The City of Angels

It hasn't quite hit me that I'm actually here in Los Angeles now. After what seemed to be a lifetime of waiting, 2/1/2010 arrived and I took off from my home of Williamsburg, VA. In the weeks prior to that momentous day, I got rid of the things I didn't need and packed my entire life into two suitcases, a guitar, a violin, and a backpack. I said aloha to my dear friends, as I don't believe in "goodbyes" since "goodbye" is a word that has only one singular meaning in the English language. But if there is a goodbye, it is to Williamsburg, VA.

Who would've thought that this quaint little town would be responsible for making a pivotal turning point in my life? It was here where I met the people who have become my pamilya, my aa'elah, my gahjuk...my family. It was these people that showed me how to love myself, my skin color, my ethnicity...the people who have inspired me to love others fiercely and to fight for what is right. I will forever remember that it was here that I found my salvation and my life-long passion, and that is something I will never forget.

It was unusual that I did not feel frightened or nervous about coming to Los Angeles. As soon as I arrived at the LAX airport and even during the hours before that, I had a very strange feeling that I was meant to come to this place. Heavier than the luggages I brought with me, I brought with me the passion to fight for a more just, accurate, and humane depictions of people in media representation, and to forever learn and appreciate the differences that makes us people unique yet never forget the common ties that we all share. What better place than Los Angeles, the city where people of all backgrounds come to make their dreams come true, the melting pot that led to the high boiling eruption of the '92 LA riots...the utopia and dystopia of America.

There are so many things to do here. There are so many people to meet. Already I have met like-minded individuals in this city who feel the way I feel, who fight the battles that I am fighting right now.

But right now, I'm gonna take it easy and enjoy my very first In N' Out burger.