A native of Joliet, IL, I didn’t have a lot of positive outlets in life until I walked into the choir room of Mr. David L. Jones at Joliet Central High School. I felt a sense of purpose and unity making music with my friends away from a tumultuous environment. I found a mentor that pushed me to break the boundaries of false narratives that sought to deny potential for many youth in his community. Mr. Jones gave me an opportunity to see what the world has to offer through music, and more importantly how one may use their voice to bring the voices of the community together. For I was born in a landlocked nation but yet I feel nostalgia for the sea?
With a sense of purpose and the love bestowed by my elders, I left Joliet, IL to pursue how I can utilize music to serve as my transistor of love. I went to Illinois Wesleyan University where I graduated with a BA in Music/Business in 2020. More importantly, I sang in Dr. J. Scott Ferguson’s Concert Choir, which took me to nations that I’ve never been to before. I learned from Dr. Linda J. Farquharson on how I may use the beauty of my voice to communicate the beauty that is within my own heart. My time at Illinois Wesleyan was united by love that was shared among friends through music.
The COVID-19 pandemic happened and I decided to listen to my heart. For my heart will guide me to the place where my love may be shared. On pure intuition I moved to Madison, WI in January 2021. Over the last three years, I became a music marketing advocate supporting organizations through music and marketing, namely the Madison Chamber Choir, Urban Community Arts Network, and Greater Madison Music City. I simply believe that I have something good to share to uplift and amplify the music that brings us together.
Through being a transistor, one is able to find complementary signals that amplify impact. I found a common energy through the Bolz Center for Arts Administration, which I decided is the right vessel to bring Mark Evan’s words to light, “Life is a choice.”
I choose to be a transistor of love through music because it opened the world to a young brown child born to immigrant parents on the east side of Joliet, Illinois. Of the utmost importance, it’s this act of amplifying love that provides me with purpose for life. As Victor Frankl proclaims, “He who has a why can overcome almost any how.” Post graduation I will professionally pursue a career as a marketing leader for music organizations while providing freelance consulting services in music marketing. Universally, I will go to where the world shall guide me and I will continue to amplify my love so that others may revel in the good that is brought forth. Who knows if I am able to amplify so profoundly, maybe my friends can see that I am doing good, my family can be proud, and the elders that walked before me can hear the beauty of my own voice to feel the beauty that is within my own heart.
As I look forward, I wonder as I wander, “for I am born in a landlocked nation yet I feel nostalgia for the sea?”
Categories: