As an actress, I admire Zendaya's multifaceted acting. Her ability to change roles, where it be a drug addicted teenager or a spunky, smart love interest, is inspiring. As a woman of color, I admire how Zendaya uses her own career to shed light on other African American women especially that are not of her skin tone. She recognizes how colorism has affected her career and how she can use her privilege to be an inspiration unto black little girls all over the world of all shades. She's not simply a good actress because "she is", but because she has the empathy to do so. Additionally, I like Zendaya's journey. When she starred in Disney's hit show "Shake it Up", she felt as if she had to maintain her character at all times. She created a YouTube channel where she would post quirky inspirational videos for her viewers, but she later on reflects how uncomfortable she was in those videos. Zendaya was not the spunky, upbeat little girl that she pretended to be in order to grow her name. From watching all of her interviews, she expressed admiration for the girl she once was, but also joy for the strong woman she has become. She taught me being an actress is not about being able to change who you are, but being able to authentically be who you are.

Ever since I could remember I always longed to be a part of something, to feel like a significant part of something whole. My passion always resided in people themselves and the background of others. Theater, by definition, “is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers … to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage”. In other words, theatre presents people’s stories, allows space for collaborative work, and is used to entertain, educate, and inspire people. My love for theater manifested in high school. Although I had never considered myself to be extroverted or outgoing, I am a conversationalist. Social anxiety could not crush my passion for theater. I performed in my first post-primary production, “Sweeney Todd”, in the fall of 2017. Since I am attending university out of state, this scholarship would go towards room and board, so I could continue to be a part of epic productions like “Sweeney Todd”. “Sweeney Todd” gave me many things that I had never known before. Not only this, but in the same semester, it was also my first time in show choir. All at once, I was memorizing choreography and music for one show while also rehearsing lines, choreography, and music for the other. Rehearsals continued to run during probably the most confusing time of my life. My relationship with my dad was hanging on by a thread and life at home was chaotic; previously, I had been molested. I wrote my experience down in a journal that I threw in the bottom of an ottoman that was destined to be found by my mother. When I received the call that reopened the wound of my molestation, my mom asked me if I would rather be picked up from school immediately or wait until the end of the day. I could only focus on my heartbeat, but somehow, “I have rehearsal today.” escaped my lips. That was when I knew I was doing something because I knew it was a passion of mine; rehearsals in both theater and choir formed a second home for me. Every day, we began by playing games that we did not even realize were teaching us to listen to and read each other. In productions, you could feel the desire to perform and the intensity within the storytelling. In and out of character, the connections were all real. From then on, every time I touched the stage I was grateful. I am still very grateful.

Ever since I could remember I always longed to be a part of something, to feel like a significant part of something whole. My passion always resided in people themselves and the background of others. Theater, by definition, “is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers … to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage”. In other words, theatre presents people’s stories, allows space for collaborative work, and is used to entertain, educate, and inspire people. My love for theater manifested in high school. Although I had never considered myself to be extroverted or outgoing, I am a conversationalist. Social anxiety could not crush my passion for theater. I performed in my first post-primary production, “Sweeney Todd”, in the fall of 2017. Since I am attending university out of state, this scholarship would go towards room and board, so I could continue to be a part of epic productions like “Sweeney Todd”. “Sweeney Todd” gave me many things that I had never known before. Not only this but in the same semester, it was also my first time in show choir. All at once, I was memorizing choreography and music for one show while also rehearsing lines, choreography, and music for the other. Rehearsals continued to run during probably the most confusing time of my life. My relationship with my dad was hanging on by a thread and life at home was chaotic; previously, I had been molested. I wrote my experience down in a journal that I threw in the bottom of an ottoman that was destined to be found by my mother. When I received the call that reopened the wound of my molestation, my mom asked me if I would rather be picked up from school immediately or wait until the end of the day. I could only focus on my heartbeat, but somehow, “I have rehearsal today.” escaped my lips. That was when I knew I was doing something because I knew it was a passion of mine; rehearsals in both theater and choir formed a second home for me. Every day, we began by playing games that we did not even realize were teaching us to listen to and read each other. In productions, you could feel the desire to perform and the intensity within the storytelling. In and out of character, the connections were all real. From then on, every time I touched the stage I was grateful. I am still very grateful. Theatre has given me a community full of creative minds and passionate hearts. When I am at my loneliest, God sends me to my next creative assignment, and not only do I find joy in it, but I discover pieces of myself along the way.

Home Base Ever since I could remember I always longed to be a part of something, to feel like a significant part of something whole. My passion always resided in people themselves and the background of others. Theater, by definition, “is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers … to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage”. In other words, theater presents people’s stories, allows a space for collaborative work, and is used to entertain, educate, and inspire people. My love for theater manifested in high school. Although I had never considered myself to be extroverted or outgoing, I am a conversationalist. Social anxiety could not crush my passion for theater. I performed in my first post-primary production , “Sweeney Todd”, in the fall of 2017. Rehearsals continued to run during probably the most confusing time of my life. My relationship with my dad was hanging on by a thread and life at home was chaotic; previously, I had been molested. I wrote my experience down in a journal that I threw in the bottom of an ottoman that was destined to be found by my mother. When I received the call that reopened the wound of my molestation , my mom asked me if I would rather be picked up from school immediately or wait until the end of the day. I could only focus on my heartbeat, but somehow, “I have rehearsal today.” escaped my lips. That was when I knew I was doing something because I knew it was a passion of mine; rehearsals in both theater and choir formed a second home for me. Each day, we began by playing games that we did not even realize were teaching us to listen to and read each other. In productions, you could feel the desire to perform and the intensity within the storytelling. In and out of character, the connections were all real. From then on, every time I touched the stage I was grateful. I am still very grateful. Not only this, but I learned how to portray characters by considering the goal of each character and the methods they use to obtain it. I want to find my technique and continue to work with other actors in an environment that encourages a level of confidence where I can truly just learn and explore. My professors have already shown me how to become a better actor, but also a better human all at once. While I am learning to perform, I am also learning to watch and listen in ways much deeper than before. As the years go on, I see growth in myself and our program. I will inspire my community to listen to others stories and share their own. With my theater education, I will help create space for those who wish to nurture and share their creativity alongside others. I will support and take part in companies for performers and theater artists who are eager to question, explore, and share and will be an advocate for those who appreciate that each life is a story that is deserving to be heard.

Ever since I could remember I always longed to be a part of something, to feel like a significant part of something whole. My passion always resided in people themselves and the background of others. Theater, by definition, “is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers … to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage”. In other words, theater presents people’s stories, allows a space for collaborative work, and is used to entertain, educate, and inspire people. My love for theater manifested in high school. Although I had never considered myself to be extroverted or outgoing, I am a conversationalist. Social anxiety could not crush my passion for theater. I performed in my first post-primary production , “Sweeney Todd”, in the fall of 2017. Rehearsals continued to run during probably the most confusing time of my life. My relationship with my dad was hanging on by a thread and life at home was chaotic; previously, I had been molested by him. I wrote my experience down in a journal that I threw in the bottom of an ottoman that was destined to be found by my mother. When I received the call that reopened the wound of my molestation, my mom asked me if I would rather be picked up from school immediately or wait until the end of the day. I could only focus on my heartbeat, but somehow, “I have rehearsal today.” escaped my lips. That was when I knew I was doing something because I knew it was a passion of mine; rehearsals in both theater and choir formed a second home for me. Every day, we began by playing games that we did not even realize were teaching us to listen to and read each other. In productions, you could feel the desire to perform and the intensity within the storytelling. In and out of character, the connections were all real. From then on, every time I touched the stage I was grateful. I am still very grateful. Through pain and joy, Theatre has given me a community full of creative minds and passionate hearts. When I am at my loneliest, God sends me to my next creative assignment, and not only do I find joy in it, but I discover pieces of myself along the way. I learned I will always have my passion to comfort and empower me.

When I was around 12 years old, my father began molesting me continuously for two years. I entered high school with an emotional, despondent attitude that seemed to loom over me. Even though most people who knew me previously knew me to brighten people's days, my days were beginning to feel dark. My passion always resided in people themselves and the background of others. Theater, by definition, “is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers … to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage”. In other words, theatre presents people’s stories, allows space for collaborative work, and is used to entertain, educate, and inspire people. My love for theater manifested in high school. Although I had never considered myself to be extroverted or outgoing, I am a conversationalist. Social anxiety and trauma could not crush my passion for theater. When I received the call that reopened the wound of my molestation, my mom asked me if I would rather be picked up from school immediately or wait until the end of the day. I could only focus on my heartbeat, but somehow, “I have rehearsal today.” escaped my lips. That was when I knew I was doing something because I knew it was a passion of mine; rehearsals in both theater and choir formed a second home for me. Each day we began by playing games that we did not even realize were teaching us to listen to and read each other. In productions, you could feel the desire to perform and the intensity within the storytelling. In and out of character, the connections were all real. From then on, every time I touched the stage I was grateful. I am still very grateful. Theatre has given me a community full of creative minds and passionate hearts. When I am at my loneliest, God sends me to my next creative assignment, and not only do I find joy in it, but I discover pieces of myself along the way. I have full confidence that Loyola University of New Orleans is where I am meant to be. The scholarship will help me pay for room and board so I can remain on campus and within the theater department. I will acquire the skills needed to permanently remain a part of the theater community. I adore everything about this field because it is so versatile! I love my costuming class, and I am ready to learn how to create pieces. I want to learn how a costume piece can influence a show and the actors. Being able to create and play within a theatre department has aided in healing my inner child and giving me purpose. I will inspire my community to listen to other's stories and share their own. With my theater education, I will help create space for those who wish to nurture and share their creativity alongside others. I will support and take part in companies for performers and theater artists who are eager to question, explore, and share and will be an advocate for those who appreciate that each life is a story that is deserving to be heard.

As I am pursuing my own higher education, I am learning about how black women in America advanced education. However, I am mourning the loss of so much Black history. Growing up, I had never heard of Mary Mcleod Bethune or the dozens of African American women supporting and on the frontlines of "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka". It is disheartening to face the erasure of African American women's history and I want to honor the black women who served in the education system before me by telling their stories to my students. Mary McLeod Bethune; an african american educator, humanitarian, activist, politician etc., published an article titled "The Adaptation of the History of the Negro to the Capacity of the Child" to explicate that part of the continuation of racism begins with youths understanding of race. If young African Americans see the accomplishments of their ancestors, this will bring them confidence and inspire them to pursue fulfilling futures. Digging Deeper into black history will create a space for black students to feel proud of their ancestry. This also illuminates the truth of black children and their ancestry, so a further understanding of how black people advanced American history can be further established in youth. Education currently circulates European history; a diversified education would aid in clarifying cultural misunderstandings, cultivating a unified environment, and leading to a decrease in racism around the world. This is major. A hate crime report Justice.Gov reads, "The 2021 hate crimes data*, submitted by 11,834 law enforcement agencies, provide information about the offenses, victims, offenders, and locations of hate crimes. Of these agencies who submitted incident reports, there were 7,262 hate crime incidents involving 8,673 offenses". It is further stated that 64.8% of these crimes were racially Biased. Ideas like racism that are planted in young minds sprout into hateful ideologies and form fear and hatred. Miseducation and Misunderstandings are not only affecting our society, but they are killing our youth of color. When I become an educator, each of my students will know exactly how important, intelligent, and loved they are. I refuse to teach in a divided classroom. I refuse to allow my students to enter the real world continuing to spread and cultivate hatred towards each other. My classroom will be built on learning how loving yourself and the world around you inherently can teach you to love your peers. I am excited to create a space where children are more concerned about their plans and bright ideas.

My name is Nala Scaife and I am a theatre major. Theatre, by definition, “is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers … to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience”. In other words, the theatre presents people’s stories, allows space for collaborative work, and is used to entertain, educate, and inspire people. I want to become a theatre educator, theatre artist, and dramaturg in the future. My general passions have always resided in people and their backgrounds. Currently, I am enrolled in a course entirely based on African American Women's History where we are studying a textbook titled "An African American Women's History of the United States". Currently, I am infuriated with the lack of black women's history that has been presented to me before post-secondary school. I am Nala Scaife, a black woman in America who has been taught relentlessly about slavery, but never about how black women advanced the American education system. I had never heard about black women's bodies being used for scientific experiments and the technological advancements that derived from these experiments. I certainly was not aware of black womens bodies being displayed after death simply because their curves piqued the interest of white scholars. Scientific advancements were being made through the blood and tears of black women. I had not even heard of Mary Mcleod Bethune who educated black children, taught night classes to freed black people who couldn't read, was a philanthropist, worked alongside presidents, and founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935. I have been inspired by the black women who came before me to pursue a career in education because lasting prejudices continue when they are passed on to children. Mary McLeod Bethune wrote an article titled "The Adaptation of the History of the Negro to the Capacity of the Child", which associates part of the continuation of racism with youths' understanding of race. When I become an educator, I want to teach children about the advances African Americans have made throughout history. African Americans advance history throughout every month of every year, not just February. African American history needs to be taught and understood, so a unified attitude about race can be unraveled. The education industry must teach truthful and diversified history. Black students are tired of strictly learning about their struggles and being put on display. Black children deserve to be empowered, learn about their ancestors' historical advancements, learn about their ancestors who touched "American" soil before the colonizers and learn so much more about black history.

I want to be an educator so I can nurture children's personalities and tell them how amazing it is to follow your passion. I love devised theatre because there are no limits, the only limit is your own will. I draw people in because I love to make people feel heard, but I am hard to understand because I try to understand everyone. Throughout my childhood, I noticed how society has learned to thrive based on division. Division by race, opinion, age, gender, and so many other factors. When I began to study theatre, it made me realize what brought me the most joy; seeing people undivided. When I began to work in productions, I noticed how the cooperative process of theatre made me feel comfortable and important. The technicians, actors, and directors all need each other for production. This is like how everyone on this earth brings something different to the table. What is different about society and theatrical companies, is that everyone in a company understands each person's role within the company. Throughout history, we as Americans have struggled to reach understanding and have placed our preference on division. One way this division is ensured by the government is by using people's ethnic identities as general identities. America has placed so much importance on gender, race, and class identities that there is now practically a competition in our nation between people with different identities within these categories for currency. Different ethnic groups have advantages in this competition called privilege, however, this "competition" is not only a matter of privilege but also of making people believe if they work hard enough, then the competition will become easier. This is to say, if they work hard enough, they can climb the ladders of class. I believe that no human worth should be ita Some may say this would make me an "anti-maverick", but on the contrary, I find it more common nowadays to stumble across "every man for himself attitudes". Honestly, this worries me. Although my views on how we as people should communicate are very certain about open communication and understanding, I have a hard time communicating and being understood in conversation. My personality is eager, I love to socialize when I can, I love anime and video games, and I love excitement. I try to be direct about my desires, but it always feels like I'm an alien communicating with humans who can't understand me. Most of my friends say I have a certain charismatic element about me, but charisma does not necessarily make you easy to understand. Although my joys and ideas are simple, I believe this may be what makes them so complex. We as humans tend to overcomplicate things. When we do not understand something immediately, we create our theories or have our fears generated from these misunderstandings. Perhaps my personality is agreeable and lovely to be around, but simply difficult to view from other perspectives. In the past, I blamed being misunderstood on a possibly low intelligence, but I have always received good grades, performed well in seminars, and have been complimented on my intelligence. Now, I choose to focus on studying social situations with philosophical strategies. In short, I understand I am not understood, but I still choose to understand others because I believe in societal understanding. Understand?

Ever since I could remember I always longed to be a part of something, to feel like a significant part of something whole. My passion always resided in people themselves and the background of others. I performed in my first post-primary production , “Sweeney Todd”, in the fall of 2017. When I received the call that reopened the wound of my molestation , my mom asked me if I would rather be picked up from school immediately or wait until the end of the day. I could only focus on my heart beat, but somehow, “I have rehearsal today.” escaped my lips. That was when I knew I was doing something because I knew it was a passion of mine. In productions, you could feel the desire to perform and the intensity within the storytelling. Theater has given me a community full of creative minds and passionate hearts. When I am at my loneliest, God sends me to my next creative assignment, and not only do I find joy in it, but I discover pieces of myself along the way. I have full confidence that Loyola University of New Orleans is where I am meant to be. The scholarship will help me pay for room and board so I can remain on campus and within the theater department. Next semester, I will be a part of the technical team this seasons Musical as a stagehand. There is a comfort and passion that is found within theater that I think should be presented to everyone,so I will pursue a minor in secondary education to introduce creative minds and storytellers to the world of theater. I aim to inspire others by introducing them to the open and accepting world of theater.