Burden of Glory

I'm learning a lot about being a true leader, having I worked up to everything I'm apart of. 

Being a leader is sometimes a Burden. You have to do what's best for the people around you, even before yourself. A leader has to be an example for the people that will come after him/her. As well as the people that surrounds him/her.

The biggest thing I think a leader has to do is sacrifice. A leader sometimes have to take on a burden to make sure the people around him are in harmony, sacrificing his/her own harmony or happiness sometimes. 

I'm challenging the person reading to become a bigger leader. Even leaders reading, think of how you can expand and better yourself. We need leaders everywhere to make sure things are stable. The burden is just a symbol to make your inner self stronger, and God has blessed us with tremendous strength. 

Be Blessed! 

-CDS

The Tree

"The Tree."

Not an actual Lynching Tree, but the man that stands strong despite the torture and cruel treatment by the people who surrounds him. Standing in the face of death, there is no bend in his body. He stands tall and strong like a Tree. So much strength in his face. He makes me strong. I am so grateful for the people that came before me, they went through so much, men and women so that we could live. 

So many of our people became the strange fruit of the south. Going through so much, being forbidded from the world they were born into suffrage. If you're reading this. Please take a moment to reflect on the bravery of these people. Show gratitude for the people who came before us, who died so that we could live.. Take a brief moment to thank them... 

Billie Holiday, Strange Fruit: 

"Southern trees bear a strange fruit

Blood on the leaves and blood at the root

Black bodies swingin' in the Southern breeze, Strange fruit hangin' from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant South

The bulgin' eyes and the twisted mouth

Scent of magnolias sweet and fresh

Then the sudden smell of burnin' flesh

Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck

For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck, For the sun to rot, for the tree to drop, Here is a strange and bitter crop." 

My people, We must stand together, in harmony. Be as Strong as "The Tree" was for us. The Time is NOW. 

-CDS

Craft

As you all may know, I am an Actor. I've been acting in pre-professional plays for about 3 years now, while actually majoring in Drama. I've actually been in 4 productions. 

"Jelly's last jam" by George C. Wolfe. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare. "The Piano Lesson" by August Wilson, and "Black Nativity" by Langston Hughes. 

It's kinda crazy because my freshmen year in college was actually my first year doing theatre. I didn't expect it to be as hard as it is. Just like any other major, there is a Craft to everything. Before college I was speaking to one of my mentors Jackée Harry, 

(First African American Emmy Award Winning Actress).

About pursuing my dreams, and she was the first person that insisted of me "Mastering The Craft" now I see why she said it. I can't fathom "Actors" who get a chance to be in a production without training. I understand that she didn't want me to be mediocre, and to actually know the work. I really owe it all to her influence upon me, she is amazing with so much knowledge, and I will dedicate my future credibility to her. 

I'm currently in my junior year of training, and I just actually made a breakthrough holding my lead role in "Black Nativity" Now there's no such thing as perfect, but even though that lingers in my mind, I will always strive for a 10. I was just recently trained in a new style of Acting/Directing from my instructor, Dr. Cristal Chanelle Truscott. She created a style of African Diaspora, connected to the roots, called "Soul Work." Which actually recently won the Doris Duke award. I'm so honored to be one of her experiments for this style and it has improved my Artistry tremendously. 

Now heading to my second semester in junior year, I'm learning Shakespeare, and "On Camera Acting" Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far. I have a year in a half left before I move to California to start my legacy. 

Listen, we only have 1 life. I don't think you all should spend it on anything that doesn't make you happy. Anything is possible if you work for it, there is always a solution to get where you need or want to be. Make sure you're following your dreams no matter what anyone says, people are gonna judge you no matter what you do so expect it. Become the best version of yourself that you can be so you can be an example for the people that will come after us. We are the current generation, we have to take care of this world. Keep pushing! 

-CDS 

Virtuous Sparks

I must confess that my mind is confusing sometimes, but there are certain things that allure me to a woman. First I love passion, a woman that has passion and ambition for anything is great. I love a woman that has many things going for her. That keeps herself busy, and don't feed off of anyone else. 

How you carry yourself is important. Yes, I'm attracted to some women who are naturally beautiful but have bad habits about how they carry themselves, but I will only pursue the high class woman that wears unrevealing clothes so that people could only wonder what's under. What also gets me is when a woman challenges me to be better in little ways. I can say that I'm very intellectual and I can introduce my woman to a lot of things, however I do want someone who's gonna keep me on my toes. Someone that wants to learn and grow with me. 

I'm waiting on the woman described in the bible, Proverbs 31-31, The Virtuous Woman. 

"She is far more precious than Jewels."

-CDS

Voyage

Growing up, I always knew that I was going to be someone important. It's something that lingered in my mind. I think it was because of me knowing that I was weird because I didn't think like the people around me. Back then I really didn't know what I wanted to be or what my dreams were. I just danced, sung, and rapped app the time. My great grandmother always told me that I could do whatever I wanted and to this day, I hold on to her late words. 

Moving into adolescence, I started gaining the passion for sports, football in particular. During these years my mind was transforming and I was kinda stuck because even though I adored football, I just had this timid feeling inside of me that it's not where I belonged. In fact, I felt lost for a long time in my earlier days cause of many occasions where I didn't fit in. Now in high school I took a theatre class because I knew it was something I was interested in. The class was very fun and towards the end of the year, my teacher presented an assignment that we learned and performed monologues in front of everyone. The class already anticipated that they were gonna bullshitt the assignment as well as I. But when it was my turn to go up, something happened on stage to where I clicked and really lived. My teacher told me I had the best monologue in class and that I should really look into Theatre, and that's where my dream took off.

When I got to college I had one of the hardest decisions in my life. I was intended to play football because I trained all summer, but when I told my advisor I wanted to play ball and major in theatre, she told me I couldn't do both.. And that's when God spoke to me. I chose theatre. Since then I've been excelling in learning the craft of Theatre, Art, and Humanity. I've finally found where I belong. 

I dream to become one of the greatest actors of all time. I dream to change the world through the Art that I create so that people could better understand each other and live in harmony. I dream to be an important aspect to the world. 

Right now I'm on a Voyage to my dreams, and nothing and no one is gonna stop me from reaching them. I've been doubted so much it's ridiculous. I will be BIG, I promise, I swear it, and I never go back on my word. 

"So set sail with me on my journey to Atlantis."

~ CDSJ 👑