'Hey Tjp, why do you perform?'

      When I tell people that I studied theatre in college, one of my favorite (and least favorite) questions to be asked was, “So what do you want to do with your life?” My usual response is, “Well, I was actually thinking I’d use my BFA in Musical Theatre to become a heart surgeon and perform surgeries on people with lethal heart disease.” In all seriousness, though, the reason this question is so funny to me, is that every time I get asked it, I say “Well, how much time do you have?” The short answer is simple; be an artist and be happy. The long answer is a jumbled stream of consciousness about the importance of artists and why the world depends so much on what we do, usually changing depending on my mood. Don’t worry, I’ll spare you the time and sum it up in a nice, concise package with a pretty little bow on top. If you ask any actor or artist why they’re doing what they’re doing, you will get a completely different answer from the latter. 

      I chose to pursue a career in the entertainment industry because ever since I was a kid I have always loved the spotlight. I used to always put on shows for my family and soaked in every last minute of the attention. They say that all people in the entertainment industry love attention, which is probably true for the most part, and I definitely do not fall short of that stereotype. On a deeper level, when I was a kid, I always felt different than the other kids. At such a young age, I had no idea why, or what it was about me that made me different. I would question my abilities and wonder why I couldn't be like the other kids. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I could put a finger on what exactly that was.

       I have grown up in a world that has taught me to be ashamed of who I am, and that forced me to become utterly convinced that there is something about me that is essentially unlovable. Growing up as a gay man in a straight man’s world, I have been trained to excel in everything that I do to try and over-compensate for this quality in me that is ‘unacceptable.’ To experience such deep shame at a young age delayed my process of developing a strong sense of self until much later than most. This shame has queer people convinced that we are critically flawed, and dims our earlier experiences in life. Besides being an ‘attention whore,’ I chose to pursue a career in the arts because I want to make an impact on the world. I want to use my voice and spread important messages through entertainment and media platforms, to uplift marginalized voices in our industry through the stories I tell, and to leave people questioning the constraints society tells us we have to live our lives within. I do what I do because I want every single kid who has been ostracized for who they are to believe in themselves every step of the way. There is absolutely no reason to raise children on the belief that who they are is unlovable, especially when you don’t even get to choose such a thing.  I do what I do because everyday I look around and am disgusted with the things that I see continuously plastering the headlines and it is my duty to utilize my own privileges in any way that I can. I truly believe that artists have the power to brainwash people, so if I can create something that has the ability to wake up the bigoted people in this country from their dated slumber, my artistic hunger would be sated—because after all, that is what I would consider the ultimate satisfaction for an artist. I don’t do what I do for fame, recognition, or money (clearly.) I do it because the feeling of knowing you got through to someone and inspired them is unlike any other. 

     In the world that we live in today, it is of utmost importance that young artists, like myself, continue to spread empowering messages through art to ensure equity and peace for the entirety of Earth’s inhabitants. It is quite clear to me that the world could very well use the passion and will of an artist to light the way