The choice to be heard is one of the most political acts of all. Historically, the first to be annihilated during a war or political conflict were intelligentsia and artists because they carried hope and wisdom; their works undermined the values of the oppressors. Until I joined WORDlab, a playwriting ensemble for high schoolers, I was crafting stories but was afraid to share them. But, if I choose not to speak out of fear, then there is no one that my silence is standing for. Writing has the capacity to connect the private individual with social and political movements. As a writer, my work is not about having the right answers but rather asking the right questions.

 

Thus, to educate myself and inform my writing, I began doing research within the field of social psychology. I recently started working on my honors thesis research focused on social belonging impacted by students’ identities. Through this project, I want to expose the perceived neglect faced by students at institutions and propose solutions to restore institutions’ commitments to inclusion and equity for all community members.

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Through community organizing, I reminded myself of the privilege to pursue my dreams. For generations before me, many of my family members dreamt of becoming artists but faced with financial struggles, they put that dream aside. I refuse to do the same. I hope to continue studying discrimination, prejudice, and intersectionality at a Ph.D. level, simultaneously growing as a writer. Creative writing provides an enduring and publicly accessible medium to communicate lived experiences, reaching global audiences. As a social psychologist and a professor, I will have yet another powerful platform from which to educate and advocate for these causes.