Autobiography: life narratives and personal identity

Autobiography

If parents name a child Jill or Sue, she has a lifetime to figure out who she is without worrying about any expectations that might come with her name. My parents named me Precious. There is nothing quite like being labeled as valuable to put pressure on a child. I realized early on, however, that I had a choice; I could live up to the challenge, or I could make a mockery of my name. I chose the first path, and, rather than resent my parents for the burden of my name, I celebrate it. Precious? I hope that every person I meet answers that question with a "yes."

I strive to bring joy to others by smiling most of the time. It can be very easy to allow negativity and stress to impact one's outlook, but I refuse to allow external events to dictate how I should react, or, more critically, how I should feel. Therefore, when something bad happens, I acknowledge it, I accept it, and I look at how I can change, or at least mitigate its effect. For example, as a young student I had serious difficulties with reading, and those problems delayed some of my progress in school. Despite my challenges I have emerged as a very dedicated student with an enormous focus on my education. I plan to be the first member of my family to complete a college degree, and I already know I'll study engineering. Having focused on these positive goals, I emerge with a smile because I understand my challenges and I'm prepared to conquer them. Moreover, I hope that my smile can help people see that there is a choice to view the bumps in life as simply roadblocks or detours rather than dead ends.

Another way I aim to bring joy into people's lives is through dance. I have been dancing for 15 years, and I focus on jazz because I find it the most expressive for my personality. I moved to Charlotte with my father two years ago in order to attend an art school where I could further my dance training. I've even been fortunate enough to dance with the NFL Panther Top Cats on several occasions.

While I know how important the arts are, I realize that art, alone, is not enough to change the world. Art supplies a critical vision, but people must be willing to bring that vision to life despite challenges. As an African-American I often consider my own ancestors and what they were able to accomplish despite the odds against them. If they could overcome these overwhelming odds, it would be dishonorable for me to refuse to meet the challenges in my own life. To that end, I've engaged in a series of projects that aim to have a direct and positive impact on the lives of the people around me. I had a talk show, "Closer to my Dreams," on WGIV 103.3 FM; the purpose of which was to inspire teenagers to reach for their dreams. I've also work at Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES!), a nonprofit organization that specializes in training. Yes! fosters partnerships between youths and adult volunteers to create change in the community. Many traditional organizations ignore the role that younger people can play in volunteer work and community change, and I work to change that perception. I also volunteer with my church, Rod of God Ministries, and one of my volunteer positions there is to clean the bathrooms. I mention this, because each of my contribution is important, whether it is one that normally gets recognition and glory, or it is a position that people may overlook. I'm willing to be the person out in front leading the charge, but I also have the humility and tenacity to clean bathrooms if that's what is required for success.