Design for Obama

This semester I was enrolled in Computer Graphics I with Professor Frank. In this class I learned how to work with Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator and QuarkXPress. It is great to have the skill of working with these different types of software. During one of our classes, my professor showed us a website called Design For Obama.

It is a website composed of graphic designed posters regarding Barrack Obama. I thought it would be neat to share them on this blog. Anyone can submit a design, it just has to be approved by the organization. Here are a couple of my favorites among the selections:









My professor said that we have all the knowledge and skill to be able to make a poster like any of the ones presented on the website. When I have more time, I was interested in trying to create one. I think it would be really fun. I love the computer graphics class, it is just a lot of work and is very time consuming.

5 Friends Uncensored

This video was sent to me from a professor of mine in the Dance and Theatre Department. I fell in love with the fact that all these celebrities came together to send out this strong message. As sad as it may seem, I believe celebs like Usher or Leonardo DiCaprio may have gotten through to people my age with the message better than anyone in politics now. Many people my age do not fully understand the importance of registering and voting. I will admit that I have never been a fan of politics. It wasn't until this election that I actually started to pay attention to the news and what was going on in the economy.

The factors that lead me to be more conscious in the world were the poor state of the economy, the sacrifices made for this war that we are in, my future and Barack Obama. When I first found out there was a black candidate for the presidency I was happy, but honestly did not feel the country was ready for a black president. I knew I was ready and this election was especially important because it was the first would I was able to vote. When I turned 18, my AP Government teacher registered me to vote, so that was taken care of for years now. I really wanted to be aware of the situation and standings of the candidates because I actually had a say in the future of our country.

I cannot describe what I felt when Barack Obama was announced as our president. I am so happy and proud to call him our president and look forward to the next four years. I feel now that I may have a future.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre is one of the best dance companies in the world. In my opinion, it is the best and I have been obsessed with them for years now.

Alvin Ailey created 79 ballets throughout the span of his life and is thought of as a genius. After his death, Judith Jamison took over as artistic director and keeps Mr. Ailey's ideas and dreams alive today.

When I was a senior in high school, I applied to Fordham University and auditioned for the Ailey program. (There is a partnership between the university and the theatre.) Walking into the building in NYC took my breath away. I auditioned and have never been so scared in my life. After the audition they conducted an one on one interview between you and some of the choreographers. They offered me a spot in their summer intensive! They could not determine whether or not I had been accepted into the program yet because I did not know whether or not I was accepted into Fordham University. I had to wait and see what would happen and I was a nervous wreck the whole time. Finally my letter from Fordham came, and I was not accepted. I cried for a while because that meant I was not able to dance with the Ailey Company. The intensive was so much money and when it came down to it, I could not do it if I wasn't going to be attending Fordham in August.


My heart was broken but Ailey was not out of my life forever. Last semester I was accepted into a performance project here at Manhattanville choreographed by a choreographer from Ailey: Earl Mosley. He gave me a solo in the performance and told me to attend his summer intensive in CT. The whole month of July I devoted myself to the intensive and it was the best decision of my life. I made so many great connections with Ailey and learned so much.

After the first intensive, I was offered a spot in another intensive in NYC run by Ronald K Brown(who I am also obsessed with). I do not live in NYC so Mr. Mosley let me stay with him in his apartment in Brooklyn during the week intensive. I have never danced like I did this summer and plan on attending both intensives again next summer. It was amazing to stay with such a respected people like Mr. Mosley and Mr. Ronald K. Brown. They were so good to me and I still keep in contact with them now. I plan on taking class from both of them whenever I have the chance and am so excited for it.

Did I mention I watched the summer 2008 Olympics with a principle dancer from Ailey? Clifton Brown. The amazing guy in this photo. I still can't believe it.