I was 7 years old when my parents told me that I have Williams syndrome. It didn’t mean much to me at the time, other than the fact that I was very happy to have something that my sister DIDN’T have. Williams syndrome is a rare genetic condition affecting 1 in 10,000. It is characterized by medical problems, including cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning challenges. These often occur side by side with striking verbal abilities, highly social personalities, and an affinity for music, etc… But this is my definition: People with Williams syndrome are amazing human beings who just want to come together and spread love and kindness to the world. Anyway, I felt like a pretty normal, happy kid, but as I got into middle school, things started to get harder…. the school work and the social stuff. But I always had music. I’d been in musical productions at my school and church, sang in the choirs and tried to learn the piano. But it wasn’t until I realized that I could write my own songs that things got serious. My papa would improvise something at the piano and I would start singing - just freestyle. A musical was born and now 6 years later we finally did a first staged reading of The Girl Who Cried Different. A story of a father and his daughter who aspire to help heal the world with their musical, and are themselves healed in the process. It is my story. A story about what’s it’s like living with a unique disability. But it’s also about everyone who feels different and feels like they don’t fit in. My papa has been a very successful professional musician but he always told me that he never felt like he fit in either. Both when he was younger and even when he was older and successful. This is also a story about the many people who have hidden disabilities. We just don’t know what others are going through, so we should be kind to everybody. Writing and continuing to develop this musical has given me confidence to keep pursuing my dreams of performing and writing my own music. It’s also given me confidence is my life. My experience in theater has helped me develop as a confident public speaker. I not only sing my truth, I also speak it. I was chosen to be the keynote speaker at my school’s fundraiser gala last year. I’ve also spoken several times at my church. I’m looking forward to college and having the opportunity to become a better performer and writer, learning from my mentors and peers. I strive to be a strong role model and advocate for people with Williams syndrome and all disabilities, by being only the 2nd person with Williams syndrome to ever earn a 4-year college degree.