I first became interested in theater and the arts when I was just six years old playing around with makeup. I would constantly watch Monster High makeup tutorials and tried to follow the steps. I wanted to become a professional makeup artist and one day compete on the show "Face Off". I enjoyed being able to make myself and others that I would practice on, look like anything I chose. During middle school, I joined the theater program and found a liking to acting while still doing makeup for all of the performances. At that point in my life, I wasn't sure what path of theater I wanted to take, I just knew I needed to be in it. During the summer I would attend summer camps at my High School where I would continue to learn more makeup skills. I eventually got accepted into the school in the Stagecraft and Design department. When Covid happened, I really lost my spark for makeup and wanted to find what I thought would be a better fit for me in the theater. When we finally got back in person my Sophomore year, Stagecraft and Design majors were required to take a six week course on stage management. After the class ended, our stage management teacher pulled me aside to talk about stage management and where I actually wanted to go in this industry. She shared with me that she saw very good potential in me becoming a stage manager, saying that I had "the brain" for it. I managed the DSA Black History Show for that year. By the end of the show, I had absolutely fallen in love with stage management. From the initial rehearsals, the production meetings, tech rehearsals, and the feeling of calling the last cue in the show. From that point forward, I stage managed every semester of High School, and I had found my passion. My passion grew into wanting to learn more about the industry. I found numerous topics on anti-racist practice efforts in theater. Soon after, I worked on a show where there was very clear racial prejudice and I began to think about what I had read about the anti-racist practices on the professional level. But it seemed like not a lot was currently being done at the local, non-profit theaters. Learning this, I've made it one of my goals to one day be able to bring more anti-racist practices to theater, continuing the implementation of equity and inclusion where everyone feels respected and accepted. My career aspirations after I graduate is to become a professional stage manager on Broadway, be a director or actor for film and TV. Overall, I just aspire to make a name for myself in the entertainment industry doing what I love. During my years in college I really hope to learn how I can continue the racist practices in the entertainment industry and how I can use my voice as a Black woman to speak up.

I first became interested in theater and the arts when I was just six years old playing around with makeup. I would constantly watch Monster High makeup tutorials and tried to follow the steps. I wanted to become a professional makeup artist and one day compete on the show "Face Off". I enjoyed being able to make myself and others that I would practice on, look like anything I chose. During middle school, I joined the theater program and found a liking to acting while still doing makeup for all of the performances. At that point in my life, I wasn't sure what path of theater I wanted to take, I just knew I needed to be in it. During the summer I would attend summer camps at my High School where I would continue to learn more makeup skills. I eventually got accepted into the school in the Stagecraft and Design department. When Covid happened, I really lost my spark for makeup and wanted to find what I thought would be a better fit for me in the theater. When we finally got back in person my Sophomore year, Stagecraft and Design majors were required to take a six week course on stage management. After the class ended, our stage management teacher pulled me aside to talk about stage management and where I actually wanted to go in this industry. She shared with me that she saw very good potential in me becoming a stage manager, saying that I had "the brain" for it. I managed the DSA Black History Show for that year. By the end of the show, I had absolutely fallen in love with stage management. From the initial rehearsals, the production meetings, tech rehearsals, and the feeling of calling the last cue in the show. From that point forward, I stage managed every semester of High School, and I had found my passion. My passion grew into wanting to learn more about the industry. I found numerous topics on anti-racist practice efforts in theater. Soon after, I worked on a show where there was very clear racial prejudice and I began to think about what I had read about the anti-racist practices on the professional level. But it seemed like not a lot was currently being done at the local, non-profit theaters. Learning this, I've made it one of my goals to one day be able to bring more anti-racist practices to theater, continuing the implementation of equity and inclusion where everyone feels respected and accepted. My career aspirations after I graduate is to become a professional stage manager on Broadway, be a director or actor for film and TV. Overall, I just aspire to make a name for myself in the entertainment industry doing what I love.

I first became interested in theater and the arts when I was just six years old playing around with makeup. I would constantly watch Monster High makeup tutorials and tried to follow the steps. I wanted to become a professional makeup artist and one day compete on the show "Face Off". I enjoyed being able to make myself and others that I would practice on, look like anything I chose. During middle school, I joined the theater program and found a liking to acting while still doing makeup for all of the performances. At that point in my life, I wasn't sure what path of theater I wanted to take, I just knew I needed to be in it. During the summer I would attend summer camps at my High School where I would continue to learn more makeup skills such as; life casting molds, prosthetics, horror makeup, facial hair and so many more skills. I eventually got accepted into the school in the Stagecraft and Design department for my Freshman year. However, when Covid happened, I really lost my spark for makeup and wanted to find what I thought would be a better fit for me in the theater. When we finally got back in person my Sophomore year, Stagecraft and Design majors were required to take a six week course on stage management. I honestly dreaded going everyday, I had no interest in the idea of having to be the person with all of those jobs! Still, I attended the class, listened, and got all of my work done. After the class ended, our stage management teacher, Ms. Emily pulled me aside to talk about stage management and where I actually wanted to go in this industry. She shared with me that she saw very good potential in me becoming a stage manager, saying that I had "the brain" for it. Eventually, she was able to convince me to stage manage the DSA Black History Show for that year. By the end of the show, I had absolutely fallen in love with stage management. From the initial rehearsals, the production meetings, tech rehearsals, and the feeling of calling the last cue in the show. I knew I wanted to do it again and so, I asked Ms. Emily to put me on more shows. From that point forward, I stage managed every semester of my High School experience, and I had finally found my passion. My passion grew into wanting to learn more about the industry. I found numerous topics on anti-racist practice efforts in theater (specifically stage management). Soon after, I worked on a show where there was very clear racial prejudice and I began to think about what I had read about the anti-racist stage management practices on the professional level. But it seemed like not a lot was currently being done at the local, non-profit theaters. Learning this, and coming from my experiences at school, I've made it one of my goals to one day be able to bring more anti-racist practices to theater, continuing the theory and implementation of equity and inclusion where everyone feels respected and accepted in the spaces we work in. To me, success is for all people, regardless of race, gender, class, or sexuality, have the opportunity to work in spaces and create art where they all feel welcome and can all thrive together. Now, in my senior year, my future career aspiration after I graduate is to become a professional stage manager on Broadway. I would also love to become a director or actor for film and TV. Overall, I just aspire to make a name for myself in the entertainment industry doing what I love. My biggest hindrance from pursuing my goal is the financial hardship my family has gone through in recent years. The impacts of Covid, losing jobs, and health issues, have made it a struggle to pay for me to go to college. With the cost of tuition and FAFSA being delayed this year, this scholarship would help me tremendously to continue my theater passion and provide me with a space to continue my goals to help create a better environment in theater.

"Their Eyes Were Watching God" is my favorite book to film adaptation. I remember the first time I had read the book was Freshman year of High School and I immediately fell in love with it. The way the characters are written, I felt like I could be inside their mind and I could feel how they were feeling at any given time. I remember I read it a few times over and even annotated it. When I finally went to watch the movie, I was a bit skeptical because sometimes movie adaptations tend to leave a lot of the key plot out. I soon came to notice that the production team on this film had definitely done their research to make the film. The director of the 2005 film, Darnell Martin, paid clear attention to the nature of Hurston’s novel. Though there were elements of the book that was not incorporated into the movie, the film captures the key moments of the book, the characters, and themes. The film overall stays faithful to Hurston’s book which as an avid reader, I definitely appreciated it, making it one of my favorite movies very quickly. I was excited to see one of my favorite actors as the main character, Halle Berry. Halle Berry brought Janie Crawford to life and gave a wonderful performance of the struggles, love, and complexities of the character. Berry’s portrayal of Janie is exactly how I imagined while reading, a strong woman that is beginning to navigate the world on her own for the first time but still being tied down in marriages with men she does not truly love. She strives to define herself. First from her young dreams of love and the gradual realization of her personal autonomy. The ability to convey Janie’s inner thoughts and feelings really connected the audience to the character, creating empathy for the character. Through her relationships with the men in the story; Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake, Berry connects with the character and resembles the coexistence between love and independence. The emotional impact described by Hurston in the book are depicted in the film adaptation by exploring themes such as racial and gender discrimination, love, self discovery, and women empowerment. The film deeply resonates with the audience, including myself. As a young black woman that much like Janie, is on a journey to self discovery, being able to visually see that on screen, represented by a young black woman with those universal themes and complexities, there was almost always something I found myself relating too. Seeing a book that was created by a Black woman and stars a Black woman was so incredibly inspirational and important to me. The movie has inspired me to continue striving for my goal to one day work in the entertainment industry. Historically, there were no spaces created for black artist, much less black women. Seeing this film, though made in 2005 made me realize that there are spaces being made for women and Black women in the industry where we can create movies like "Their Eyes were Watching God."

I first became interested in theater and the arts when I was just six years old playing around with makeup. I would constantly watch Monster High makeup tutorials and tried to follow the steps. I wanted to become a professional makeup artist and one day compete on the show "Face Off". I enjoyed being able to make myself and others that I would practice on, look like anything I chose. During middle school, I joined the theater program and found a liking to acting while still doing makeup for all of the performances. At that point in my life, I wasn't sure what path of theater I wanted to take, I just knew I needed to be in it. During the summer I would attend summer camps at my High School where I would continue to learn more makeup skills such as; life casting molds, prosthetics, horror makeup, facial hair and so many more skills. I eventually got accepted into the school in the Stagecraft and Design department for my Freshman year. However, when Covid happened, I really lost my spark for makeup and wanted to find what I thought would be a better fit for me in the theater. When we finally got back in person my Sophomore year, Stagecraft and Design majors were required to take a six week course on stage management. I honestly dreaded going everyday, I had no interest in the idea of having to be the person with all of those jobs! Still, I attended the class, listened, and got all of my work done. After the class ended, our stage management teacher, Ms. Emily pulled me aside to talk about stage management and where I actually wanted to go in this industry. She shared with me that she saw very good potential in me becoming a stage manager, saying that I had "the brain" for it. Eventually, she was able to convince me to stage manage the DSA Black History Show for that year. By the end of the show, I had absolutely fallen in love with stage management. From the initial rehearsals, the production meetings, tech rehearsals, and the feeling of calling the last cue in the show. I knew I wanted to do it again and so, I asked Ms. Emily to put me on more shows. From that point forward, I stage managed every semester of my High School experience, and I had finally found my passion. My passion grew into wanting to learn more about the industry. I found numerous topics on anti-racist practice efforts in theater (specifically stage management). Soon after, I worked on a show where there was very clear racial prejudice and I began to think about what I had read about the anti-racist stage management practices on the professional level. But it seemed like not a lot was currently being done at the local, non-profit theaters. Learning this, and coming from my experiences at school, I've made it one of my goals to one day be able to bring more anti-racist practices to theater, continuing the theory and implementation of equity and inclusion where everyone feels respected and accepted in the spaces we work in. Now, in my senior year, my future career aspiration after I graduate is to become a professional stage manager on Broadway. I would also love to become a director or actor for film and TV. Overall, I just aspire to make a name for myself in the entertainment industry doing what I love. My biggest hinderance from pursuing my goal is the financial hardship my family has gone through in recent years. The impacts of Covid, losing jobs, and health issues, have made it a struggle to pay for me to go to college. With the cost of tuition and FAFSA being delayed this year, this scholarship would help me tremendously to continue my theater passion and provide me with a space to continue my goals to help create a better environment in theater.

My BIPOC role model is Narda E. Alcorn, an influential stage manager that has worked on Broadway and teaches stage management at the college level. Upon reading about her and her work, I found that she strives to teach about anti-racist stage management practices. I looked into her studies and the book written about it. However, what I really enjoyed reading about was her teaching of taking the theory and turning it into real practice. Having experienced racial prejudice while being an SM, I loved knowing that she is bringing this discussion to light and holding space for people like me. My theater experience has allowed me to find what my purpose is in theater. Coming in, I wasn't completely sure what track I wanted to follow, I just knew I enjoyed live theater and the technical aspects of it. My sophomore year of High School I had taken a stage management class and found a new interest that I didn't know existed yet. I made it a goal to be the first underclassman to stage manage a show, and I did! I managed my school's Black History Show and it was such a rewarding experience. My passion grew into wanting to learn more about the industry; I found numerous topics on anti-racist practice efforts in theater (specifically stage management). During my time stage managing, I began reading about Narda E. Alcorn and her efforts to create a more equitable work space. I began speaking with my stage management teacher about it and soon it became a discussion point among the stage management Capstone class. Soon after, I had worked on a show where there was very clear racial prejudice and I began to think about what I had read in Alcorn’s essay, “We Commit to Anti-Racist Stage Management Education” about the anti-racist stage management practices on the professional level. But it seemed like not a lot was currently being done at the local, non-profit theaters. Learning this, and coming from my experiences at school, I've made it one of my goals to one day be able to bring more anti-racist practices to theater, continuing the theory and implementation of equity and inclusion where everyone feels respected and accepted in the spaces we work in. Narda E. Alcorn has influenced me as a young black girl who has a passion for theater. To always stand up for racial equity in spaces that might not always have it. Just as she has worked to provide a better experience for Black and Brown people in theater, that is something that I look up to and strive to continue for the people coming in the theater industry after me.

“Their Eyes Were Watching God” Their Eyes Were Watching God is my favorite book to film adaptation. I remember the first time I had read the book was Freshman year of High School and I immediately fell in love with it. The way the characters are written, I felt like I could be inside their mind and I could feel how they were feeling at any given time. I remember I read it a few times over and even annotated it. When I finally went to watch the movie, I was a bit skeptical because sometimes movie adaptations tend to leave a lot of the key plot out. I soon came to notice that the production team on this film had definitely done their research on this book. The director of the 2005 film, Darnell Martin, paid clear attention to the nature of Hurston’s novel. Though there were elements of the book that were not incorporated into the movie, the film captures the key moments of the book, the characters, and themes. The film overall stays faithful to Hurston’s book which as an avid reader, I definitely appreciate. I was excited to see one of my favorite actors as the main character, Halle Berry. Halle Berry brought Janie Crawford to life and gave a wonderful performance of the struggles, love, and complexities of the character. Berry’s portrayal of Janie is exactly how I imagined while reading, a strong woman that is beginning to navigate the world on her own for the first time but still being tied down in marriages with men she does not truly love. She strives to define herself. First from her young dreams of love and the gradual realization of her personal autonomy. The ability to convey Janie’s inner thoughts and feelings really connected the audience to the character, creating empathy for the character. Through her relationships with the men in the story; Logan Killicks, Joe Starks, and Tea Cake, Berry connects with the character and resembles the coexistence between love and independence. The emotional impact described by Hurston in the book are depicted in the film adaptation by exploring themes such as racial and gender discrimination, love, self discovery, and women empowerment. The film deeply resonates with the audience, including myself. As a young black woman that much like Janie, is on a journey to self discovery, being able read a book with those universal themes and complex characters, there was almost always something I found myself relating too. Seeing a book that was created by a Black woman and stars a Black woman was so incredibly inspirational and important to me.

"A.N.T It Up" The best crossover episode on Disney would be between A.N.T Farm and Shake it Up. During a performance break at Shake It Up Chicago; CeCe, Rocky and Ty are presented with an opportunity to create a spin off show documenting their process for the show with a big performance with them all at the ending. It would come with a guaranteed 3 seasons, press tours and a huge scholarship to go to their dream colleges for dance. However, this offer comes with a challenge: they must work with the Advanced Natural Talent program, (A.K.A the A.N.T Farm kids). Rocky and CeCe are hesitant at first knowing the A.N.T Farm kids are younger than them and have never been on a professional stage before. Regardless, they agree and within the next week, the kids arrive. Upon arrival; Chyna, Fletcher, and Olive are in awe of Shake It Up. They are greeted by the stage manager of the show who walks them through how the show should run and what they should expect. They then all sit down with their parents to fill out any paperwork needed and proceed onto a tour of the facility. They first stop at the backstage area, where all of the dressing rooms are. As they walk through, they are greeted by Ty, Rocky’s older brother. He introduces himself and once he finds out that Feltcher is a visual arts prodigy, he asks him if he would be interested in creating the artwork for their poster of their show. Fletcher is ecstatic and happily accepts the offer and stays to chat with Ty more about design ideas. As the group continues through the building they come across the camera rooms and get to see inside. They meet the camera operators and once they learn what duties they have, Olive is excited and thinks she could put her talents to use. A while later, the only one left in the group is Chyna. The tour has concluded and she feels at a loss and doesn’t think she has anywhere to showcase her talents because all of the music they use on Shake It Up is pre-recorded tracks. Feeling defeated, she sits on the front of the stage with her guitar and begins strumming. After a while, Rocky and CeCe approach her and compliments her musicality. Once they’ve sat talking with each other for a while and Chyna explains feeling displaced, they come up with an idea for the producers. Chyna could play a song live on the stage while the dancers perform, almost like a cypher. The three girls go present this idea and in no time they begin production. In the end, you see Chyna on stage with the dancers, Olive helps the production crew behind the scenes and Fletcher gets to see his art broadcasted live.