Artistic activities allow for creative and emotional expression. I was lucky enough to be given the chance to indulge myself in numerous art forms at a very young age allowing me to develop various talents. 
 
Dance 
   I began dancing at the age of 4, taking ballet at a dance studio similar to my mother who was also raised with dance. My mother then enrolled me into beginners’ jazz and tumbling classes. Ballet helped me form good balance and muscle strength. Meanwhile jazz was a great way for me to release energy, and tumbling catered to my flexibility and acrobatics skills. I took these classes throughout pre-school and elementary school, performing in numerous recitals and perfecting my skills.

   Upon entering middle school, I began taking circus gymnastics classes. In addition, I auditioned for and was accepted into Miami Arts Charter as a student in the dance department. I then danced there all throughout middle school for 3 years before the pandemic hit in 2020, and my dance life had to be put on hold.  
   During the pandemic, my mother decided it was best for my academic success if I switched schools and attended a regular high school like Miami High. I began wondering if I wanted to continue to dance, and if so, how would I go about doing so. I was then introduced to the art of Color Guard, and while Guard does include dance, it allowed me to expand my skills under the dance umbrella. Color Guard provided me with the opportunity to dance again and learn flag in addition.  
 
Drawing 
   I began drawing when I was about seven years old. I was inspired by my elementary school friends and our love of cartoons to learn how to draw my favorite characters. Over the summer, I began watching YouTube tutorial videos on how to draw my favorite characters from shows such as My Little Pony, Spongebob, and the Amazing World of Gumball. Starting that following school year, I began drawing cartoon versions of everyone in my class from their favorite shows. I’d give these pieces of art to them and then they’d cut them out like paper-dolls. For a while following this, nobody at lunch would be playing with regular toys. Instead, they’d be playing pretend with the paper-dolls I’d created. Whenever they got torn or lost, I’d fix them or remake them and return them to the student.  
 
   This was the beginning of my love for drawing, cartoons, and animation.

 
   I found myself watching animations and the creation of characters on YouTube from small artists. Drawing provided me with my own dreamscape where anything I wanted was a reality, and I could escape from the troubles of my everyday life. I found these universes from my favorite cartoons and anime’s much cooler than anything in real life, and being able to draw helped me feel closer to that. I’ve always had a fascination with worlds of fantasy, power hierarchy, and mystical creatures so I love drawing them.  
   I feel like the support of my friends back in elementary was the defining factor in me continuing to practice drawing. Although to our childhood eyes in the past even the worst drawing may have looked like gold, my art has now gotten a lot better and that encouragement was what kept me going.  
 
Writing 
   Similar to my love for drawing, my love for writing was largely inspired by my love for cartoons and my favorite shows. Writing was a way for me to realize everything taking place in my broad imagination. From the creation of my own characters to the creation of my own storylines, I was inspired by the stories I heard and shows I watched. The idea that you can create your own characters and just give them their own story straight out of your mind has always been amazing to me. Putting my daydreams and imagination on paper made it feel so much more real and in a media that others could share.  
 
   I’m appreciative of the numerous opportunities I’ve had throughout my life to try various forms of expressive arts. Without them my creative ideas that overflow out of my head would be nothing and trapped in a bottle.