Creative Arts Fellowship Project: “The Dorm”

As an undergraduate student, I want to experience intimate, vulnerable moments with a variety of individuals in order to gain a perspective on what access, quality, and the cost of healthcare is. I always wanted to influence policy from the perspective of a physician, but after the huge success of Crazy Rich Asians and Black Panther, I gained a new interest in media. The media plays an enormous role in cultivating images of groups, especially minorities, through these books, movies, songs, and TV shows. In an era of a cultural renaissance for many minority groups that were previously ignored, I see great value in investing time in sharing stories.

I plan to explore the experiences of minorities in college through writing a screenplay and developing a storyboard. My intent is to increase representation and understanding of individuals often overlooked while simultaneously exploring my experiences and reflecting on how the human condition is forged by society, peers, and personal choices.

As an aspiring physician, my goal to be culturally competent spans past the hospital. While there are a myriad of variables contributing to the systematic neglect of certain groups, I am interested in how the media propagates stereotypes and conveys information. For example, “The Office”, with its diverse cast, humanized individuals from certain backgrounds and forced the audience to consider the impact of words in a workplace setting. Steve Carell doesn’t think that the show would fit in today’s environment; however, I believe portraying the awkwardness of mundane interactions and emotional responses to the sublime or controversial would have a positive impact. I am currently an undergraduate student and feel this is one of the largest and most misunderstood groups. In focusing on minority students in college, I hope to challenge stereotypes, encourage dialogue, and display what we have to offer to the world.

My project originally started out as script writing with the intention of creating a visual aid to accompany it. Eventually, I decided to film a pilot episode or a few short clips. Due to COVID-19, I unfortunately cannot film anytime soon. Adjusting to zoom calls instead of meeting on the 37th floor of the Cathedral took a minute, but there is always a need to adjust in life. I think this works out for the better because I can still prepare by creating visuals and the script. My final deliverable will be a storyboard and comic book style panels of key scenes.

I am currently pursuing a degree in Rehabilitation Sciences with a minor in Chemistry and certificates in Global Studies and Transatlantic Studies. All that coursework coupled with writing and drawing leads to a lot of time sitting down. My goal this summer is to spend more time outside and try to incorporate Yoga into my daily routine.