I fell in love with creating at a very young age. Whether it be sewing, painting, designing or crafting, I have always felt a strong pull to the arts. Growing up, going to the theater with my family, was a regular occurrence. I remember being eight years old, telling my parents that I was going to attend my district’s performing arts high school. I had no idea where I was even going to middle school, let alone high school, but the minute I heard about this magical place I knew it was perfect for me. I couldn’t imagine a place where I could fit in and find myself quite like The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Getting in and being able to attend truly felt like a dream come true. While freshman year was difficult, with both the transition and the addition of covid, eventually I was able to find myself in the sea of creatives. I had the opportunity to try so many different things, experience so many different people, and learn from such amazing faculty and staff during my 4 years there. It truly was a life changing experience. 

The spring of my sophomore year was the first time I tried costume design.  My school announced that we were performing a live streamed musical in an attempt to return to some semblance of normalcy following the COVID-19 shut down. With an average level of sewing acumen, an overflowing amount of determination, and a willingness to try, learn, and potentially fail, I decided to interview for the position of lead costume designer. Frankly, there was no thought in my mind that the directors would select my designs. When they did, I was equal parts terrified and excited. Assigned a team of three students, I quickly had to figure out how to lead in a way that was productive and educational but most importantly fun and fulfilling. Full of new experiences, working on Once On This Island birthed my love affair with design. I was able to use color, patterns, and textures to convey emotion and subtext to the audience in a way that felt innovative and dreamy. I worked with our director and actors to problem-solve and compromise to create a vision that spoke to me as a designer, reflected the integrity of the show, and amplified the director’s vision. Costume designing blended my love for creating with my desire to lead and collaborate in a way i’d never experienced before. Designing ignited an indescribable fire within me that I became desperate to recreate. Through continuing to learn and design for the duration of high school, I fell completely in love with this aspect of technical theatre. I have chosen to pursue a degree in theatre because designing has truly changed my life. The joy, experiences, and relationships it has brought me have made me the person I am today. 

The versatility and freedom of my degree allows me to explore all the avenues of life that interest me. I am passionate about education reform, working to bridge the education gaps in the world, and working to make equivalent levels of education accessible to all. During high school I was able to work for a stem non-profit that was focused on doing exactly that. I served as the Black Student Union president for 2 years, and in doing so I had the opportunity to create safe spaces for black students to share thoughts and experiences on campus. That opportunity led me to my passion for the advocacy of increased diversity and representation in the arts. One of the things I love most about The University of Texas is the versatility and optionality to try and experience new things. Being someone who is interesting in a variety of avenues I look forward to getting to explore and grow during my 4 years at UT.