CURRENT MISSION

Studying and creating art... and finding a way to harness the creative process to increase social justice!

ABOUT ME

I want to make beautiful things. I want to change the world. I want to make beautiful things with and about amazing people. I want to change the world by telling the stories of the people who are working to change the world.

Passionate about education, art and the power of literature.

Carpe diem.

PHILOSOPHY

There is so much more that I’d like to share with you, but I realize that my time and yours is limited. Thus I’ll leave you with this: at my freshman convocation, Maya Angelou implored us to not leave this world without doing something wonderful for humanity. 2 years later, I stumbled upon another piece of advice given by then [civil rights activist] Reverand Howard Thurman: “Don’t think about what the world needs. Think about what makes you come alive, and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who’ve come alive.” I’ve been fortunate enough to discover a convergence of passion. I hope to channel this drive towards something I believe our increasingly global world desperately needs.

I used to think that I would have to give up my art if I wanted to affect "real" tangible change, but every new experience has fortified my belief that this is a false dichotomy. Art in all its forms is the simultaneous spectator, commentator, and actor within society. This is my kind of art, the kind I want to share with the world. I want to work with an organization that channels creative impulse towards this common goal.

Por que estou no Couchsurfing?

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I joined the CS community after having heard glowing reviews from a friend last semester... and decided to poke around and see what it was about. And what a happy stumble upon it has been!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've had 2 great couchsurfing experiences - both while I studied in Europe. One was on a visit to Brugges with a good friend. Yangyang hosted us there -- he was a Chinese man working there at the time. Since then, we've kept in touch and I also sent him a video for him to include in his "wedding surprise" for his (then) fiance/(now) wife! Also, when I was in London, I stayed with Ali. His graciousness, interest in art and fantastic cooking sticks with me to this day!

Interesses

LOVE reading. Tastes are a bit eclectic, although I've just come off a Neil Gaiman binge. Just picked up Marcus Aurelius's "Meditations" (recommended by a good friend) - and am reading that while I happily romp through some old children's classics -- for pleasure and "research" (I'm also partial to writing and you'll find me constantly scribbling in my trusty moleskin). Currently writing interpreted fairy tales inspired by the Chinese myths I heard growing up. // Drawing-doodling-painting... I studied art while at Duke and this has been a constant in my life. My sketchbook is often my quiet place // Just going to list now // Singing (what I lack in talent I make up for in energy) + Dancing (line dancing + country 2 step... learning swing) + baking (addicted to the food channel) + Spoken word poetry + exploring/wandering/getting lost + laughing + good conversations + meeting lovely people.

• arts
• humanities
• writing
• literature
• poetry
• singing
• acting
• make up
• dancing
• civil rights
• education
• dining
• cooking
• baking
• reading
• painting
• drawing
• spoken word
• art history
• teaching
• entrepreneurship
• history
• volunteering

Uma Coisa Incrível que Eu Fiz

2 summers ago, I had the pleasure of volunteering for the Hua-dan group in Beijing, China. I was given the opportunity to participate a Hua-dan participatory theatre workshop and experienced the “hands on” and spontaneous methodology used by the organization. This first experience with Hua Dan (summer of 2009) was on a part time capacity. I caught glimpses of what radically inspired me. As a organization based on the principles of social entrepreneurship, Hua dan is committed to the advancement of personal and social transformation through the innovative use of the arts. As an visual art student, I’ve benefited not only from “traditional” aspect of art education (here defined as technique and art history) but also from the broader “liberal arts” atmosphere of the university: Namely, the possibility of interdisciplinary collaboration between the various academic and artistic branches towards a positive social end.

With Hua-dan, I was able to see how, within a more structured and directed context, one way we can apply a creative, arts based, teaching style towards positive social change.

Países que Visitei

China, France, Greece, Italy, South Korea

Países em que Morei

United States