Week 2: "Chapter X"

During my time in advanced theatre at Denver School of the Arts, my classmates and I were asked the question; "what is your artistic voice?" It wasn't until I was watching 'Do the Right Thing' (1989) by Spike Lee that I could truly understand the importance of that question. Lee showed in his own unique way how a community of people can be dehumanized in our country. I've learned that you must first recognize and show a problem to then reconcile it. Lee did that in a very real manner so that the audience feels more emotionally involved. His idiosyncratic tones and technique set the best way to show the culture he grew up in while not shying away from controversial political agendas. He became, as a writer and director, one of the most successful voices on race relations and the entertainment industry's own prejudices. Lee did the right thing by realizing his own "artistic voice." For me, the legacy of pursuing a BFA in Film Production is that a film lasts forever. I wish to do the same for my Latin heritage so that our culture and identity is never stained by racist stereotypes.

Theatre and I have been together since I first fell in love with the art form during my 3rd-grade portrayal as King Louie (Jungle Book, Jr.) at The Studio School, my art-based magnet elementary school. My comprehension of art’s significance for an individual evolved drastically after I found a more passionate interest in my own identity during my 10th-grade role as Sonny from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical ‘In The Heights,’ at Denver School of the Arts (DSA). It is with Sonny, where I began to value the importance of representing a positive portrayal of all races, as well as providing commentary on oppressive policies. Theatre has been the backbone for how I express myself and for how admiringly I value art. It isn’t how you can pretend to be a whole new persona that captivates my interest in theatre; it is the culture behind it. A community becomes the foundation for any theatrical process. It is in these collaborative instances during the rehearsal process where I am able to lead and learn. I do not take the theatre’s lessons for granted. What I’ve experienced behind the stage and on it has benefited the way I define myself and my work.