, I won the semi-finals of a drag competition at the club. Among these accomplishments, I have also offered many hours of volunteering time, organizing special events and mentoring young performers. My service work extends to other areas of my life, perhaps, it began particularly with my family. For years I helped care for my mother, before and after her pneumonia-induced coma, even after her recovery from losing almost half of her 450 pound weight. Unfortunately, I had to put college on hold to work and help out. In 2022, I finally found the right time to apply to college and after much red tape and some doubt, I was accepted as a Freshman to UA Little Rock. Around that time, I had been living in southern France as a guest fellow at the CAMARGO Foundation, a residency for scholars and artists alike. Then, in the Spring, I assisted my husband in researching the Haitian Revolution at the Musée des Archives Nationales - Hôtel de Soubise in Paris. Living in France was beyond rewarding. Practicing my fluency and learning more about my Haitian heritage were experiences that has made a lasting impact on me. With a scholarship, it would help in focusing on my studies without sacrificing my sleep, time, energy or enthusiasm for my educational, creative or community-building goals.

“Advocacy At-Large”: In Pursuit of Identity and Community - Saintil As a bi-racial, gay and gender-queer legally blind child of a Cuban-born Haitian immigrant and and a white woman from New England, growing up in the seacoast of New Hampshire, I often stood out in more than one way. Being out in a predominantly white state during the height of the ubiquitous and mostly socially acceptable catchphrase, "That’s so gay!"; I did my best to use my uniqueness as an advantage. I’d like to briefly describe my personal experience in the field of social justice. After a random act of homicide that left my mother a widow when I was only a month old, she moved my older sister and I to Florida where we lived for a time before we returned to N.H. From time to time, we stayed with my grandparents. My grandfather, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, renounced his membership in the KKK and its bigoted ideology. Though he was a model of successful rehabilitation, most of my relatives from both the "Live Free or Die” state and “United We Fall, Divided We Stand” state, proudly waved their confederate flags, refusing to concede that the south lost. Which leads me to my motivation that since I cannot escape the influence of my phenotypical appearance, I can either submit to discrimination or work towards a progressive and inclusive society. Homelessness was a constant feature in our lives after that but at eighteen, I was to happy discover the local LGBT youth group, Seacoast Outright. Their motto, "You are who you say you are", inspired me so much. Participating in the local queer culture, I began speaking on panels and social programs as a member of the speaker’s bureau at the University of New Hampshire. In my teens, I become the community-at-large member of the board at AIDS Response Seacoast in Portsmouth. For two years, I volunteered in organizing educational events like fundraisers, and community outreach programs to assist in educating youth about safe sex. Years later, I moved to Little Rock and I would soon be invited to perform on stage as host/comedian/featured player at the local club as Elvira aka The Usherette. I choreographed and was a featured dancer at the Gay Pride and within a year, I won the semi-finals of a drag competition at the club. Among these accomplishments, I have also offered many hours of volunteering time, organizing special events and mentoring young performers. My service work extends to other areas of my life, perhaps, it began particularly with my family. For years I helped care for my mother, before and after her pneumonia-induced coma, even after her recovery from losing almost half of her 450 pound weight. Unfortunately, I had to put college on hold to work and help out. In 2022, I finally found the right time to apply to college and after much red tape and some doubt, I was accepted as a Freshman to UA Little Rock. Around that time, I had been living in southern France as a guest fellow at the CAMARGO Foundation, a residency for scholars and artists alike. Then, in the Spring, I assisted my husband in researching the Haitian Revolution at the Musée des Archives Nationales - Hôtel de Soubise in Paris. Living in France was beyond rewarding. Practicing my fluency and learning more about my Haitian heritage were experiences that has made a lasting impact on me. With a scholarship, it would help in focusing on my studies without sacrificing my sleep, time, energy or enthusiasm for my educational, creative or community-building goals.

Growing up in poverty and homelessness, the one constant factor that helped me through tho times, was music. It truly heals and I want to share that power with the world, to give back to others, the pure joy it gave to me. For ten years, I worked alongside a well-known DJ as an occasional deejay myself. Ultimately, this role evolved into a hype dancer. In other words, he brought the music and I brought the moves. We were a dream team. Our diverse gigs ranged from school proms, to bar/bat mitzvahs to weddings, fundraisers and annual holiday parties at The World Bank. My earliest memory of my love for performing, was tap-dancing at age four and at nine, rewriting the lyrics to the Sister Act II soundtrack. Since then, I have written and recorded hundreds of songs, performed all over the U.S. and overseas at various events. After establishing life in Arkansas in 2018, the following year, I created an alter-ego in the form of drag persona Glossy Gephistone. Glossy was borne of my successful stint as The Usherette in a ten-show run of "The Rocky Horror Show". It was one of the best experiences of my life. If it seems hyperbolic for me to say that, I don’t mind. I was gifted with the opportunity to host, write my own stand-up routine, dance and sing one of my favorite songs to perform, "Science Fiction: Double Feature". For a dark comedy, the song is quite moving. Admittedly, The dichotomy of executing a major production like that, could not eschew the hard work it required. Yet still, it was rewarding in the end. One of my favorite aspects of being in such a big ensemble was the bond I made with my castmates. There was a unique kind of euphoria, performing in harmony and rhythm with such talented people. Another one of my favorite parts of the play, was getting to dress up, not as the traditional Usherette but I had the honor of portraying, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. This past semester has been the busiest and most fruitful so far when it comes to my growth as a singer and dancer. My participation in the school choir, has lead me to singing with a sixteen piece jazz ensemble as the soloist. This was a dream come true! On top of that, I performed in a theater production that was featured in a national broadway magazine. I have also started learning how to play the piano for the first time. One day, I dream of performing my soulful songs and add professional pianist to my repertoire. Singing is not my only love, of course. Dancing, songwriting and acting are some of my deepest passions. Featuring in a sitcom, or a sketch comedy is something I’ve wanted to do since childhood. Being cast as The Doctor in the British Sci Fi series, "Doctor Who" is a quirky, fun role that is at the top of my bucket list that I would be overjoyed to secure. I was inspired by comedy shows like "Primetime Glick, with Jiminy Glick" starring Martin Short," "In Living Color" and "30 Rock" to name a few. Like music, laughter heals but both stir stir my soul.

Growing up in poverty and homelessness, the one constant factor that helped me through tho times, was music. It truly heals and I want to share that power with the world, to give back to others, the pure joy it gave to me. For ten years, I worked alongside a well-known DJ as an occasional deejay myself. Ultimately, this role evolved into a hype dancer. In other words, he brought the music and I brought the moves. We were a dream team. Our diverse gigs ranged from school proms, to bar/bat mitzvahs to weddings, fundraisers and annual holiday parties at The World Bank. My earliest memory of my love for performing, was tap-dancing at age four and at nine, rewriting the lyrics to the Sister Act II soundtrack. Since then, I have written and recorded hundreds of songs, performed all over the U.S. and overseas at various events. After establishing life in Arkansas in 2018, the following year, I created an alter-ego in the form of drag persona Glossy Gephistone. Glossy was borne of my successful stint as The Usherette in a ten-show run of "The Rocky Horror Show". It was one of the best experiences of my life. If it seems hyperbolic for me to say that, I don’t mind. I was gifted with the opportunity to host, write my own stand-up routine, dance and sing one of my favorite songs to perform, "Science Fiction: Double Feature". For a dark comedy, the song is quite moving. Admittedly, The dichotomy of executing a major production like that, could not eschew the hard work it required. Yet still, it was rewarding in the end. One of my favorite aspects of being in such a big ensemble was the bond I made with my castmates. There was a unique kind of euphoria, performing in harmony and rhythm with such talented people. Another one of my favorite parts of the play, was getting to dress up, not as the traditional Usherette but I had the honor of portraying, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. This past semester has been the busiest and most fruitful so far when it comes to my growth as a singer and dancer. My participation in the school choir, has lead me to singing with a sixteen piece jazz ensemble as the soloist. This was a dream come true! On top of that, I performed in a theater production that was featured in a national broadway magazine. I have also started learning how to play the piano for the first time. One day, I dream of performing my soulful songs and add professional pianist to my repertoire. Singing is not my only love, of course. Dancing, songwriting and acting are some of my deepest passions. Featuring in a sitcom, or a sketch comedy is something I’ve wanted to do since childhood. Being cast as The Doctor in the British Sci Fi series, "Doctor Who" is a quirky, fun role that is at the top of my bucket list that I would be overjoyed to secure. I was inspired by comedy shows like "Primetime Glick, with Jiminy Glick" starring Martin Short," "In Living Color" and "30 Rock" to name a few. Like music, laughter heals but both stir stir my soul.

My namesake. Born in Palma Soriano, Cuba of a Cubana and a Haitian native, Levey Saintil Sr., worked hard his whole life. As the family patriarch, he assisted his own relatives in pursuing their legal status. He was also an intelligent man who spoke four languages including Haitian Kreyol, French, Spanish and English. Knowing what I know now about the incredible impact of the success of the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804), I am proud to possess such a heritage and want to emulate my father’s drive and language fluency. French studies was initially what I was seeking as a major. Unfortunately, as I was accepted, the French program was completely cut from the curriculum thus delaying the proximal connection to my personal cultural literacy. It was not a total loss however, because I soon discovered that UA Little Rock featured American Sign Language (ASL) as a degree. Being expressive and speaking a language non-native to me, I always dreamed that I would be on stage translating lyrics through signing. Apart from that dream, my goal is to establish a career as a government interpreter. I grew up in a family that was often homeless with bouts of food insecurity, so I know what it means to lack. Discrimination isn’t new to me either, not even in my own bloodline. For example, my grandfather was a white Kentucky native. He once was given the ultimatum to choose between accepting myself and my older sister or embracing his heritage as a member of the KKK. Lucky for me, he chose us and proved to be a model for redemption. Grandad was living proof that people can work through problems, becoming a stronger collective as a result. Such wisdom I wish to impart to others.