When you have a message to convey or a story that must be told, you aren’t always given a platform, and I wasn’t going to wait around counting on it. It’s for this reason I decided to take control of my own storytelling by putting my work out there as much as possible, graduating after having completed over 5 exhibitions, one being the solo show “Soapbox Stutters”, depicting the importance of speaking your mind even if you're nervous. Although telling stories that were familiar was rewarding, I decided to challenge myself and study abroad in Japan, a country where I didn’t know the language and the customs were very different from what I grew up in. This feeling of being a fish out of water and learning to thrive despite my surroundings greatly inspired my BFA senior thesis project. With my 3D animated short film thesis “Talent Show” I will tell the story of two girls, one with the world in the palm of her hand, and the other with the bravery and skill to take it. I will continue to challenge myself with my coursework, showcasing my artistic drive as well as my academic knowledge. I am projected to be a cum laude graduate, one of eight senior BFA Art and Technology graduates, and overall an artist who works hard to make space for the stories that are too often skipped or spoken over.