My Invitation to the VSA Emerging Young Artists Award Ceremony in Washington D.C.

As I prepare to receive the VSA Emerging Young Artists Award at The Kennedy Center this February, I’m filled with a mix of emotions—gratitude, excitement, and a deep sense of reflection on my journey. This award is not just a recognition of my work; it’s a celebration of the incredible journey that art has enabled me to undertake, despite the sudden turn my life took with Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM).

Weaving a Mosaic of Artistic Expression

Within the inspiring framework of the VSA Emerging Young Artists Program 2023-2024, themed “Interchange,” my piece “A Critter Fable,” which delves into the narratives of adaptation and the embracing of disability, has been honored with this prestigious award.

This fable, featuring my music and artwork, highlights the path of a caterpillar whose disappointment in being unable to transform gets inspired by the colors and differences around him. The caterpillar realizes that even though he cannot fly, he can still add color to the world in his own special way.