What makes me a leader is my deep sense of community. Wherever I am, I naturally make sure that everyone around me feels welcomed, seen, and heard.I believe leadership is about guiding others — encouraging people to advocate for themselves, embrace authenticity, and feel confident in who they are. As a Brazilian actor, I use theatre to perform, and create spaces where unheard voices can be seen, valued, and amplified. My leadership journey began through an LGBTQIA+ Oral History Fellowship, when I decided to use my voice to connect with National Queer Theater. I interviewed and documented Begum Inal, their dramaturg, with the goal of bringing greater awareness to the importance of spaces that celebrate and amplify LGBTQIA+ narratives in New York City. In 2023, I also used theatre as a way to support and guide students at my college. I was cast in My First Semester, a 45-minute orientation play for incoming freshmen. Over the course of 2025, I performed for more than 1,800 students. After one performance, a student approached me and said, “I loved the fact that you are Brazilian, and I felt supported.” That moment made me realize that theatre is not only resistance, but also a powerful way to build communities where people feel they belong. Beyond the stage, I serve as a peer advisor at my school, supporting students throughout their academic journey. I help them with scheduling, transferring, and navigating questions that can often feel overwhelming. One of the most defining moments of my leadership happened during my participation in the American College Theater Festival through the ASPIRE Arts Leadership Program, where I was selected as the Region 1 finalist. Each participant was expected to present a project related to the administrative side of the theatre industry. At first, I had many ideas, but none of them felt specific enough. That changed when my college production of At The Wedding, directed by James Ryan Caldwell, was selected to perform at the festival. I had the opportunity to play Victor, a gay character, in a story centered on queerness and love. During rehearsals and performances, I felt deeply supported by my cast. Audience members shared that they felt represented and inspired, and that experience made the production incredibly meaningful to me. The following day, during our feedback session with theatre professionals, the conversation kept returning to two themes: community and representation. People shared comments like, “That play allowed me to be myself,” and “I had the opportunity, as a Bangladeshi person, to play a queer character.” Listening to those reflections made me ask myself: Would I be able to play Victor with the same freedom and confidence in Brazil? The answer was no. I come from a country where being openly gay often feels like fighting against a hurricane. Violence and crimes against LGBTQIA+ people in Brazil remain significantly high. That realization stayed with me, and the night before my ASPIRE presentation, everything clicked. I understood that Brazil needs more organizations that uplift queer and transgender people —spaces that serve as "sanctuaries" where art becomes both resistance and hope. That is how I created the idea for my nonprofit LGBTQ+ theatre organization, Beyond Walls Theater. I presented it to Kelvin Dinkins Jr., a faculty member in Theatre Management at Yale University’s David Geffen School of Drama. In just ten minutes of exchanging ideas with him, I had never felt so clear about my purpose and future. I knew I wanted to bring this project to life. Ultimately, I lead with purpose, transforming fear into community, and community into lasting change through theatre.

Art has always been a part of my life — from the countless drawings I made as a child to the dinners I would prepare for my family, to performing in an orientation play for more than 1,300 students to help them navigate their college journey. These experiences, small and large, taught me early on that creativity could be both a tool for expression and a way to connect with others. My parents have always been my greatest inspiration. They encouraged me, believed in me, and pushed me to keep pursuing my dreams, no matter the obstacles. Despite being far from home, studying full time, and working to pay my bills, my father, in particular, has never let me give up or lose heart, even in difficult circumstances. Along with his support, my theater classes at school inspire me every day, bringing me joy and hope — hope that one day I will live the life I am chasing: visiting my family whenever I want, and professionally working as an actor. I first discovered theater long before taking any formal performance education. In 2021, I stood in front of a camera with my grandfather as my scene partner and my brother behind the lens. In that moment, something inside me sparked — a curiosity and energy I had never felt before, and the start of discovering my own voice. That first taste of storytelling inspired me to explore myself through art. Then, in 2023, joining a school environment where I could study what I loved opened doors I had never imagined. During my first theater class in college, I wrote and performed my first monologue in English. The piece explored the power of love between a gay son and his mother as they confronted prejudice during Brazil’s Military Dictatorship. Through telling this story, I began to understand parts of myself I had not yet fully recognized and felt a deep urgency to keep creating. That monologue became the foundation for my work as an immigrant and gay man — both in my school and in the stories I feel compelled to document and share. This impulse led me to apply for an LGBTQ+ Oral History fellowship, where each fellow researched and connected with organizations in New York supporting the community. Through this project, I discovered the National Queer Theater. It felt like finding a version of the world I had been trying to build all along: a place where art becomes resistance. I challenged myself to speak up, share my story, and interview Begun Innal, their brilliant dramaturg. Documenting their work and building a website to honor their voice, soon to be shared on the LaGuardia Wagner Archives, reinforced how art can amplify those who have been unheard. In 2026, I will turn this fellowship into an exhibit at LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club, working with Natalie Willens, an incredible artist and educator leading the project. This exposition will showcase the work of organizations like NQT that support LGBTQ+ communities. Ultimately, my education in theater arts continues to shape my life. Every class, rehearsal, and interaction with classmates and professors makes me wake up with purpose. Being part of an ensemble, moving my body, and stepping into the classroom — which feels like my “temple” — allows me to belong, connect, and trust the people around me. Through it all, the inspiration from my father, the encouragement from mentors, and the guidance of communities I have joined through art have pushed me to grow, create, advocate and imagine the life I hope to build as an actor and storyteller.

While interviewing Begum Inal (they/them), a dramaturg from National Queer Theater, for a school fellowship focused on LGBTQIA+ spaces in NYC, I asked what they love most about theater. They answered, “Life – theater brings it to the stage. So does every form of performance.” I completely agree - that's what I like about it. There’s a unique power in performance; no other field makes people stop and feel so deeply. Whether it’s a concert that gives you chills or a play that resonates with your story, performance gathers, represents, inspires, empowers, and even saves. For me, theater brings people to life – it creates something out of “nothing”, and that “life” often reflects the artist’s soul. When I first arrived in New York at 17, I’ve been following a plan ever since. I’ve been working full-time to pay for school, rent, and all the responsibilities of adult life. That’s why I applied for the Economic Hardship Program and several scholarships because I lost financial support from my sponsor. As a theater major, I truly value my education, it helps me grow as an artist, keeps me motivated, and drives me to stay in this country until I can say, “I did my job, it was transformative for me and the audience, and, last but not least, I was financially valued for my work.” My mom once told me we have to create our own opportunities because nothing just falls from the sky. Even while juggling a full-time job and college, I’ve committed to helping others through the fellowship I’m part of. When choosing a community-based organization to work with, I looked for one that reflected who I am: an immigrant, queer, and an artist. That’s how I found the National Queer Theater. After my interview with Begum, they encouraged me to apply for the Criminal Queerness Festival at Lincoln Center to present my play. In the next few years, I plan to graduate, keep performing in theater festivals, and film productions, share my work, build connections, and use theater/acting as a tool of resistance to amplify voices like mine. During my career, I have participated in a total of five plays and three short films. My performance journey began with a short film inspired by Machado de Assis’s story, “O Enfermeiro,” in which I acted alongside my grandfather, with my brother as the filmmaker. It took a significant step forward when I joined the Barracão Encena Theater Company in Brazil, performing in productions such as “Palavra,” “Nossas Mentiras, Nossos Pecados,” and “Teicoscopia – The Vaudeville of Horrors,” as well as in the film “Os Desvalidos.” After studying English for two years to prepare for college in the U.S., I performed in the play “Love & Information” by Caryl Churchill, directed by James Caldwell, who is currently my drama professor. My favorite role I’ve played was Perseus and Ipupiara in the mentioned play: "Teicoscopia –The Vaudeville of Horrors". It was an original and experimental production that combined physical theater, and mythical narratives. First, the actors had the opportunity to create the play from scratch. The stories were told through clowns directly to the audience – it was essentially a devised theater process, which I loved. Second, we used Commedia dell’Arte to embody our characters, and I worked intensely on body control, voice, and creativity. And third, we could truly feel the audience enjoying it. They were laughing and engaged – and even though it was back in 2022, I still remember the sparkle in their eyes as they had fun during the performance, it was when I could first see the power of a performance. My dream role would be to play a character like a clown, a dancer, a gay man, or someone who faces physical or health limitations and still chooses to carry on. I believe they give voice to resistance, the beauty of vulnerability, and the strength of those who keep going even when everything seems against them. They represent human complexity in its truest form. I'm not looking for perfect or simple characters, I'm interested in stories that delve deep inside someone, that show their pain, their conflicts, their courage, and, above all, their humanity, their life. These roles appeal to me because they force me to go deep, investigate real emotions, to use my body, my voice, and my soul truthfully. They allow me to explore pain, laughter, love, failure, and hope - all in the same character. And when the audience sees that on stage, or on the screen something changes. I think that's what drives me as an artist: the possibility of touching someone through the truth of a story. That’s why I keep going: to tell stories that matter, connect souls, and make people feel alive.

Advocacy and resistance. These two words resonated deeply during the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) opening ceremony when Garrett Olson and Jess Wilson discussed their significance. As an artist, I believe theater has the power to challenge perspectives, inspire change, and create space for important conversations. At KCACTF, in the devised theater workshop, I met Jerome York, Associate Professor of Physical Theater at the University of Dayton. After my improvised performance with my group, he told me something that will stay with me forever: “You have the ‘duende’ inside you.” “Duende” describes an intense and visceral artistic energy that connects deeply with an audience. Hearing that I could immerse people in my character’s world reaffirmed why I chose this field. I chose to study theater because I want to share who I am, where I come from, and how beautiful Brazilian culture is. I want to encourage people to think beyond the obvious and to be unique, authentic, and confident. Through my work, I hope to inspire others to embrace their vulnerabilities, step outside their comfort zones, and explore the richness of different cultures and perspectives. So far, I have been cast in Love and Information by Caryl Churchill and My First Semester at LaGuardia, both this year. Additionally, at the KCACTF, I had the honor of winning an award for outstanding ensemble performance. These accomplishments have shown me that I am willing to push through challenges to pursue my dream of becoming a theater and film artist.

My passion for performing arts goes beyond that common desire for fame. I choose theatre to connect with people, whether as an actor or a writer. My goal is to inspire people to think “outside the box,” feel deeply, and connect on a human level, through plays or even films. I desire to make theatre more inclusive and to show that anyone is welcome and deserves to dream, be inspired, be creative, be themselves without fear, and embrace their vulnerabilities. Also, as a Brazilian, I wish to represent my country here in the United States. In 2022, the opportunity to perform in a play came to me. Directed by João Mauro Cruz, the play “Teicoscopia, o Vaudeville de Horrores” showed me the audience’s pure reactions. Playing clowns trying to tell their stories in a circus, with their languages and bumbling style, all the artists involved in that play made people smile and have fun. I felt complete and so grateful when I realized the power of theatre. The reason for staying up late nights in constant rehearsals for two months, with our groups performing in only two nights, was the audience. Over the rehearsals, Mr. João Mauro always emphasized to us: “Bring that child that you used to be”. Our desire to bring happiness and make the world around us colorful was not in vain; we could see reactions, we could make people smile, and we could recall that innocent world when we were kids without judgments. I hope to make a difference by writing plays and showing that to people. Since 2023, I have been developing ideas for a play that will reflect my experiences and connect with others. The play I’m developing, “For You, Meu Amor,” is a drama and romance set during Brazil’s 1970s military dictatorship. It tells the story of a gay son and his mother navigating an abusive relationship, supporting each other through their struggles. Though set in a different era, the play addresses themes that are related to my own experiences as a gay person coming from Brazil—a country with high rates of violence against LGBTQIAPN+ individuals. Through this play, when I publish it next year, I will represent Brazilian culture, history, and people, making the audience identify with the characters. These experiences underscore the transformative power of theatre, and that’s why it motivates me to pursue this career. It allowed me to be myself without being afraid of prejudices; it made me feel included and confident about my identity while performing plays to the audience. So, I want to give it all back to different audiences. Also, I feel hungry by going depht while developing a new character, by creating something new in order to delivery that to the audience. Finally, I’ll do my utmost to be the reason for a smile or some other feeling through performing arts, making it an unforgettable experience for people.

I've always been told that I dream big, but I believe dreams have no size limit. Coming from Brazil, New York provided me with a unique opportunity to study English and theater. This experience has made me stronger and more confident in chasing my dream. In 2021, with a school project to create a film based on Brazilian literature, I created a short film inspired by the story "O Enfermeiro" by Machado de Assis. I filmed it with my grandfather. That's when I discovered my passion for acting. That same year, I started taking theater classes, using my savings from working in a restaurant to help my father pay for them. Every training session, rehearsal and performance fueled my desire to perform professionally. I was deeply committed, often staying up late with my group to prepare for shows in just two days. In 2022, I was invited to join an improv group called "Espertitos" in Brazil. In weekly meetings, I constantly sought to learn new techniques to contribute to the group. In the same year, at 17, I approached a modeling agency to at least get called for extra work and learn how shoots were conducted. I was accepted after an interview and, I was called to be an extra in a short film. When I found myself involved in a major production and facing prominent actors, I felt accomplished and even more eager to pursue this career. They called me for a film audition, but I didn't pass, because I lacked technique. Later that year, I had to leave the agency because I received the opportunity to come to New York. I didn't speak English, so I started taking classes. At 17, in a country where English wasn't my first language, it wasn't easy to deal with so many insecurities. I had to live independently, managing the economic difficulties and dealing with all the documents for my education, health insurance and my father's needs, since he didn't speak English. I immersed myself in English, challenging myself to learn it talking to people, reading monologues, and plays in the "city of entertainment." I walked past theaters and saw film shoots happening on the streets, with an immense desire to act, but even so close, I felt distant due to the language barrier and lack of preparation. After much studying English, in just 6 months, I was transfered to a college, and I finally took my first theater class here, and I was able to present my first monologue, which I created for a play I'm developing titled "For You My Profound Love,". As I performed the monologue in English, I consider it a major victory for me. I never let go of my creative side. Crazy ideas always came up, flashes of possible scenes and characters that I could play in the future, writing everything down to create scripts for cinema and theater. Today, at 19 years, realizing how much I've achieved, this scholarship would immensely help me get closer to what I love the most. With the time this scholarship could provide, I would invest in expenses, and especially in my education, including acting, and scriptwriting classes to feel more confident in auditions, and to bring to life what I’ve been creating. In conclusion, I feel that I am not yet fully prepared for my dream, but I believe that with a good education, I can get there. Something inside me makes me thirsty for change and gives me an immense desire to act, to change the reality I live in, and finally work acting and writing.

From Brazil, a country which has a very high rate of violence against LGBTQ+ people, incredibly I was a very spontaneous, charismatic, a smiling, and a very creativity child. During my childhood, I could fall in love either for boys or girls, just because I was an innocent child who didn't know about how prejudiced the society was, then I thought it wasn't a problem. However, it took until my 11's age, when I started to come across fears related to my feelings and realize how closed minded most of the adults were. Because of the older society influencing the younger ones to be only straight and having the "perfect wedding ", made me believe that my feelings weren't pure, but wrong. For instance, in the beginning of my teenage years, I came across fears, especially the kind that made me feel guilty and anguished for being who I was. Consequently, I started to get traumatized by moments like family dinners and get-togethers with friends, because they would always ask me: "What about your girlfriends?". Because of it, prejudice made me do things I didn't want to do, inside I was that teenager full of color, but outside I was that carcass helping me to be who I wasn't. I was forced to be with girls, otherwise I would be considered gay or "bixa" (a pejorative Portuguese word against gay people), and as soon as I heard it, I felt so uncomfortable. As a result, I began to deny myself and carry wounds, hiding my feelings. Moreover, in 2021, even though I still had doubts about myself and didn't fully accept myself, I got to know the theater. For the first time, it was the people I met at the theater who made me feel comfortable to talk about my sexuality. With them I started to go to LGBT places without being afraid. At the theater, I could express myself, be who I was, I could be whoever I wanted to be, and most importantly, I could feel and not be judged. Even with some fears, over time I learned to express myself, to have a voice and to arrive on stage, in front of all that audience, lights illuminating my aura, and I could finally speak, shout and act. Since 2022, I have been interested in writing scripts for plays or films. So, with that, I have an intense desire to be able to make people feel comfortable with themselves, and in some way, try to make them feel that they are not alone and that they can be helped. For the foreseeable future, I intend to be an actor and create plays and films, mainly related to these feelings that we LGBTQ+ people often have to hide. This scholarship is important to me financially because, as a theater student at a college in New York, it would help me to be a source of inspiration and courage for people to accept and love themselves, producing and showing my creations to many people. Also, it would help me to pay for my college, and as an actor, to pay for dance and piano lessons that will help me develop a variety of skills for my career. Finally, as a Brazilian, receiving it, would be a dream, because I would be able to show a culture as beautiful as the Brazilian one in my creations, thus being able to make people who felt the same as me years ago and those who still do, let out that scream stuck in their throats and be happy as they are.

I am Murilo Oliboni, 18 years old, a Brazilian creative guy, trying to make my dreams possible. I have always been connected with many types of arts, such as painting, drawing, acting, singing, writing, etc,. I grew up in a humble family, without too much, without enough money, but it wasn't a barrier to happiness. I remember being that creative, dreamer and talkative child, playing with my siblings in the rain, while my mother washed the sidewalk, doing everything she could to get me wet, made those everyday moments so much fun, among the clothes and sheets on the clothesline, I saw another world, a world where I could fly. Even with problems and difficulties, I can confidently say that my childhood was full of magical, fun and light moments. My adolescence was somewhat troubled, discovering and denying myself at the same time. I tried everything to make myself like only girls, I didn't want to accept that I was bisexual, and in reality I always preferred men. The reason for this denial was the world and the great shadows I feared, the prejudice, the fear of being rejected, excluded, killed, not being worthy of loving someone of the same sex.Even though the pandemic was terrible, it was a time of reflection, to really get to know myself, accept myself and be proud of myself. I remember going through a very difficult period, alone, and suddenly the overwhelming desire for transformation came over me. Sadly, I told my father that I wanted to take drama classes, where I could make new friends and perhaps feel more confident, and my mind was made up: I wanted to be an actor. It was certainly the best choice I've made in my life. Even though I was insecure during the first few classes, I realized that I was surrounded by incredible people who made me feel like myself, I wasn't afraid of my sexuality, and in fact, in drama classes I could be whoever I wanted to be and, most importantly, imagine, create and feel the little moments like I did in my childhood. At 17, in the year 2022, I was given the opportunity to move to New York to study English first and then theater. Even though I wasn't sure about moving to another country and didn't know if I would be able to afford to live there after a few years, something told me not to give up and to embrace the opportunity with great strength. To be honest, 2023 was a very difficult year, but one that helped me learn from life at the age of 17/18. Something tells me that I need to be patient, because I know that soon I will be a professional actor, who will be acting, inspiring, making others smile, cry, be moved, be entertained. In conclusion, as a creative person, I believe this scholarship will help me pay for my expenses and those of the theater school I'm currently studying at here in New York. With the scholarship, I want to be able to invest in a great idea I have in mind of creating a feature film inspired by the last play I took part in. Finally, I'll be able to inspire other people with my creations and bring back that happiness that I usually had when I took drama classes last year and when I was a kid. I'm sure that this financial help will also be a reward after a lot of effort and a little push to not give up on the dream of being a great actor.

The impact I want to make in my home country is to make people happy, interested and safe. Since I started studying theater and all its edges, I've discovered that in a place like theater, you can be whoever you want to be, without judgment. You learn to let go of being someone else, who is just a distraction or an inspiration to the audience, and draw on your own life experiences to use them in your performance. I think I need to be better prepared to be a professional actor, so I will need to learn and expand my knowledge of theater in general. I have a purpose for being an artist, which is to see the smiling faces and people who are present in the moment during a play or behind a screen and, consequently, to make them see the world in a different light. Some of the pillars for convincing viewers that you are a character are to act sincerely and be visceral, and with that the audience will be able to believe in that character. So, with a good education at a university, I believe that I will be able to reach people emotionally, using the techniques I have learned and my passion for all kinds of art, especially those focused on theater. For instance in Brazil, there are incredible actors, plays and artists in general. When I began to discover the world of theater, even though I was unsure, I fell in love, because that color and liveliness from when I was a child was coming back and I was able to be trained by incredible mentors. Firstly, I remember that in my first play I felt a mixture of emotions, but they made me feel like the audience at the time of the performance. Secondly, the play that was most special to me, where I got a taste of what it would be like to change someone's day for a happier one. I was a clown, and seeing those smiles was so rewarding. Brazil is a country that has a variety of strong and beautiful cultures, but unfortunately it is not recognized by society. With my training at a college or university, I want to bring more recognition and help artists and the various types of art to be valued, in such a diverse country, with so many arts that should be shown around the world. In conclusion, art and entertainment are extremely important for society, because they make people appreciate, think, criticize, feel and develop. So, as a Brazilian, I want to bring theater to those who can't afford it, I want to make Brazilian theater something recognized and, last but not least, try to make all Brazilian artists gain more recognition.

The word that defines my passion for the art of acting on stage and behind the camera is gratitude. Gratitude because I've had the opportunity to see how people react to a type of art, theater. When I was child, art classes, drawing classes, or any class that required us to use our creativity, were my favorite. They were where I felt like myself, free, I could create literally any story and drawing. It's no wonder that the career I want to follow is totally related to the creative part, I want to be a professional actor with a lot of experience. At a time in my life when I was discovering myself, during a pandemic, without friends, feeling very lonely, art came along to help me. I remember my father sat down to talk to me and asked me why I felt this way. I told him that I no longer saw any meaning in life, that everything was colorless, and that perhaps I needed to reawaken that child I used to be, colorful, communicative and creative. So my father and I decided that I would start taking drama classes, even though it was difficult to pay for them. It was the best choice I could have made! I realized that in the theater you can be whoever you want to be, and people won't judge you. In the theater, people go to have fun. I met great friends, made beautiful friendships, and one year marked me out. In the year 2022, I took part in a play, based on studies brought by Dell'art comedy, where clowns told mythological and typical stories from some parts of Brazil. My left side of brain dedicated all my time to studying for months, discovering more about my body, connecting with my scene partners, perfecting every detail, even though I was studying in the last year of high school, just to perform in two days. Farcical theater, when brought into a play, makes actors need a lot of body flexibility, and a lot of creativity. I remember being inspired by my childhood, where I imagined myself as a monkey, jumping and climbing trees, creating my own amusement park, etc. So my character was inspired by the monkey animal, and I adapted my movements as much as possible. The big day had arrived, the performance, seeing those smiles, those shining eyes, hearing the most sincere laughter watching me perform, it's beautiful. Being able to make others happier by performing gives me an air of hope, that with art, we can bring more color into our lives and I realized that all my effort was well worth it. Usually, I have using my right side of my brain, being creative, creating scripts and charaters inspired by anything. I'd really like to be able to invest in a career that's good for me and good for the world, and with a scholarship, being a drama student at a community college would help me pay for my project to create a drama film inspired by the play "theicoscopy" in which I took part, as well as being able to pay for part of my college, which is very expensive, while I'll need to combine time working with time studying. I honestly don't know if I'll be able to pay for my college during the first semester, and I want so much to continue studying here in New York.