When I was in the tenth grade, my family and I began going to multi-family group therapy for my sister, who had been struggling with substance abuse. I went to support her recovery even though sharing my emotions was unfamiliar and uncomfortable for me. In each session, a different family would sit in the middle and talk through the issues that brought them to the group. Rather than pay attention, I would often check out. I’d bring pens and...

Brown strikes me as a place where learning is driven by curiosity and exploration. This year, I’ve had more room in my schedule to take electives based on my interests, and by taking a gender studies course and an online computer science course, I’ve found that I thrive in environments where I have more ownership over my learning goals. While I’m hoping to study MCM and Gender/Sexuality, I’m excited to curate an academic plan that...

I see media as a powerful tool for social change, and I hope to make impactful movies that question social constructs and inspire such change. I’m interested in concentrating in Modern Culture and Media because the department’s emphasis on creativity in both thought and practice would support my goal to explore the relationship between media, power, and social justice.The MCM curriculum would help me tell stories that challenge the conventions making up much of today’s culture...

Because I have separate households and my mom is an architect who likes to design our homes and move around, in the last fifteen years, I’ve lived in eleven different houses throughout Los Angeles. Moving to different neighborhoods has introduced me to a range of schools and people, all of which have diversified my experience and perspective on the city. I also lived in Providence and Block Island for two years as an infant, and have gone back to...

Since I began attending my current school in tenth grade, I’ve been enrolled in a film class. The classes are typically made up of students from different backgrounds, grade levels, and friend groups. Because of the workshop nature of the class, we’ve built an environment of trust and empowerment through creativity and authentic storytelling. In this community, I learned to reflect and to look at films — and the world — with a critical eye. My teacher has deliberately shown...