The beauty of animation always intrigued me. The idea that one could convey a story and their emotions through art and on a screen for all to see lit a fire within me. I was so inspired that I decided to get a degree in multimedia so I could help contribute to expression through art. Growing up with a neurodivergent family and a mom with a chronic illness made me feel invisible to media, I never felt like I fit in. That’s why I made my goal in life to make sure everyone got to feel like they belonged in animation and media. I want to create a more diverse cast of characters because I never felt like my family was scene on tv. My goals just started off with wanting to portray disability in a more positive or neutral light on tv. I often don’t see disabled individuals in media and when I did, it was often in a negative light. I wanted to show the world that anyone can have a happy life especially disabled people. They are more than a disability and deserve to feel see and heard. My interest for showing people I thought deserved some time on the screen didn’t stop there I grew passionate about showing many different backgrounds and families. I felt like not all minorities or races were depicted well in media or rarely even seen. I want to help boost those stories to the top. I want to see more different families and people: mixed race (like mine), same gender couples, disabled, single parent, alternate fashion in all races, and so much more. The power to create makes it possible to spread positivity and make sure everyone is heard. Not just the few stories that top animation companies think are acceptable but real authentic lives. I want to create or be part of stories that can draw in anyone and bring everyone together in experiencing stories and emotions that they can relate to. Especially stories that show many different people. If I can make one less person feel so alone, I would be achieving my goal. I believe I can make a change for the better by making sure more people feel like their stories matter. I hope to get your support in helping me make this change a reality. Let’s make the art industry a more understanding and openminded place.

As early as I can remember, I’ve always gravitated towards artistic things. Growing up my mom always introduced me to new forms of art ranging from, painting all the way to puppet making. My mom gave me the support and space to explore art; this further deepened my love for the art field. I found comfort and security in art. Over time I began to shift my art into what I wanted to do in the future. I began to explore what are now my passions: digital art, visual storytelling, and painting. My passions later lead me to pursuing an Associates degree in multimedia. I am pursuing a degree in art because I want to create things that will move people and make them feel heard. Having a chronically ill mother made me realize disabled people aren’t usually painted in a positive light or sometimes even seen. I want to create visual stories or art that shows that people like my mom exist and that they have joy in their lives as well. Creating stories where there are different kinds of people and families is ultimately a huge dream of mine. If I can make it where there is even one less lonely and underrepresented kid; I’ll know I’ve reached my goal. Preventing the pain and confusion of never seeing yourself or your family in any kind of media, would me there is less people feeling like I did as a kid. As a minority myself I often don’t see people like me, so I can understand that there needs to be art with positive representation. Getting a degree in multimedia would help me understand how to tell stories in a way that I can show even people that can’t personally relate, that we are here and we aren’t scary. I plan to create a vast variety of thing in the digital space. Not only do I plan to continue making digital paintings but I plan to expand into animation. My career goal is to get into the animation industry so that I can create compelling stories. I also plan to create visual novels; doing this give me more opportunities to get my work out there in the world as well as get the creative liberty to create whatever I want. If I have more of my work in the digital space, I can maximize how many people I can impact with my visual storytelling.

Hello, I'm CB. The LGBTQ+ community impacts me in multiple ways, not only am I part of the community but most of my friends are part of the community as well. As a biromantic gray asexual queer individual, the LGBT+ community gives me a place to experiment and be myself. The community is a place for people like myself to feel loved and understood. I am pursuing a degree in multimedia. I chose this major because I want to create art that makes others feel heard. I grew up with a chronically ill mother and this made me realize that disabled individuals aren't represented that well in the art and animation industry. With my major I aim to create visual stories that show a more diverse cast of characters. I want to show people that they aren't alone and that people with disabilities are more than their illnesses. That these people do have joy and aren't just a sob story for people to get inspiration off of. I feel as if people with different backgrounds and families got more screen time or pages in a book, that there would be less people and children that feel out of place and lonely in the world like I did growing up. This ambition of mine also correlates back into the LGBTQ+ community. Though I’ve seen more queer people in main stream media, quiet a few of them miss the mark of what it is like living and being a queer person. The stories hardly ever felt as fleshed out as heterosexual/romantic characters and were often the bud of the joke. I want to create media and animation that represents the vast personalities that LGBTQ+ individuals have, that they are people with stories worth listening to. That we aren’t just show ponies or the “gay best friend” that sits in a corner, we feel, we exist, we thrive. Getting a multimedia degree makes room for so much possibility. Not only with this degree can I do animation and art, I can also edit, write, and help produce new stories. The possibilities are endless on how much good I can contribute to or make with the degree I am after. I hope some day my love and passion for art can help lift and give back voices to those that feel a little left out or lost in the pieces of media that they consume.