I came to King on a wrestling scholarship and stayed because of my professors. I actually tried to transfer out of King–twice. The major I thought I wanted wasn’t there, yet God had different plans for me. While there, I found photography, had my worldview constantly expanded by my classes and through the friendships and mentorships that developed with many professors. Yet, in some ways, my experience differed from most. As a young black man, I was growing into consciousness concerning what it means to be black in this country at that time. I was supported by many professors and encouraged to continue growing. I was even gifted Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man for my birthday one year by Dr. Don Hudson, which has been a formative text for me. Although, inevitably, I experienced pushback and racism from some students in this time of growth, I was supported by others, both professors and students alike. At King, I was challenged to think, question, and help people see the world and God in a more expansive way. From fitness to where I went to graduate school, King helped shape me. Although I have slightly more debt than I’d like, King gave me incomparable freedom and flexibility to become. Since then, I’m currently pursuing making art to challenge perspectives and give hope to marginalized and oppressed peoples full-time, after working in churches and finishing up my MACM from Emmanuel Christian Seminary. King was nothing short of formative, and I am grateful.
