My name is Xhantall Aguilar, and I am entering my final year at the University of Utah. Although Utah has grown in both diversity and its arts. Growing up, it felt very difficult to be able to create and express myself when I was always in primarily white schools, stores, and even museums. This, however, did not discourage me from trying to explore and connect with my culture. In the past, I have held leadership positions within my high school's Latinos in Action program and am currently the head of my university's Painting and Drawing club. I have been able to create more welcoming and encouraging environments. Through these positions, I have been able to witness firsthand how art and community can change a person, motivate them, and give them a safe place to fully thrive. I want to continue to build on this through a mix of my passion for community, culture, art, and education. It is because I have wittiness that I want to make art more accessible and create more community-involved projects where anyone of any age can feel like they belong in the arts and eventually give them a platform where they can grow in the arts. Through the Painting and Drawing club, I have already had the chance to connect other students to great opportunities in the arts, such as jobs, shows, mentorships, and internships. In addition, I use my artwork as a tool to teach about communities that are often overlooked, forgotten histories, or cultural traditions. Inspiring others to do much of the same, whether it be to create like I have or to research and read about others' lives and experiences. As I continue to pursue degrees in higher education, my ultimate goal is to create a non-profit program in areas where the arts are more restricted and underfunded for both public and studio art works for those in the BIPOC community. Who are often told to keep their culture to themselves. I want to teach others that it's okay to be seen and heard.