On May 24, 2024, I was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD. While writing this, I've only had my diagnosis for a little more than a week. I was told that I had ADHD in my final year of high school. I was upset about not knowing for so long, but didn't dwell on it for long. I was homeschooled throughout middle and high school, so my parents accommodated most of my neurodivergent needs to the best of their abilities. However, I could not help but feel that something was wrong with me; as if i was extraordinarily weird and timid compared to my peers. I assumed it was difficulty socializing, as quarantine for covid had just lifted. I entered college immediately and was completely blindsided by the dramatic shift. I don't know what I expected. I go to Morehouse College, and in a university for black men, high performance is prioritized over mental health. Being a social outcast from the start, I tried my best to keep a standard of excellence in my two years of being there. I eventually found some forms of comforts in a small friend group and the support of the Morehouse College Glee Club, but something has always felt abnormal. I was having trouble keeping up with studies and scheduled neuropsych testing in February, of which I received the results last Wednesday. I had already become accustomed to the idea of having autism, but when I was diagnosed I felt happy. I was finally validated, and my words to my friends concerning my mental state had truth to them. I've been pondering my Autism diagnosis, among other things, and i decided that this doesn't change whether or not i can achieve my dreams. It only changes the routes and methods I must use to succeed. Education isn't a road to success. It is a tool box, and you can use it to build towers of your ambitions and bridges to connect with others. However, not everyone can handles tools the same way. We are all taught one method, but some of our brains are custom builds, with unique strengths and weaknesses. I don't know how my knowledge of my autism will affect my progress this next semester, but i feel that it can only get better from here. Regardless, I still intend to be a performer. I get a happy feeling on the inside when I make people smile and laugh. It is life giving and holds off burnout. When I act and/or sing, everyone smiles. I also enjoy sharing unheard stories. Empathy is a defining part of the human experience, and although I'm not always able to express empathy in a way that people understand, I want every to feel both valued and understood. I have no life altering trauma that drives me, nor grandiose goal to make the world reflect my mind's eye. I'm just an autistic 20 year old kid who wants to make people smile.

I am committed to an education that expands my knowledge, fulfills my dreams, strengthens my community, and brings awareness to marginalized stories. My goals include a career as a Broadway actor after earning a BFA in Theatre and Performance with a minor in Music from Morehouse College. During my course of study, I plan to study abroad for opera and cultural theatre, participate in internship programs at local theatres and continue to volunteer with the Black Theatre Arts Festival and Alliance Theatre. Then. I will earn an MFA in acting from Yale. Lastly, I will return to the homeschooled arts community as a mentor and create a scholarship fund for homeschooled art students. Since the age of 12, I have loved musical theater because I want to be a musical storyteller who captivates the audience's minds, enlarges their perspectives, and fosters empathy for the human experience. I am an artist dedicated to improving my craft. Since 2016, I have viewed every production as a training ground. My early stage experience and roles in homeschool productions, Aladdin (Genie), The Lion King (Simba), A Christmas Carol (Ebenezer Scrooge), and Peter Pan (John Darling), were foundational to developing a love of theater. My interest in theater soon turned into an interest in theater literature. I started reading the works of the renowned African American author, August Wilson, which led me to compete in True Color's August Wilson monologue competition. In my later high school years, I played "Subject" in C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters. I even gained professional experience with the Atlanta Alliance Theater's Palefsky Collision Project. This project allowed students to function as playwrights and create a collaborative, original production that speaks to a variety of social justice issues. The Collision Project gave me clarity to see I needed more vocal training. So, I joined the Atlanta Music Project Senior Choir to receive tutelage in vocal techniques and performance. Currently, I am a bass 2 studying classical and opera techniques in Italian. Besides a passion for theater and music, I am a Hands of Atlanta volunteer working at local food pantries, Hugs Hope Community Table, and Food Wise in Gwinnett County, GA. This school year I have served 59 verified hours fighting food insecurity. I also founded a monthly teen cooking club that demonstrates healthy cooking using ingredients from the food pantry. Also, I serve as the community service co-chair for the Student Government Association at my high school, I have coordinated a monthly homeschool teen meetup to volunteer at the pantry.

I anticipate contributing to my community better one meal at a time. Besides a passion for theater and music, I love to cook. During the pandemic, cooking became more than a hobby. It was a way to relax and enjoy new delicious treats. Many of my friends are musical theatre kids, so we can crave attention and social interaction. But with a possible apocalyptic plague, we needed a new way to socialize. So I founded a monthly Zoom teen cooking club. Coincidently, I started volunteering at a drive-thru food pantry. The pantry received fresh vegetables and fruit from local farms but many clients did not have access to cooktops or ovens due to living in temporary housing or extended-stay hotels. So my cooking club started to demonstrate some cooking techniques using ingredients from the food pantry and a microwave or toaster oven. Since I served as the community service co-chair for the Student Government Association, I coordinated a monthly homeschool teen meetup to volunteer at the pantry. This school year I have served 62 verified hours fighting food insecurity and providing food dignity. I want to start a social media l movement called #fooddignity that removes the stigma of needing help. The pandemic has changed the face of poverty. Situations like underemployment, inflation, and rising rents. and illness has changed the face of poverty. The average food pantry client is employed but is unable to food for their family with their paycheck. These families may not qualify for food assistance and turn to food pantries to supplement meals. But too often those in need receive groceries from food pantries that are high in fat and sodium, lack nutritional value, or do not meet personal dietary or religious preferences. Food dignity is listening to the client and understanding their needs. I would be reaching out to food distributors with a healthy eating focus like Trader Joe, Whole Foods, and even local farmers and home/ civic group gardeners. Commercial and community support is vital to local food partners but the volunteer is the life's blood of service. I have also met many food pantry volunteers who were former clients. They are proud to be of service to others and have lived through struggle. As an actor, performer, and budding playwright, I am motivated to expand my knowledge and bring awareness to marginalized stories. For me it's simple, I like storytelling and will use it to impact the world. I plan to impact the world by captivating the audience's minds, enlarging their perspectives, and fostering empathy for the human experience. Lastly, local food pantries need financial support from donors. I committed to donating money now because large future sums are wonderful but sustained gifting is powerful. Sustaining donors could allow the food pantry to expand from a drive-thru pantry. A predictable income allows for the start of new and creative food insecurity initiatives that focus on different populations like veterans, medically fragile, seniors, or the homeless. I am committed to an education that expands my knowledge and brings awareness to marginalized stories. My ultimate 5-year goal includes a career as a Broadway actor. I plan to earn a BFA in Performing Arts with a minor in Business at Morehouse College (Atlanta, GA). During my freshman or sophomore year, I will study abroad with the Midsummer at Oxford University program and participate in internship programs at local theatres and continue to volunteer with the Black Theatre Arts Festival and Alliance Theatre. Then. Lastly, I will return to the homeschooled arts community as a mentor and create a scholarship fund for homeschooled art students.

I anticipate contributing to my community better one meal at a time. Besides a passion for theater and music, I love to cook. During the pandemic, cooking became more than a hobby. It was a way to relax and enjoy new delicious treats. Many of my friends are musical theatre kids, so we can crave attention and social interaction. But with a possible apocalyptic plague, we needed a new way to socialize. So I founded a monthly Zoom teen cooking club. Coincidently, I started volunteering at a drive-thru food pantry. The pantry received fresh vegetables and fruit from local farms but many clients did not have access to cooktops or ovens due to living in temporary housing or extended-stay hotels. So my cooking club started to demonstrate some cooking techniques using ingredients from the food pantry and a microwave or toaster oven. Since I served as the community service co-chair for the Student Government Association, I coordinated a monthly homeschool teen meetup to volunteer at the pantry. This school year I have served 62 verified hours fighting food insecurity and providing food dignity. I want to start a social media l movement called #fooddignity that removes the stigma of needing help. The pandemic has changed the face of poverty. Situations like underemployment, inflation, and rising rents. and illness has changed the face of poverty. The average food pantry client is employed but is unable to food for their family with their paycheck. These families may not qualify for food assistance and turn to food pantries to supplement meals. But too often those in need receive groceries from food pantries that are high in fat and sodium, lack nutritional value, or do not meet personal dietary or religious preferences. Food dignity is listening to the client and understanding their needs. I would be reaching out to food distributors with a healthy eating focus like Trader Joe, Whole Foods, and even local farmers and home/ civic group gardeners. Commercial and community support is vital to local food partners but the volunteer is the life's blood of service. I have also met many food pantry volunteers who were former clients. They are proud to be of service to others and have lived through struggle. As an actor, performer, and budding playwright, I am motivated to expand my knowledge and bring awareness to marginalized stories. For me it's simple, I like storytelling and will use it to impact the world. I plan to impact the world by captivating the audience's minds, enlarging their perspectives, and fostering empathy for the human experience. Lastly, local food pantries need financial support from donors. I committed to donating money now because large future sums are wonderful but sustained gifting is powerful. Sustaining donors could allow the food pantry to expand from a drive-thru pantry. A predictable income allows for the start of new and creative food insecurity initiatives that focus on different populations like veterans, medically fragile, seniors, or the homeless.

I anticipate contributing to my community better one meal at a time. Besides a passion for theater and music, I love to cook. During the pandemic, cooking became more than a hobby. It was a way to relax and enjoy new delicious treats. Many of my friends are musical theatre kids, so we can crave attention and social interaction. But with a possible apocalyptic plague, we needed a new way to socialize. So I founded a monthly Zoom teen cooking club. Coincidently, I started volunteering at a drive-thru food pantry. The pantry received fresh vegetables and fruit from local farms but many clients did not have access to cooktops or ovens due to living in temporary housing or extended-stay hotels. So my cooking club started to demonstrate some cooking techniques using ingredients from the food pantry and a microwave or toaster oven. Since I served as the community service co-chair for the Student Government Association, I coordinated a monthly homeschool teen meetup to volunteer at the pantry. This school year I have served 62 verified hours fighting food insecurity and providing food dignity. I want to start a social media l movement called #fooddignity that removes the stigma of needing help. The pandemic has changed the face of poverty. Situations like underemployment, inflation, and rising rents. and illness has changed the face of poverty. The average food pantry client is employed but is unable to food for their family with their paycheck. These families may not qualify for food assistance and turn to food pantries to supplement meals. But too often those in need receive groceries from food pantries that are high in fat and sodium, lack nutritional value, or do not meet personal dietary or religious preferences. Food dignity is listening to the client and understanding their needs. I would be reaching out to food distributors with a healthy eating focus like Trader Joe, Whole Foods, and even local farmers and home/ civic group gardeners. Commercial and community support is vital to local food partners but the volunteer is the life's blood of service. I have also met many food pantry volunteers who were former clients. They are proud to be of service to others and have lived through struggle. As an actor, performer, and budding playwright, I am motivated to expand my knowledge and bring awareness to marginalized stories. For me it's simple, I like storytelling and will use it to impact the world. I plan to impact the world by captivating the audience's minds, enlarging their perspectives, and fostering empathy for the human experience. Lastly, local food pantries need financial support from donors. I committed to donating money now because large future sums are wonderful but sustained gifting is powerful. Sustaining donors could allow the food pantry to expand from a drive-thru pantry. A predictable income allows for the start of new and creative food insecurity initiatives that focus on different populations like veterans, medically fragile, seniors, or the homeless.

I anticipate contributing to my community better one meal at a time. Besides a passion for theater and music, I love to cook. During the pandemic, cooking became more than a hobby. It was a way to relax and enjoy new delicious treats. Many of my friends are musical theatre kids, so we can crave attention and social interaction. But with a possible apocalyptic plague, we needed a new way to socialize. So I founded a monthly Zoom teen cooking club. Coincidently, I started volunteering at a drive-thru food pantry. The pantry received fresh vegetables and fruit from local farms but many clients did not have access to cooktops or ovens due to living in temporary housing or extended-stay hotels. So my cooking club started to demonstrate some cooking techniques using ingredients from the food pantry and a microwave or toaster oven. Since I served as the community service co-chair for the Student Government Association, I coordinated a monthly homeschool teen meetup to volunteer at the pantry. This school year I have served 62 verified hours fighting food insecurity and providing food dignity. I want to start a social media l movement called #fooddignity that removes the stigma of needing help. The pandemic has changed the face of poverty. Situations like underemployment, inflation, and rising rents. and illness has changed the face of poverty. The average food pantry client is employed but is unable to food for their family with their paycheck. These families may not qualify for food assistance and turn to food pantries to supplement meals. But too often those in need receive groceries from food pantries that are high in fat and sodium, lack nutritional value, or do not meet personal dietary or religious preferences. Food dignity is listening to the client and understanding their needs. I would be reaching out to food distributors with a healthy eating focus like Trader Joe, Whole Foods, and even local farmers and home/ civic group gardeners. Commercial and community support is vital to local food partners but the volunteer is the life's blood of service. I have also met many food pantry volunteers who were former clients. They are proud to be of service to others and have lived through struggle. As an actor, performer, and budding playwright, I am motivated to expand my knowledge and bring awareness to marginalized stories. For me it's simple, I like storytelling and will use it to impact the world. I plan to impact the world by captivating the audience's minds, enlarging their perspectives, and fostering empathy for the human experience. Lastly, local food pantries need financial support from donors. I committed to donating money now because large future sums are wonderful but sustained gifting is powerful. Sustaining donors could allow the food pantry to expand from a drive-thru pantry. A predictable income allows for the start of new and creative food insecurity initiatives that focus on different populations like veterans, medically fragile, seniors, or the homeless.

For me it's simple, I like storytelling and will use it to impact the world. As an actor, performer, and budding playwright, I am motivated to expand my knowledge and bring awareness to marginalized stories. I plan to impact the world by captivating the audience's minds, enlarging their perspectives, and fostering empathy for the human experience. Besides a passion for theater and music, I plan to continue volunteering with Hands of Atlanta to fight food insecurity. Lastly, I would like to continue to be a lifelong arts financial supporter of the youth music and theater groups. With every opportunity, I will donate back to groups that nurtured the artist in me. I was homeschooled from 5th to 12th grade and my mom looked diligently for discounted programs that would train my voice, teach acting techniques, and expand my stage knowledge. Programs like The Atlanta Music Project, Summit Academy, and the Alliance Theatre provide scholarships and opportunities. I committed to donating money now because future large sums are wonderful but sustained gifting is powerful.

There are many things in life that are beyond our control, such as the weather, other people, mask mandates, or the long line at the grocery store. Essentially, patience is the ability to not only tolerate but accept a delay, inconvenience, or trouble without becoming upset. It is an honorable virtue and one that this society needs. In my life, patience has won me many opportunities, at the same time helping me grow as an individual. When I was in the 8th grade, I auditioned for the Palefsky Collision Project, a selective summer program offered by the Alliance Theater. I had only been into it for roughly a year and a half, so I had no idea what I had signed up for. During the audition, I was told that the program was meant for older high school students, so I would be allowed in for a few years. I felt a slight bit sad about the ordeal, but I knew I’d have more opportunities in the future. I accepted this denial and moved on. I waited until I was in the 10th to try again, but I was once again told the same thing. Instead of wasting time moping, I wanted to improve my skills. In 2021, I resumed my routine of trying out for the program, this time succeeding. When speaking to the interviewers, later on, I discovered that the only reason they didn’t accept me was my age and maturity. In this program, heavy subjects were confronted daily, and I felt a great deal of emotional strain while participating. The only thing they wanted me to do was bide my time and try again. I calmly waited 3 years to join the program, acknowledging every failed attempt as nothing but a setback.

I have found a sort of mental release in Musical Theatre. When I was a child, I realized that I was far from “normal”. “Normality” is what my experience has defined as agreeing with the interest, attitudes, habits, and culture of one’s peers or surroundings. In other words, one can be normal if one fits in with his or her surroundings. I didn’t keep up with the news, listen to the newest music, or do anything trendy. I was living under a rock, but at the same time trying to find what I liked. Eventually, I felt so increasingly lonely and distant that I yearned for attention, but I only drew negative attention to myself. More than often I was laughed at for not understanding slang, bullied for my appearance, and was the subject of crude jokes. The only exception was in the case that I successfully pretended to be interested in normal topics. That was especially difficult because I had an attention deficit. After my difficulty co-existing with other fourth graders, my parents decided to homeschool me. It was a nurturing environment that helped me define who I was, but I did nothing for my social skills. One fateful day, my mother took me to a homeschool co-op ( an organization made by homeschooling parents to give classes to homeschool families). She brought me to the musical theater class. To say that everyone was nice is an understatement; the terms “genuine” and “transparent” would be more accurate. Then I thought, “Wait, I can be myself else here. And I can be as crazy as I want without being judged?” I had finally found a haven to be me outside of my house. I immediately started getting major roles, including Ebenezer Scrooge (A Christmas Carol), Simba (Disney’s Lion King), and the Genie (Disney’s Aladdin). My interest in theatre soon turned into an interest in theater literature. I started reading the works of the renowned African American author, August Wilson, which led me to compete in the August Wilson monologue competition. I eventually moved on from that co-op, but I’ve built a new mindset. Now that I have confidence in who I am, I’m joyful all the time. Joy is a feeling of appreciation for who you truly are (quirks, interests, and all) and the confidence to believe you deserve to be happy. Instead of looking for other people’s approval, I now wish to make them feel as joyful as I feel. Through theater, I pull people from reality, entertain them, and give them joy for at least a short time. As for being normal, I acknowledge that I will never be normal no matter who I am around, not at school, not at church, not even in the theater. Instead, I learned how to fit in anywhere without change. I make other people feel like they fit. Everyone can be a part of the story. The strangest part is that I spent years pretending to be other people to learn to be myself. I plan to earn a BFA in musical theatre to continue spreading joy on a greater level.

Playwright Arthur Miller once wrote, “I regard the theater as a serious business, one that makes or should make a man more human, which is to say, less alone.” Theatre has connected me to a welcoming community in which creativity, accompanied by much laughter, has provided a psychological oasis from the anxieties of life. I have found a sort of mental release in musical theatre. When I was a child, I realized that I was far from “normal.” “Normality” is what my experience has defined as agreeing with the interest, attitudes, habits, and culture of one’s peers or surroundings. Unlike my peers whose interests were in video games or the latest sneakers, I could lost in the melodies of a Disney soundtrack or Broadway production. In other words, one can be normal if one fits in with his or her surroundings. I didn’t keep up with the news, listen to the newest music, or do anything trendy. In social situations, I was laughed at for not understanding slang, bullied for my appearance, and was the subject of crude jokes. Eventually, I felt so increasingly lonely and distant that I yearned for attention, but I only drew negative attention to myself. I sent a lot of third-grade pretending to be interested in my peers’ topics but usually failed because of attention deficit. After my difficulties co-existing with other elementary kids, my parents decided to homeschool. Homeschooling gave them the freedom to gear education towards my interest in a nurturing environment. As a family explored nature, attended plays and operas, and visited every museum in Metro Atlanta. This time helped me define who I was, but did nothing for my social skills. Then, one fateful day, my mother took me to a homeschool co-op ( an organization made by homeschooling parents to give classes to homeschool families). She brought me to the musical theater class. To say that everyone was nice is an understatement; the terms “genuine” and “transparent” would be more accurate. Then I thought, “Wait, I can be myself else here. And I can be as crazy as I want without being judged?” I had finally found a haven to be me outside of my house. I immediately started getting major roles, including Ebenezer Scrooge (A Christmas Carol), Simba (Disney’s Lion King), and the Genie (Disney’s Aladdin). My interest in theatre soon turned into an interest in theater literature. I started reading the works of the renowned African American author, August Wilson, which led me to compete in the August Wilson monologue competition. I eventually moved on from that co-op, but I’ve built a new mindset. Now that I have confidence in who I am, I’m joyful all the time. Instead of looking for other people’s approval, I now wish to make others feel as joyful as I feel. Through theater, I pull people from reality, entertain them, and give them joy for at least a short time. As for being normal, I acknowledge that I will never be normal no matter who I am around, not at school, not at church, not even in the theater. Instead, I learned that individuality is a gift that gives everyone the power to create something beautiful, meaningful, and authentic. I can fit anywhere without changing. Additionally, I make other people feel like they fit. Everyone can be a part of the story. The strangest part is that I spent years pretending to be other people to learn to be myself.

Coincidentally, I did have my small project. It was February of 2021, and my school was entirely online. Having not visited my friends or anyone else for an unbearable amount of time, I was anxious to connect with them. Even in zoom calls, instead of feeling fellowship, we could feel each others’ dreary spirits. The distance between us could not be ignored. Then I said to myself, “What if I stop focusing on what we used to do and concentrate on what we can do that would have to be online anyway?” Aland D. Wolfelt said “ Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate,” so I decided to create the Eastside Bake It To Make It Cooking Club. Since everyone needs their own kitchen, it would have to be on zoom anyway. It instantly gained a decent following, and I could guarantee at least eight members at each meeting. I started with basic desserts like chocolate chip cookies but soon built up to more complicated cuisine such as chicken parmesan. The club did not cure depression, but it provided a short relief, like an aspirin. I also taught a few kitchen safety rules, and all of us improved our culinary art skills. Along the way, my mother gave me the idea of connecting the club to volunteerism. When I emailed the recipe every week, I offered to stop by the food pantry that I work at, Hugs and Hope, and pick up ingredients that may be hard to come by. The main benefactors of this were individuals with allergies to gluten and dairy; the food pantry was well suited for them. Advertising the pantry in such a manner informed the members of the pantry’s existence and encouraged them to volunteer at it. This club has been running for exactly one year and being a senior, I am finding someone to take the mantle.