She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is one of the best reboots I’ve ever seen. I was suggested this show by a close friend when I was about 15 or 16. It was one of the best suggestions I’ve ever gotten. I loved every character in the show for different reasons. They felt real. They were just teens/young adults trying to save the world, making honest mistakes, and struggling with the traumas that such a task comes with. The main characters include Adora, Glimmer, Bow, and Catra. Their dynamic is so appealing. Adora is primarily the muscle of the group, due to her being She-ra. Her internal and external struggles all have to do with her identity. The entire show is about her finding out who she is in some type of way. She grew up in the Horde with her best friend Catra, where they learned that princesses are evil tyrants over the land of Etheria. But after meeting Bow and Glimmer, she realizes that the Horde is the villain after all and they’ve been lying to her for her entire life. And when Catra comes to retrieve her, she betrays the Horde, choosing to be on the Princesses’ side of the war after seeing a mass genocide of a civilian town. Catra then becomes our main villain, probably because she was in love with Adora but didn’t know how t0 express it because the Horde never taught them love. The entire show is set in a homonormative society, meaning that gayness isn’t made to be a spectacle. The creator of the show even went as far to tell their audience to assume everyone in the show is gay unless said to be otherwise. This is a complete juxtaposition to our heteronormative society, where everyone is assumed to be straight until told otherwise. This show helped me come to terms with my own sexuality. It was an important part of my journey because it was the first show where I saw homosexuality treated as a normality. I just love the representation it provided for me, because I’ve never grown up seeing that. I think She-ra and the Princesses of Power is a great show for introducing both children and adults to the LGBTQ+ community. The plot is amazing and engaging and doesn’t feel the need to emphasize the gayness. People just are themselves and love who they love. That’s it. And I appreciate that.

I would build a Barbie Dreamhouse in New York because it’s already a tourist attractive state. It would be upstate due to a house of such a fabulous caliber needing a more spacious region than the boroughs could provide. I would base my dream house on my favorite original Barbie movies from the early 2000s. All the rooms will be based on a different Barbie movie. Since my favorite Barbie movie is Barbie and the Diamond Castle, that will be the theme for my bedroom. It will be at the top of the stairs, which will be painted like the rainbow bridge Liana and Alexa rode when they solved the troll's riddle in the movie. It’ll have a motorized chair styled like a wicker basket so you can feel like Sparkles and Lilly when traveling across “the bridge”. Once upstairs and inside the bedroom, you will see a large heart-shaped vanity mirror above the dresser. This is a replica of the mirror Melody was trapped in. The wallpaper will be floral, having one side with pastel pink and orange flowers, and the other side of the room will be decorated with pastel purple and blue flowers to symbolize Liana and Alexa’s dresses. Moving on from the bedroom, the living room, dining room, and kitchen will be based on the Barbie Fairytopia trilogy. The walls will have sparkly paint with tiny painted wings all over them to resemble the fairies from Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the Rainbow. The couch will be pastel pink with fairy throw pillows. As a special little cameo, there will also be a Bibble plushy on the couch just to tie it all together. On the edges of the TV, I’ll have fake vines string along it. The coffee table will be a light aqua blue to match the fairy wings on the walls. As for the kitchen, it will be painted a darker aquamarine blue with different pastel mermaid tails painted across it. This is a representation of Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia. All the utensils will have seashell shapes at the base of them. And the kitchen counter will be rimmed with studded pearls. Finally, the dining room will be based on the original that started it all, Barbie Fairytopia. The table and chairs will be shaped like a giant pink flower, similar to the one Elina lives in. The circular yellow center will be the table and the open petals will be the chairs. The light fixture will be shaped like a flower as well. The wall will have little flower petals painted all over it. And of course, the rug will be shaped like a cute little flower as well. I think you get the gist. Everything in this house will be well-coordinated with the movies. The closet will resemble Barbie in a Fashion Fairytale and the cinema room will be based on Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse. So if you’re as obsessed with Barbie lore as I am, you should come visit my Barbie Dreamhouse someday.

I have been volunteering in my church for about 15 years. I grew up watching my parents constantly give back to our church. They consider it a second home and decided to raise me there. I then made my own decision to volunteer at about six years old. I would help in the children’s ministry, despite being a child myself. I would lead worship, assign seating, and help wherever I could be of assistance. I started officially training to be a junior staff member at eight years old and received my official badge at 11. A little before this, I went on my first mission trip at 10 years old. The age minimum of the trip was 14, but I was allowed to go with the accompaniment of my father. We traveled to Camden, New Jersey to help clean up and encourage the impoverished community there. During my time there, I collected bottles and trash off the street, painted benches, and taught step dancing to the underprivileged youth in the area with my church’s step team. I worked with my church and its outreach programs for six years until the pandemic. And now, I still volunteer at the church almost every week in order to maintain the relationships and stewardship I built as a child. Working with the church has provided me with an easy outlet to find people and communities I can help. I got to travel to different places around the country to extend a kindness and a love of community that some had not yet experienced. Outside the church, I was very busy in my summer camps and high school. From the ages of 6-14, I went to a performing arts summer camp. There, I built most of my confidence because I was performing and leading group dances with my fellow campers. When I got to high school, I started harnessing my desire to perform and lead. This desire peaked in my senior year when I performed in three separate productions and helped produce another. I volunteered for costume design, hair and makeup styling, and performing in all three productions. I was seen as a student advisor for each character’s look and wardrobe. I loved being given the opportunity to help other kids work towards their dreams of acting and performing while simultaneously working towards mine. I even have a mentee who is still in high school, acting and directing for our school productions in my place.

Passion and goals are the keys to a prosperous life. You always need to have something to work towards. Something that gets you out of bed every morning that you can strive for. Without a motivator in life, it feels pointless and dreary. Having nothing to look forward to makes you less likely to be happy in life. In extreme cases, a lack of passion and ambition can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Many people eat less, sleep less, and simply stop taking care of themselves because of their disappointment in life. They feel as though they have nothing to live for, making them lead unhealthy and unhappy lives. Passion inspires me. Doesn’t matter the type. Anyone who is driven and ambitious is immediately attractive in nature. Passionate people attract others to them. It seems to have a ripple effect. Everyone needs a sense of purpose in life to avoid an impending emptiness. Passion is a necessity in life, for it breeds happiness, ambition, and success.

Growing up, I wasn't listened to as much as I should've been. I was constantly cut off, ignored, overlooked, and disrespected. I didn't feel like what I had to say was important to anyone. It took me a long time to realize that what I have to say in this world is very important. Not just important for me, but for everyone who is like me. As a little black girl, I wasn’t protected or defended from common things we experience, such as fetishization and adultification. Not even my own parents protected me. In fact, they were sometimes the perpetrators of said offenses. I never wanted anyone to experience anything similar. So I made it a priority to have the difficult conversations and to challenge homophobic, racist, and sexist ideals whenever I needed to. When I achieve my life goals as an actress, I’m going to continue to do the same thing. I want to be a voice for Black LGBTQIA+ women everywhere. I want to speak for people that are too vulnerable or too young to do so. I never had someone to do this for me, but I want nothing more than to do it for someone else.

I always want to make someone feel special. I don't want anyone to feel as though they have no one there. The people in my life are important to me. They are never a burden to me. I want them to know that. I don't always have too much to give. I'm not rich or very prosperous at the moment, but I would give my friends anything I had if they needed it. Especially since they have always done the same for me. I have friends that I've grown up with. I've probably spent thousands on them, whether that be food, clothes, gifts, or just money I wouldn't allow them to pay me back. I have no regrets because I know they would do the same if they could, and if they can't, I love them enough to do it anyway. Giving is necessary in friendship and in love. And that can be the giving of money, necessities, or simply time. Growing up, I constantly found myself in spaces where time isn't allowed to me, especially within my own household. It made me feel as though what I had to say was never important enough. I never want anyone to feel like that around me. I give as much of myself as I can to someone to save them the same pain that I never wanted to experience myself. I want them to know they're not alone as they go through life, which is the best encouragement I could offer.

In the future, I see myself accomplishing all my childhood goals and dreams. I'll be the person that three-year-old me could barely imagine. I'll have a rising singing career as an R&B artist and a lyricist. I want to be a voice actress for a Disney movie and play the main villain. I've also been writing since last year. It's about my teenage life from age 14 to around 18. During these years, I've made a lot of personal self discoveries that determined many decisions for my future. I want to share my story with the people who support me. This show will give me the opportunity to showcase who I am to the world. They'll be able to see what trials and tribulations led me to the person and to the path I'm on today. I've been able to create characters people relate to and love. I've written songs and poems that people can cry to and sing along with. I've been able to meet some very talented people in my life, and I can't wait to go into a field where that's all I'll see. Their art is the catalyst for mine. I want to do the same for someone else. As a celebrity myself, I want to be the representation that I didn't really get to see growing up. I want to be a Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ woman in mainstream media. So far, I'm simply setting the foundation for these goals. I'm still writing my show, songs, and poems. I'm going to college for acting, media, journalism, and film with a TV and Film concentration. I'm constantly creating and progressing. I know I'll be ready once presented with the opportunity to pursue my dreams.

Reading is my escape from realism. I don't get many opportunities to do so, but when I do, it's amazing. I incorporate myself into the story. I usually read science fiction or fantasy books that contain about 500 pages. I’m consistently entering new, magical, technologically advanced worlds that give me the space to get out of my head and step into my imagination. I have chronic anxiety. There are very few times in my life where there’s not multiple little versions of myself yelling at me in my head about everything I’m doing. But when I’m reading and truly relaxing, everything and everyone running around in there finally shuts up. I’m too invested in a world that isn’t my own. I fully allow my brain to spend its time trying to comprehend what I’m reading and its nuances to our world. Sometimes you reach what’s realest by making believe. My realest sense of peace is from a “reality” that lies in a book.

I always want to make someone feel special. I don't want anyone to feel as though they have no one there. The people in my life are important to me. They are never a burden to me. I want them to know that. I don't always have too much to give. I'm not rich or very prosperous at the moment, but I would give my friends anything I had if they needed it. Especially since they have always done the same for me. I have friends that I've grown up with. I've probably spent thousands on them, whether that be food, clothes, gifts, or just money I wouldn't allow them to pay me back. I have no regrets because I know they would do the same if they could, and if they can't, I love them enough to do it anyway. Giving is necessary in friendship and in love. And that can be the giving of money, necessities, or simply time. Growing up, I constantly found myself in spaces where time isn't allowed to me, especially within my own household. It made me feel as though what I had to say was never important enough. I never want anyone to feel like that around me. I give as much of myself as I can to someone to save them the same pain that I never wanted to experience myself.

I am obsessed with Disney. And apparently, so was my mother, being that I was named after a Disney character. I love looking into the movies and finding the minor Easter eggs or watching theories on YouTube. My clothes, room decor, and even books are made up of Disney. I have collections of plushies and figurines, some of which are called Tsums Tsums. They are my favorite collection because they are tiny, stackable, and can be made into little designs. They are so cute and neatly adorn my desk. I also have a DVD collection of Disney movies. I can make quotes and references to almost all of them. I can even slip into entire monologues, especially ones from villains. I've used multiple of them for auditions. I love everything about the universes created and how intricately detailed they tend to be. Disney is an integral part of my life and even my career. It’s how I discovered my love of acting, whether vocal or visual. My dreams are somewhat contingent on the movies and shows I grew up on. Disney is my biggest creative inspiration, giving me both songs and shows to admire and aspire towards. Being a part of a Disney production in any form, whether it be writing, singing, dancing, or acting, is a long term goal.

In the future, I see myself accomplishing all my childhood goals and dreams. I'm the person that three year old me could barely imagine. I have a rising singing career. I'm an R&B artist and a lyricist. Mostly, I've written for myself but I've also written songs in the genre of pop and contributed lyrics to a few musicals as well. My first album is coming out next year. I've just starred in my third movie, this time playing the lead role. I'm currently a voice actress for the newest Disney movie coming out, playing the main villain. And the production of the show I've been writing since I was 17 has just started. It's about my teenage life from age 14 to around 18. It's mainly focused on my high school experience. I may even write a spin-off about my college years if the show does well. During my teenage years, I made a lot of personal self discoveries. I want to share my story with the people who support me. This show will give me the opportunity to showcase who I am to the world. They'll be able to see the trials and tribulations that led me to the person and to the path I'm on today. I feel at home with the taxing career I've chosen. It hasn't been perfect. There have been rejections and stressful auditions. There's been mean directors and minor roles. But I love the life God has blessed me with. I've been able to create characters people relate to and love. I've written songs and poems that people can cry to and sing along with. I've been able to meet and work with some of my favorite celebrities. I got to tell them how much of an inspiration they were to me and how they changed my life. Their art was the catalyst for mine. I want to do the same for someone else.

Creative Arts has been my life goal since I was three years old. It allows me to be creative with a certain character while providing a specific inflection to portray a particular emotion. I live in other people's creative worlds. I'm not confined within my own existence, at least not mentally. I love to reside in the depths of a creator's imagination through books, animated television shows, and movies. Unfortunately, their creations aren't always readily available, but my imagination is. So I began to create my own escapes from our occasionally drab reality. I started writing my first story at 14 a little before freshman year. I was already writing poems and songs prior to this, as well as singing, dancing, and acting. I'm an only child, so I didn't have anyone in my home to fill up the spaces my parents couldn't. I filled them myself. I've known what I've wanted to do and who I've wanted to be from a young age and have been working toward becoming that person ever since. I recognized and harnessed my talents and passions to the point that I wasn't able to decide on just one thing I wanted to do in my career. Acting provided a means to escape realism in my life. My major just brings me closer to that than ever before. The freedom of the theater brings me closer to my life goal. My future career requires me to be bold and confident. I either have to cascade across the stage in giant swirls and spins or arrogantly saunter between the aisles of the audience. I love the feeling of immersing myself into a character. I always want to improve and be better. This was the childhood dream that never left me.

Teraji P. Henson has been one of my favorite actresses since I first saw her in Karate Kid 2010. I thought she was beautiful and funny and comforting to watch. That feeling never subsided as I continued to watch her. In later years, I got to experience more of her works with new characters. She was never a type cast, which is difficult as black woman in the film industry. I got to see her in comedies, in serious roles, and even in animated movies. She had such a brilliant range of acting skills and prowess. I found myself in awe of her in the movie Acrimony. She was gorgeous and intelligent and the delivery of her lines was so powerful. They didn't make her character just another angry black woman, but made her a rightfully vengeful, emotionally complex, well written character. She was characterized with a burden of scorn and she portrayed it so well. I felt every gut wrenching cry and stiff-lipped line she allowed to scrape the bottom of her teeth. Even her facial expressions sent chills down my spine. She is awe inspiring and I believe she is partially to blame for the theatrical person I have become today. Meeting her would be a dream. And acting with her is a goal. Being an actress involves so much more than just acting. If you are successful, people will want to know who and what you stand for. My life has been composed of social issues because I fit into multiple minority groups in America. I started reading and studying them for about 8 years now. I grew up in a black Christian household, so I didn’t get much positive exposure or information about the LGBTQIA+ community until I researched on my own. And my catalyst for that research was my friends. One of them had come out to me and I had no idea how it was possible for them to like the same gender or be so comfortable with it. I was completely ignorant and wanted to know as much as possible so I could be a better friend. I didn’t want them to feel ostracized or alone because they experienced love differently. So I made it a goal to learn more. I started to defend them and the entire community when my parents challenged their sexuality. I read articles and found books to better understand someone who I thought was different. Turns out I was also discovering my own identity in the process but that realization wouldn't come until later. And ever since then, I became obsessed. Obsessed with protecting and defending different minority groups who needed it. As a little black girl, I wasn’t protected or defended from common things we experience, such as fetishization and adultification. Not even my own parents protected me. In fact, they were sometimes the perpetrators of said offenses. I never wanted anyone to experience anything similar. So I made it a priority to have the difficult conversations and to challenge homophobic, racist, and sexist ideals whenever I needed to. When I achieve my life goals as an actress, I’m going to continue to do the same thing. I want to be a voice for Black LGBTQIA+ women everywhere. I want to speak for people that are too vulnerable or too young to do so. I never had someone to do this for me, but I want nothing more than to do it for someone else.

I'm currently in Social Issues Club. My passion for social issues didn't take much time to trigger. As a Black, LGBTQ+ woman, there are too many reasons for society to be against me. I felt that if I didn't speak up for myself no one else would. So I started in my household. I was being oversexualized due to the shape of my body and had to argue with my parents for about two years. It took far too many mental breakdowns and painful arguments for them to finally realize that their words of "protection" were causing more harm than good. And in the midst of this fight, I came out as bi/omnisexual in a Christian household with parents born in the 70's. I had to switch the roles in my household and teach my parents about a new, more accepting world that they were unfamiliar to. To be fair, I don't feel as though their willingness to learn of it was as prevalent as mine growing up, but I still led the conversation. And in regards to being Black, I didn’t need to grow into the oppression that stems from it. I had to develop a body for it to be demonized. I had to learn I was gay in order to come out. But I've always been visibly black. I was experiencing racism before I even knew what it was. I was threatened to be lynched at age nine, told I couldn't be seen with the lights off at twelve, and was "pretty for black girl" at fourteen. These were my catalysts for wanting to fight for others. I never wanted anyone to experience the same trauma as I did without someone to speak with them. I didn't have a someone, but I'm proud to be someone else's. As an actress and performer, I'd be able to have an impact on people's lives through my work. I'd be in the public eye and would have a platform to speak on the issues of my and others' communities. And as a writer, I would be able to incorporate a cause into each of my works. All my main characters will be BIPOC. I might even make them LGBTQ+. There are many complaints about the gay agenda, but that’s too bad. Straight media and representation have been in our faces and shoved down our throats for all of entertainment history. It’s time to see new, different types of people on our screens.

The most inspiring book I've read was Cinder, the first installment of the Lunar Chronicles series. Written by Marissa Meyer, we follow the journey of Linn Cinder in a dystopian future where cyborgs are the oppressed group among people. "Cinder" takes elements from the classic story and intertwines it with magic, technology, adventure, disease, and political affairs of two worlds we have no experience with. Cinder still has an evil stepmother and two stepsisters, one of which is meaner than the other. Her stepmother diminishes her because she is the cyborg that her father adopted when she was 11. She has no memory of who or how she was prior to this age. She can no longer cry, is made primarily of metal, and can’t blush, for the blood doesn’t flow freely to her cheeks. Despite her physical and emotional dehumanization, she still fights for the kingdom of which has wronged her and people like her. The kingdom of the Commonwealth has been using cyborgs to test cures for the international disease of letumosis. A lot of what Cinder goes through reminds me of what many people of different races and backgrounds have as well. She has a story of abuse, “racism”, discrimination, and heroism. And in the end, we find out that she is a princess and destined for a greater purpose in her two worlds. I think that is true for many of us, despite our background and how we are treated because of it.

I am obsessed with Disney. And apparently, so was my mother, being that I was named after a Disney character. I love looking into the movies and finding the minor Easter eggs or watching theories on YouTube. My clothes, room decor, and even books are made up of Disney. I have collections of plushies and figurines, some of which are called Tsums Tsums. They are my favorite collection because they are tiny, stackable, and can be made into little designs. They are so cute and neatly adorn my desk. I also have a DVD collection of Disney movies. I can make quotes and references to almost all of them. I can even slip into entire monologues, especially ones from villains. I've used multiple of them for auditions. I love everything about the universes created and how intricately detailed they tend to be. Disney is an integral part of my life and even my career. It’s how I discovered my love of acting, whether vocal or visual. My dreams are somewhat contingent on the movies and shows I grew up on. Disney is my biggest creative inspiration, giving me both songs and shows to admire and aspire towards. Being a part of a Disney production in any form, whether it be writing, singing, dancing, or acting, is a long term goal.

I'm currently in Social Issues Club. My passion for social issues didn't take much time to trigger. As a Black, LGBTQ+ woman, there are too many reasons for society to be against me. I felt that if I didn't speak up for myself no one else would. So I started in my household. I was being oversexualized due to the shape of my body and had to argue with my parents for about two years. It took far too many mental breakdowns and painful arguments for them to finally realize that their words of "protection" were causing more harm than good. And in the midst of this fight, I came out as bi/omnisexual in a Christian household with parents born in the 70's. I had to switch the roles in my household and teach my parents about a new, more accepting world that they were unfamiliar with. And in regards to being Black, I didn’t need to grow into the oppression that stems from it. I had to develop a body for it to be demonized. I had to learn I was gay in order to come out. But I've always been visibly black. I was experiencing racism before I even knew what it was. I was threatened to be lynched at age nine, told I couldn't be seen with the lights off at twelve, and was "pretty for black girl" at fourteen. These were my catalysts for wanting to fight for others. I never wanted anyone to experience the same trauma as I did without someone to speak with them. I didn't have a someone, but I'm proud to be someone else's. As an actress and performer, I'd be able to have an impact on people's lives through my work.

I'm currently in Social Issues Club. My passion for social issues didn't take much time to trigger. As a Black, LGBTQ+ woman, there are too many reasons for society to be against me. I felt that if I didn't speak up for myself no one else would. So I started in my household. I was being oversexualized due to the shape of my body and had to argue with my parents for about two years. It took far too many mental breakdowns and painful arguments for them to finally realize that their words of "protection" were causing more harm than good. And in the midst of this fight, I came out as bi/omnisexual in a Christian household with parents born in the 70's. I had to switch the roles in my household and teach my parents about a new, more accepting world that they were unfamiliar to. To be fair, I don't feel as though their willingness to learn of it was as prevalent as mine growing up, but I still led the conversation. And in regards to being Black, I didn’t need to grow into the oppression that stems from it. I had to develop a body for it to be demonized. I had to learn I was gay in order to come out. But I've always been visibly black. I was experiencing racism before I even knew what it was. I was threatened to be lynched at age nine, told I couldn't be seen with the lights off at twelve, and was "pretty for black girl" at fourteen. These were my catalysts for wanting to fight for others. I never wanted anyone to experience the same trauma as I did without someone to speak with them. I didn't have a someone, but I'm proud to be someone else's. As an actress and performer, I'd be able to have an impact on people's lives through my work. I'd be in the public eye and would have a platform to speak on the issues of my and others' communities. And as a writer, I would be able to incorporate a cause into each of my works. All my main characters will be BIPOC. I might even make them LGBTQ+. There are many complaints about the gay agenda, but that’s too bad. Straight media and representation have been in our faces and shoved down our throats for all of entertainment history. It’s time to see new, different types of people on our screens. During my senior year, I have been busy with a part-time job in retail, three school productions including a musical and a two hour play, and college applications. I’ve also celebrated my 18th birthday, visited three colleges, and have been taking four college classes. Life has been busy; and I still have so many events to come, including prom and graduation. Yet it's so rewarding. During a certain time in the year, my job created complications with my schedule. I was even concerned about getting fired due to my schedule booking up during the musical season. I had auditions at this time and was constantly traveling in and out of town. It was a very stressful point in the year, especially since I was on the production team for the musical as well as a minor lead role. But despite the difficulties, I loved everything I did for the show, my auditions, and even my job, which I am still working at now.

When I create a platform and name for myself, whether through acting, singing, or writing, I want to be the representation of LGBTQ+ black women everywhere. I never saw that growing up. I saw the show that helped me discover my sexuality at 16. She-ra and the Princesses of Power is based in a homonormative society with a diverse display of skin tones, body types, and sexualities. The creator said to assume that anyone not confirmed straight, is gay. Our heteronormative society is the exact opposite. Everyone is immediately assumed to be straight and cis. I finally got to see LGBTQ+ BIPOC people in a show. I came out to a few of my friends, and myself, about three months later. I want to do that for someone. I want a young black person to see me in something they really love and maybe discover themselves or just be content seeing someone different on the screen. I want to advocate and represent the underrepresented. The obscene, overlooked people lost within our heteronormative, cis, white, male society. I’m going to become the representation I needed when I was younger. In 2016, my dad was in a car accident. He ended up needing 3 different surgeries on his back and neck. He was home for months after that, seeming to have lost all his passion and drive to continue. He was bitter and grumpy almost everyday, which was never how he was prior to the accident. My dad is now handicapped. He needs a cane and can't stand or walk for longer than about 30-40 minutes. The driver that hit him was drunk. My dad is doing better now but now will spend the rest of his life as a handicapped person. He was only 45 when he got hit. I had to watch at 1 one in the morning as my dad was placed into an ambulance and driven off. My mother practically shoved me in the car and drove behind the ambulance with a fever that I've never seen in her before. The drunk people just watched as we drove off,. I had hoped they caught my glares despite the darkness of the night. They were young. they seemed to have no idea of the gravity of what they had done. I didn't understand either, I was only 12. I assumed my dad would just bounce back and be okay. But this whole incident changed both our lives. He was traumatized. And I had to grow up with a changed man due to someone's reckless behavior.

I'm currently in Social Issues Club. My passion for social issues didn't take much time to trigger. As a Black, LGBTQ+ woman, there are too many reasons for society to be against me. I felt that if I didn't speak up for myself no one else would. So I started in my household. I was being oversexualized due to the shape of my body and had to argue with my parents for about two years. It took far too many mental breakdowns and painful arguments for them to finally realize that their words of "protection" were causing more harm than good. And in the midst of this fight, I came out as bi/omnisexual in a Christian household with parents born in the 70's. I had to switch the roles in my household and teach my parents about a new, more accepting world that they were unfamiliar to. To be fair, I don't feel as though their willingness to learn of it was as prevalent as mine growing up, but I still led the conversation. And in regards to being Black, I didn’t need to grow into the oppression that stems from it. I had to develop a body for it to be demonized. I had to learn I was gay in order to come out. But I've always been visibly black. I was experiencing racism before I even knew what it was. I was threatened to be lynched at age nine, told I couldn't be seen with the lights off at twelve, and was "pretty for black girl" at fourteen. These were my catalysts for wanting to fight for others. I never wanted anyone to experience the same trauma as I did without someone to speak with them. I didn't have a someone, but I'm proud to be someone else's. As an actress and performer, I'd be able to have an impact on people's lives through my work. I'd be in the public eye and would have a platform to speak on the issues of my and others' communities. And as a writer, I would be able to incorporate a cause into each of my works. All my main characters will be BIPOC. I might even make them LGBTQ+. There are many complaints about the gay agenda, but that’s too bad. Straight media and representation have been in our faces and shoved down our throats for all of entertainment history. It’s time to see new, different types of people on our screens.

I always want to make someone feel special. I don't want anyone to feel as though they have no one there. The people in my life are important to me. They are never a burden to me. I want them to know that. I don't always have too much to give. I'm not rich or very prosperous at the moment, but I would give my friends anything I had if they needed it. Especially since they have always done the same for me. I have friends that I've grown up with. I've probably spent thousands on them, whether that be food, clothes, gifts, or just money I wouldn't allow them to pay me back. I have no regrets because I know they would do the same if they could, and if they can't, I love them enough to do it anyway. Giving is necessary in friendship and in love. And that can be the giving of money, necessities, or simply time. Growing up, I constantly found myself in spaces where time isn't allowed to me, especially within my own household. It made me feel as though what I had to say was never important enough. I never want anyone to feel like that around me. I give as much of myself as I can to someone to save them the same pain that I never wanted to experience myself.

I always want to make someone feel special. I don't want anyone to feel as though they have no one there. The people in my life are important to me. They are never a burden to me. I want them to know that. I don't always have too much to give. I'm not rich or very prosperous at the moment, but I would give my friends anything I had if they needed it. Especially since they have always done the same for me. I have friends that I've grown up with. I've probably spent thousands on them, whether that be food, clothes, gifts, or just money I wouldn't allow them to pay me back. I have no regrets because I know they would do the same if they could, and if they can't, I love them enough to do it anyway. Giving is necessary in friendship and in love. And that can be the giving of money, necessities, or simply time. Growing up, I constantly found myself in spaces where time isn't allowed to me, especially within my own household. It made me feel as though what I had to say was never important enough. I never want anyone to feel like that around me. I give as much of myself as I can to someone to save them the same pain that I never wanted to experience myself.

In the future, I see myself accomplishing all my childhood goals and dreams. I have a rising singing career. I'm an R&B artist and a lyricist. My first album is coming out next year. I've just starred in my third movie, this time playing the lead role. I'm a voice actress for the newest Disney movie coming out, playing the main villain. And the production of the show I began writing at 17 has just started. It takes place during my teenage years, when I made a lot of personal self discoveries. This show will give me the opportunity to showcase who I am to the world. They'll be able to see what trials and tribulations led me to the person and to the path I'm on today. I've been able to create characters people relate to and love. I've written songs and poems that people can cry to and sing along with. I've been able to meet and work with some of my favorite celebrities. I got to tell them how much of an inspiration they were to me and how they changed my life. Their art was the catalyst for mine. I want to do the same for someone else. As a celebrity myself, I want to be the representation that I didn't get to see growing up. I'm a Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ woman in mainstream media. I'm on screen as more than just the sassy and rude Black best friend or the random LGBTQ+ person they have up stage right. I am going to play the main characters. Maybe I'll play a superhero or a villain. Anything that shows that we are not simply a type cast for when Hollywood needs a neck roll and long acrylics.

When I create a platform and name for myself, whether through acting, singing, or writing, I want to be the representation of LGBTQ+ black women everywhere. I never saw that growing up. I saw the show that helped me discover my sexuality at 16. She-ra and the Princesses of Power is based in a homonormative society with a diverse display of skin tones, body types, and sexualities. The creator said to assume that anyone not confirmed straight, is gay. Our heteronormative society is the exact opposite. Everyone is immediately assumed to be straight and cis. I finally got to see LGBTQ+ BIPOC people in a show. I came out to a few of my friends, and myself, about three months later. I want to do that for someone. I want a young black person to see me in something they really love and maybe discover themselves or just be content seeing someone different on the screen. I want to advocate and represent the underrepresented. The obscene, overlooked people lost within our heteronormative, cis, white, male society. I’m going to become the representation I needed when I was younger.

When I create a platform and name for myself, whether through acting, singing, or writing, I want to be the representation of LGBTQ+ black women everywhere. I never saw that growing up. I watched the show that helped me discover my sexuality at 16. She-ra and the Princesses of Power is based in a homonormative society with a diverse display of skin tones, body types, and sexualities. The creator said to assume that anyone not confirmed straight, is queer. Our heteronormative society is the exact opposite. Everyone is immediately assumed to be straight and cis. I finally got to see LGBTQ+ BIPOC people in a show as main characters without tropes and stereotypes. It was so confirming and validating to me and I didn't even know why yet. I came out to a few of my friends, and myself, about three months later. I want to do that for someone. I want a young black person to see me in something they really love and maybe discover themselves or just be content seeing someone different on the screen. I want to advocate and represent the underrepresented. The obscene, overlooked people lost within our heteronormative, cis, white, male society. I’m going to become the representation I needed when I was younger.

Passion and goals are the keys to a prosperous life. You always need to have something to work towards. Something that gets you out of bed every morning that you can strive for. Without a motivator in life, it feels pointless and dreary. Having nothing to look forward to makes you less likely to be happy in life. In extreme cases, a lack of passion and ambition can lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Many people eat less, sleep less, and simply stop taking care of themselves because of their disappointment in life, they feel as thought they have nothing to live for, making them lead unhealthy and unhappy lives. Passion inspires me. Doesn’t matter the type. Anyone who is driven and ambitious is immediately attractive in nature. Passionate people attract others to them. It seems to have a ripple effect. Everyone needs a sense of purpose in life to avoid an impending emptiness. Passion is a necessity in life, for it breeds happiness, ambition, and success.

It took me a long time to develop a true sense of confidence, whether that was in my body, my looks, my talent, or in myself as a person. My career path in performing arts requires me to be confident, but it was a struggle. In freshman and sophomore year, I didn’t audition for any of my high school’s shows despite how much I wanted to continue acting in school. I had terrible anxiety and no confidence in my ability. It was hard to watch myself become a shell of the confident, dynamic child I had been only a few years prior. And once I finally developed a new level of confidence in junior year, I was all virtual. it felt like all the building and growing I had done over the summer was for naught. I decided my senior year was my time to show up and show out. And it was the best decision I could have made. I’ve been in three shows this year. I was acting, singing, and dancing while also being on the production team. I did costume design for 12 Angry Jurors, and makeup and hair for my school’s production of The Little Mermaid. Me gaining confidence in myself made auditions easier, my future more exciting, and me happier overall. I still have a little work to do in regards to confidence in my body due to past traumas, but I’ve healed so much. It’s beautiful to see my own growth of confidence and happiness.

I'm currently in Social Issues Club. I joined my junior where I needed as much support I could. I was isolated and stuck in my house, watching as black bodies etched into fresh pavement. My passion for social issues didn't take much time to trigger. As a Black, LGBTQ+ woman, there are too many reasons for society to be against me. I felt that if I didn't speak up for myself no one else would. So I started in my household. I was being oversexualized due to the shape of my body and had to argue with my parents for about two years. It took far too many mental breakdowns and painful arguments for them to finally realize that their words of "protection" were causing more harm than good. And in the midst of this fight, I came out as bi/omnisexual in a Christian household with parents born in the 70's. And in regards to being Black, I didn’t need to grow into the oppression that stems from it. I had to develop a body for it to be demonized. I had to learn I was gay in order to come out. But I've always been visibly black. I was experiencing racism before I even knew what it was. I was threatened to be lynched at age nine, told I couldn't be seen with the lights off at twelve, and was "pretty for black girl" at fourteen. These were my catalysts for wanting to fight for others. I never wanted anyone to experience the same trauma as I did without someone to speak with them. I didn't have a someone, but I'm proud to be someone else's. As an actress and performer, I'd be able to have an impact on people's lives through my work. I'd be in the public eye and would have a platform to speak on the issues of my and others' communities. And as a writer, I would be able to incorporate a cause into each of my works. All my main characters will be BIPOC. I might even make them LGBTQ+. There are many complaints about the gay agenda, but that’s too bad. Straight media and representation have been in our faces and shoved down our throats for all of entertainment history. It’s time to see new, different types of people on our screens. All these topics, and more, are spoken of in Social Issues Club. It became my space to exist amongst different and similar people. I want to continue my advocacy in college. I either want to join or start a club such as this where we discuss personal opinions about social issues with varying groups of people. Maybe the people I meet in college can discover a passion the same way I did.

My growth mindset is set in passion. Passion inspires me. Doesn’t matter the type. Anyone who is driven and ambitious is immediately attractive in nature. Whether platonically or romantically, I always find ambitious people to be the ones I want to surround myself with. They further drive an encourage me to be passionate about my dreams. This allows for growth in my own self. It’s a common expression to never be the smartest in the room because there will be no one to challenge you or build your intelligence. I feel that is applicable to passion as well. I can’t be around people who don’t have some type of dream. If they don’t care enough about their own life and what progressions they will make in the future then they won’t care enough about mine. Watching someone dream and work towards it is beautiful. It encourages me to do more towards my dreams. I can’t be the most passionate person in my circle. I would never thrive or grow.

Being patient is an everyday thing for me. As the most temperate and understanding person in my household, I’ve been forced to learn to be as patient as possible, even when I’m not offered that same grace in return. It’s difficult having to teach my parents something they should be teaching me. They feel as though they are losing me and are trying to exercise their authority over me, but it feels more like control. They try to control how I act and think and what I do for things that should be left up to me. My parents are hard to talk to because of their lack of patience. It always feels as though they don’t care what I have to say. This lack of patience for me is only encouraged by their belief that because I’m in their house, under their roof, that I am to obey everything without question or objection. I feel trapped. Without patience, I wouldn’t still be trying to mend the relationship with my parents that was broken by their lack of it.

I believe friendships should be long lasting in order for a foundation of trust and time to be created. I grew up with most of my current friends since before the age of 10. It's insane how we all have each other grow up into young adults about to head off to college when it feels like we were just running around at recess in 5th grade. I've experienced more than half my life with some of these people. And I couldn't ask for a better group of friends. some of them have saved my life. There was a point and time where I didn't want to be here anymore due to complications with my family, over-sexualization by my parents, and the realization of my sexuality. My best friend would stay up late at night, talking me through anxiety attacks and flare ups, learning my triggers and what can pull me out of that state. She truly saved me from doing many harmful things towards myself because of the current difficulties in my life. Without that friendship I wouldn't be who I am today, let alone be here to write this right now. Friendships are vital. Friends are your chosen family and can become even closer than those who share your blood. They are valuable, precious, and each bond is unique and irreplaceable.

It took me a long time to develop a true sense of confidence, whether that was in my body, my looks, my talent, or in myself as a person. My career path in performing arts requires me to be confident, but it was a struggle. In freshman and sophomore year, I didn’t audition for any of my high school’s shows despite how much I wanted to continue acting in school. I had terrible anxiety and no confidence in my ability. And once I finally developed some level of confidence in junior year, I was all virtual. I decided my senior year was my time to show up and show out. And it was the best decision I could have made. I’ve been in three shows this year. I was acting, singing, and dancing while also being on the production team. Me gaining confidence in myself made auditions easier, my future more exciting, and made me happier overall. I still have a little work to do in regards to confidence in my body due to past traumas, but I’ve healed so much. Performing, despite being a cause for my anxiety, was also the cure. I found myself being more sure of myself whenever I was going to perform, not matter how nervous I was. It’s beautiful to see my own growth of confidence and happiness. Creative Arts has been my life goal since I was three years old. It allows me to be creative with a certain character while providing a specific inflection to portray a particular emotion. I live in other people's creative worlds. I'm not confined within my own existence, at least not mentally. I love to reside in the depths of a creator's imagination through books, animated television shows, and movies. Unfortunately, their creations aren't always readily available, but my imagination is. So I began to create my own escapes from our occasionally drab reality. I started writing my first story at 14 a little before freshman year. I was already writing poems and songs prior to this, as well as singing, dancing, and acting. I'm an only child, so I didn't have anyone in my home to fill up the spaces my parents couldn't. I filled them myself. I've known what I've wanted to do and who I've wanted to be from a young age and have been working toward becoming that person ever since. Having anxiety made that so much more difficult, but it also made my story even more important. I want people to see me, especially performers or creators with anxiety, to know that they can do it despite the difficulty. Acting provided a means to escape realism in my life. that escape was also my escape from the anxiety flares and attacks I would experience. Performing has saved me a lot of pain and even regret. My future career requires me to be bold and confident. I either have to cascade across the stage in giant swirls and spins or arrogantly saunter between the aisles of the audience. I love the feeling of immersing myself into a character. I always want to improve and be better. This was the childhood dream that never left me. I won't let my anxiety hinder me from that.

Creative Arts has been my life goal since I was three years old. It allows me to be creative with a certain character while providing a specific inflection to portray a particular emotion. I live in other people's creative worlds. I'm not confined within my own existence, at least not mentally. I love to reside in the depths of a creator's imagination through books, animated television shows, and movies. Unfortunately, their creations aren't always readily available, but my imagination is. So I began to create my own escapes from our occasionally drab reality. I started writing my first story at 14 in freshman year. I was already writing poems and songs prior to this, as well as singing, dancing, and acting. I'm an only child, so I didn't have anyone in my home to fill up the spaces my parents couldn't. I filled them myself. I've known what I've wanted to do and who I've wanted to be from a young age and have been working toward becoming that person ever since. I recognized and harnessed my talents and passions to the point that I wasn't able to decide on just one thing I wanted to do in my career. Acting provided a means to escape realism in my life. My major just brings me closer to that than ever before. My future career requires me to be bold and confident. I either have to cascade across the stage in giant swirls and spins or arrogantly saunter between the aisles of the audience. I love the feeling of immersing myself into a character. I always want to improve. This was the childhood dream that never left me. In the future, I see myself accomplishing all my childhood goals and dreams. I'm the person that three year old me could barely imagine. I have a rising singing career. I'm an R&B artist and a lyricist. Mostly, I've written for myself but I've also written songs in the genre of pop and contributed lyrics to a few musicals as well. My first album is coming out next year. I've just starred in my third movie, this time playing the lead role. I'm currently a voice actress for the newest Disney movie coming out, playing the main villain. And the production of the show I've been writing since I was 17 has just started. It's about my teenage life from age 14 to around 18. It's mainly focused on my high school experience. I may even write a spin-off about my college years if the show does well. During my teenage years, I made a lot of personal self discoveries. I want to share my story with the people who support me. This show will give me the opportunity to showcase who I am to the world. They'll be able to see the trials and tribulations that led me to the person and to the path I'm on today. I feel at home with the taxing career I've chosen. It hasn't been perfect. There have been rejections and stressful auditions. There's been mean directors and minor roles. But I love the life God has blessed me with. I've been able to create characters people relate to and love. I've written songs and poems that people can cry to and sing along with. I've been able to meet and work with some of my favorite celebrities. I got to tell them how much of an inspiration they were to me and how they changed my life. Their art was the catalyst for mine. I want to do the same for someone else.

I am obsessed with Disney. I was named after a Disney character which ended up being perfect for me. I love looking into the movies and finding the minor Easter eggs or watching theories on YouTube. My clothes, room decor, and even books are made up of Disney. I have collections of plushies and figurines, some of which are called Tsums Tsums. They are my favorite collection because they are tiny, stackable, and can be made into little designs. They are so cute and neatly adorn my desk. I also have a DVD collection of Disney movies. There are so many of them that I can quote. I can think up a Tangled or Hercules quote without even trying. I can slip into entire monologues, especially ones from villains. I love everything about the universes created and how intricately detailed they tend to be. Disney is an integral part of my life and even my career. It’s how I discovered my love of acting, whether vocal or visual. Absolutely nothing makes me happier than a good Disney sing-along with friends and family.

Creative Arts has been my life goal since I was three years old. It allows me to be creative with a certain character while providing a specific inflection to portray a particular emotion. I live in other people's creative worlds. I'm not confined within my own existence, at least not mentally. I love to reside in the depths of a creator's imagination through books, animated television shows, and movies. Unfortunately, their creations aren't always readily available, but my imagination is. So I began to create my own escapes from our occasionally drab reality. I started writing my first story at 14 a little before freshman year. I was already writing poems and songs prior to this, as well as singing, dancing, and acting. I'm an only child, so I didn't have anyone in my home to fill up the spaces my parents couldn't. I filled them myself. I've known what I've wanted to do and who I've wanted to be from a young age and have been working toward becoming that person ever since. I recognized and harnessed my talents and passions to the point that I wasn't able to decide on just one thing I wanted to do in my career. Acting provided a means to escape realism in my life. My major just brings me closer to that than ever before. The freedom of the theater brings me closer to my life goal. I love the feeling of immersing myself into a character. I always want to improve and be better. This was the childhood dream that never left me.In the future, I see myself accomplishing all my childhood goals and dreams. I'm the person that three year old me could barely imagine. I have a rising singing career. I'm an R&B artist and a lyricist. Mostly, I've written for myself but I've also written songs in the genre of pop and contributed lyrics to a few musicals as well. My first album is coming out next year. I've just starred in my third movie, this time playing the lead role. I'm currently a voice actress for the newest Disney movie coming out, playing the main villain. And the production of the show I've been writing since I was 17 has just started. It's about my teenage life from age 14 to around 18. It's mainly focused on my high school experience. I may even write a spin-off about my college years if the show does well. During my teenage years, I made a lot of personal self discoveries. I want to share my story with the people who support me. This show will give me the opportunity to showcase who I am to the world. They'll be able to see the trials and tribulations that led me to the person and to the path I'm on today. I feel at home with the taxing career I've chosen. It hasn't been perfect. There have been rejections and stressful auditions. There's been mean directors and minor roles. But I love the life God has blessed me with. I've been able to create characters people relate to and love. I've written songs and poems that people can cry to and sing along with. I've been able to meet and work with some of my favorite celebrities. I got to tell them how much of an inspiration they were to me and how they changed my life. Their art was the catalyst for mine. I want to do the same for someone else.

Confidence is a state of mind. It can be faked, acquired, dispelled, and maintained. It can be easy to lose and difficult to obtain. Especially during middle and high school. It took me a long time to develop a true sense of confidence, whether that was in my body, my looks, my talent, or in myself as a person. My career path in performing arts requires me to be confident, but it was a struggle. In freshman and sophomore year, I didn’t audition for any of my high school’s shows despite how much I wanted to continue acting in school. I had terrible anxiety and no confidence in my ability. And once I finally developed some level of confidence in junior year, I was all virtual. I decided my senior year was my time to show up and show out. And it was the best decision I could have made. I’ve been in three shows this year. I was acting, singing, and dancing while also being on the production team. I did costume design for 12 Angry Jurors, and makeup and hair for my school’s production of The Little Mermaid. Me gaining confidence in myself made auditions easier, my future more exciting, and me happier overall. I still have a little work to do in regards to confidence in my body due to past traumas, but I’ve healed so much. It’s beautiful to see my own growth of confidence and happiness.

Growing up, I wasn't listened to as much as I should've been. I was constantly cut off, ignored, overlooked, and disrespected. And most of this was by my family. I didn't feel like what I had to say was important to them, or anyone else for that matter. But then I met people who actually cared about what I had to say, regardless of whether it was personally important to them or not. Listening means you care and are truly invested in what someone needs or wants to say. I knew that people had similar experiences with their families, so I became the person they cried to or laughed with. No matter what, I try to remain invested and actively participate in every conversation I have. I love my friends and family. They should never feel like what they have to say is irrelevant when they are talking to me. I make sure that everyone in my life feels as valuable to me as they truly are. I never want to lose anyone because they had no one that would listen to them. I always will.

I'm currently in Social Issues Club. My passion for social issues didn't take much time to trigger. As a Black, LGBTQ+ woman, there are too many reasons for society to be against me. I felt that if I didn't speak up for myself no one else would. So I started in my household. I was being oversexualized due to the shape of my body and had to argue with my parents for about two years. It took far too many mental breakdowns and painful arguments for them to finally realize that their words of "protection" were causing more harm than good. And in the midst of this fight, I came out as bi/omnisexual in a Christian household with parents born in the 70's. And in regards to being Black, I didn’t need to grow into the oppression that stems from it. I had to develop a body for it to be demonized. I had to learn I was gay in order to come out. But I've always been visibly black. I was experiencing racism before I even knew what it was. I was threatened to be lynched at age nine, told I couldn't be seen with the lights off at twelve, and was "pretty for black girl" at fourteen. These were my catalysts for wanting to fight for others. I never wanted anyone to experience the same trauma as I did without someone to speak with them. I didn't have a someone, but I'm proud to be someone else's. As an actress and performer, I'd be able to have an impact on people's lives through my work. I'd be in the public eye and would have a platform to speak on the issues of my and others' communities. And as a writer, I would be able to incorporate a cause into each of my works. All my main characters will be BIPOC. When I create a platform and name for myself, whether through acting, singing, or writing, I want to be the representation of LGBTQ+ black women everywhere. I never saw that growing up. I saw the show that helped me discover my sexuality at 16. She-ra and the Princesses of Power is based in a homonormative society with a diverse display of skin tones, body types, and sexualities. The creator said to assume that anyone not confirmed straight, is gay. That didn't exist when I was younger. And any gay representation we had was the butt of the joke. Now due to the progressive movements, I see more of myself in more shows. We still have a long way to go, but representation for my multiple communities is finally coming.

I'm currently in Social Issues Club. My passion for social issues didn't take much time to trigger. As a Black, LGBTQ+ woman, there are too many reasons for society to be against me. I felt that if I didn't speak up for myself no one else would. So I started in my household. I was being oversexualized due to the shape of my body and had to argue with my parents for about two years. It took far too many mental breakdowns and painful arguments for them to finally realize that their words of "protection" were causing more harm than good. And in the midst of this fight, I came out as bi/omnisexual in a Christian household with parents born in the 70's. And in regards to being Black, I didn’t need to grow into the oppression that stems from it. I had to develop a body for it to be demonized. I had to learn I was gay in order to come out. But I've always been visibly black. I was experiencing racism before I even knew what it was. I was threatened to be lynched at age nine, told I couldn't be seen with the lights off at twelve, and was "pretty for black girl" at fourteen. These were my catalysts for wanting to fight for others. I never wanted anyone to experience the same trauma as I did without someone to speak with them. I didn't have a someone, but I'm proud to be someone else's. As an actress and performer, I'd be able to have an impact on people's lives through my work. I'd be in the public eye and would have a platform to speak on the issues of my and others' communities. And as a writer, I would be able to incorporate a cause into each of my works. All my main characters will be BIPOC. It’s time to see new, different type of people on our screens. When I create a platform and name for myself, whether through acting, singing, or writing, I want to be the representation of LGBTQ+ black women everywhere. I never saw that growing up. I saw the show that helped me discover my sexuality at 16. She-ra and the Princesses of Power is based in a homonormative society with a diverse display of skin tones, body types, and sexualities. The creator said to assume that anyone not confirmed straight, is gay. Our heteronormative society is the exact opposite. Everyone is immediately assumed to be straight and cis. I finally got to see LGBTQ+ BIPOC people in a show. I came out to a few of my friends, and myself, about three months later. I want to do that for someone. I want a young black person to see me in something they really love and maybe discover themselves or just be content seeing someone different on the screen. I want to advocate and represent the underrepresented. The obscene, overlooked people lost within our heteronormative, cis, white, male society. I’m going to become the representation I needed when I was younger.

I'm currently in Social Issues Club. My passion for social issues didn't take much time to trigger. As a Black, LGBTQ+ woman, there are too many reasons for society to be against me. I felt that if I didn't speak up for myself no one else would. So I started in my household. I was being oversexualized due to the shape of my body and had to argue with my parents for about two years. It took far too many mental breakdowns and painful arguments for them to finally realize that their words of "protection" were causing more harm than good. And in the midst of this fight, I came out as bi/omnisexual in a Christian household with parents born in the 70's. And in regards to being Black, I didn’t need to grow into the oppression that stems from it. I had to develop a body for it to be demonized. I had to learn I was gay in order to come out. But I've always been visibly black. I was experiencing racism before I even knew what it was. I was threatened to be lynched at age nine, told I couldn't be seen with the lights off at twelve, and was "pretty for black girl" at fourteen. These were my catalysts for wanting to fight for others. I never wanted anyone to experience the same trauma as I did without someone to speak with them. I didn't have a someone, but I'm proud to be someone else's. As an actress and performer, I'd be able to have an impact on people's lives through my work. I'd be in the public eye and would have a platform to speak on the issues of my and others' communities. When I create a platform and name for myself, whether through acting, singing, or writing, I want to be the representation of LGBTQ+ black women everywhere. I never saw that growing up. I saw the show that helped me discover my sexuality at 16. "She-ra and the Princesses of Power" is based in a homonormative society with a diverse display of skin tones, body types, and sexualities. The creator said to assume that anyone not confirmed straight, is gay. Our heteronormative society is the exact opposite. Everyone is immediately assumed to be straight and cis. I finally got to see LGBTQ+ BIPOC people in a show. I came out to a few of my friends, and myself, about three months later. I want to do that for someone. I want a young black person to see me in something they really love and maybe discover themselves or just be content seeing someone different on the screen. I want to advocate and represent the underrepresented. The obscene, overlooked people lost within our heteronormative, cis, white, male society. I’m going to become the representation I needed when I was younger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3VPs9b_HZE