1. Week 2 Exploration:Week 2 Exploration:
My MCBSMy MCBS
StoryboardStoryboard

2. was in an never ending struggle ofwas in an never ending struggle of
trying to determine if I should pursuetrying to determine if I should pursue
that which was expected of me or dothat which was expected of me or do
what I felt in my soul I was supposedwhat I felt in my soul I was supposed
to do…I was in a constant battle withto do…I was in a constant battle with
myself and in a mental struggle tomyself and in a mental struggle to
overcome the opinions of my parentsovercome the opinions of my parents
and the emotions I felt due to the lackand the emotions I felt due to the lack
of understanding and support I didn’tof understanding and support I didn’t
receive from them or my spouse. Myreceive from them or my spouse. My
whole situation...mentally, emotionallywhole situation...mentally, emotionally
and physically was not ideal.and physically was not ideal.
This was hard to overcome; I was aThis was hard to overcome; I was a
very timid child and unfortunately, thisvery timid child and unfortunately, this
lead into my adulthood. I grew up inlead into my adulthood. I grew up in
very constrained existence so Ivery constrained existence so I
definitely did what I was supposed todefinitely did what I was supposed to
do; freedom of thought, choice anddo; freedom of thought, choice and
expression was not really an option…Iexpression was not really an option…I
got use to being a good little soldier. Igot use to being a good little soldier. I
dressed how I was supposed todressed how I was supposed to
dress and acted how I was supposeddress and acted how I was supposed
to act. Who I appeared to be wasn’tto act. Who I appeared to be wasn’t
who I wanted to be...I was just awho I wanted to be...I was just a
fraction of myself.fraction of myself.
This was hard to overcome; I was aThis was hard to overcome; I was a
very timid child and unfortunately, thisvery timid child and unfortunately, this
lead into my adulthood. I grew up inlead into my adulthood. I grew up in
very constrained existence so Ivery constrained existence so I
definitely did what I was supposed todefinitely did what I was supposed to
do; freedom of thought, choice anddo; freedom of thought, choice and
expression was not really an option…Iexpression was not really an option…I
got use to being a good little soldier. Igot use to being a good little soldier. I
dressed how I was supposed todressed how I was supposed to
dress and acted how I was supposeddress and acted how I was supposed
to act. Who I appeared to be wasn’tto act. Who I appeared to be wasn’t

3. I had always thought II had always thought I
wanted to become awanted to become a
lawyer. I loved facts andlawyer. I loved facts and
trivial situations thattrivial situations that
required investigation andrequired investigation and
due to the requirement ofdue to the requirement of
dressing up three times adressing up three times a
week enforced by myweek enforced by my
parents, one could easilyparents, one could easily
say I dressed the part of asay I dressed the part of a
lawyer. I thought this had tolawyer. I thought this had to
be destiny; my middlebe destiny; my middle
name is Jestine…thatname is Jestine…that
means “just and upright”. Imeans “just and upright”. I
always did what was soalways did what was so
called “right”. And hey, I hadcalled “right”. And hey, I had
enough pent up aggressionenough pent up aggression
to deliver an argumentto deliver an argument
without flaw. I planned mywithout flaw. I planned my
whole academic career. Iwhole academic career. I
was already enrolled in thewas already enrolled in the
law strand in high schoollaw strand in high school
and planned on going to goand planned on going to go
to the University ofto the University of
California in Santa Cruz andCalifornia in Santa Cruz and
then come back to the eastthen come back to the east
coast to attend law schoolcoast to attend law school
in Florida.in Florida.

4. But then one day I made a mistakeBut then one day I made a mistake
and the criticism I received from myand the criticism I received from my
mother altered my path…it wasn’tmother altered my path…it wasn’t
nasty but she simply made thenasty but she simply made the
comment, “that is not something acomment, “that is not something a
lawyer would do”…and at that timelawyer would do”…and at that time
whatever my mother said was goldwhatever my mother said was gold
to me. I interpreted it as her tellingto me. I interpreted it as her telling
me that I wasn’t cut out to be ame that I wasn’t cut out to be a
lawyer. So I reverted back to mylawyer. So I reverted back to my
place of solace. As a child andplace of solace. As a child and
teenager I’d cope with my reality byteenager I’d cope with my reality by
escaping it…through reading, writingescaping it…through reading, writing
and drawing. It wasn’t anythingand drawing. It wasn’t anything
special. I just stayed in my room andspecial. I just stayed in my room and
created…its just what I did. As onecreated…its just what I did. As one
dream died a new one emerged…dream died a new one emerged…
my high school art teacher, Ms.my high school art teacher, Ms.
Capitol-Jefferson, told me I had aCapitol-Jefferson, told me I had a
natural gift and she wanted to putnatural gift and she wanted to put
me in her advanced classes…Ime in her advanced classes…I
remember getting home and theremember getting home and the
excitement and apprehension I feltexcitement and apprehension I felt
when I told my mom. Her responsewhen I told my mom. Her response
was honestly, so unexpected, shewas honestly, so unexpected, she
said, “Oh yeah, your kindergartensaid, “Oh yeah, your kindergarten
teacher said the same thing.” It wasteacher said the same thing.” It was
kind of a blow to hear her saykind of a blow to hear her say
because I’d been searching forbecause I’d been searching for
some type of identity and place…butsome type of identity and place…but
it was then that I knew I was anit was then that I knew I was an
artist…I am an artist.artist…I am an artist.

5. Because of that my entireBecause of that my entire
focus changed, I got tofocus changed, I got to
experience so many coolexperience so many cool
things in participating inthings in participating in
our local competitionsour local competitions
and being apart of the artand being apart of the art
club. I wanted to use myclub. I wanted to use my
lightly cultivated art skillslightly cultivated art skills
to emerge into variousto emerge into various
Art-based endeavors likeArt-based endeavors like
magazine print, film,magazine print, film,
books, and cartoons tobooks, and cartoons to
name a few (yes, that isname a few (yes, that is
what I call a few..LOL) Iwhat I call a few..LOL) I
wanted to develop artswanted to develop arts
initiatives for myinitiatives for my
communities and evencommunities and even
travel doing missionarytravel doing missionary
work because I just knewwork because I just knew
I would financially be ableI would financially be able
too based on what Itoo based on what I
thought I would havethought I would have
accomplished by now...Iaccomplished by now...I
never planned on beingnever planned on being
the broke artist.the broke artist.

6. Because of that I decided I wantedBecause of that I decided I wanted
to go away to college and to an Artto go away to college and to an Art
School. I had decided that ISchool. I had decided that I
wanted be a Film Major and alsowanted be a Film Major and also
obtain experience in televisionobtain experience in television
production. New York, here Iproduction. New York, here I
come! I wasn't sure about what tocome! I wasn't sure about what to
look for but at that time it didn’tlook for but at that time it didn’t
even matter what I wanted. Due toeven matter what I wanted. Due to
incessant direction to attend ourincessant direction to attend our
local community college by mylocal community college by my
parents...that is what I did. Theseparents...that is what I did. These
are the moments when I began toare the moments when I began to
establish a bit ofestablish a bit of
independence...my quietindependence...my quiet
revolt...even now newly 29, I laughrevolt...even now newly 29, I laugh
when I think of my momwhen I think of my mom
stating…”your not openlystating…”your not openly
disrespectful no, but you have adisrespectful no, but you have a
quiet disobedience”... because allquiet disobedience”... because all
my parents knew is that I neededmy parents knew is that I needed
to be pursuing a degree that wasto be pursuing a degree that was
computer-based...they didn’tcomputer-based...they didn’t
understand and nor was I aware ofunderstand and nor was I aware of
the opportunities available forthe opportunities available for
someone like me. I was too timidsomeone like me. I was too timid
to even ask.to even ask.

7. Because of that level of uncertainty andBecause of that level of uncertainty and
series of life altering experiences, I wentseries of life altering experiences, I went
from an General Studies-Art major to anfrom an General Studies-Art major to an
Mass Communications Major to a VisualMass Communications Major to a Visual
Communications Major. This all occurredCommunications Major. This all occurred
in the next 5 to 8 years of my life afterin the next 5 to 8 years of my life after
high school. Going to school whenever Ihigh school. Going to school whenever I
could, starting in the Fall of 2003-2004,could, starting in the Fall of 2003-2004,
enrolled in Spring semester of 2005,enrolled in Spring semester of 2005,
winter accelerated of 2008 semester…winter accelerated of 2008 semester…
spring of 2009. Why all of the jumpingspring of 2009. Why all of the jumping
around? Well, at the age of 20, Iaround? Well, at the age of 20, I
unexpectantly got pregnant with my firstunexpectantly got pregnant with my first
child, Miss Sharese (now 8) and I gotchild, Miss Sharese (now 8) and I got
married. Because of that I was lead tomarried. Because of that I was lead to
believe that everything I wanted to dobelieve that everything I wanted to do
wasn’t possible, didn’t matter and mywasn’t possible, didn’t matter and my
overall job was to sacrifice all of me...andoverall job was to sacrifice all of me...and
that is what I did. While I foundthat is what I did. While I found
temporary gratification in the fact that Itemporary gratification in the fact that I
was a great mom and did what I waswas a great mom and did what I was
supposed to do as a wife I began to getsupposed to do as a wife I began to get
frustrated with life. I eventually had twofrustrated with life. I eventually had two
more children, a son, Gerald Jr. (now 6)more children, a son, Gerald Jr. (now 6)
and my second daughter, Olivia (now 4).and my second daughter, Olivia (now 4).
I had an inner yearning to create thatI had an inner yearning to create that
wasn’t getting fed with doing art projectswasn’t getting fed with doing art projects
with my kids. I wanted more but couldn’twith my kids. I wanted more but couldn’t
see my way out…I felt hopeless.see my way out…I felt hopeless.

8. Until Finally, I jumped at an opportunityUntil Finally, I jumped at an opportunity
that came up. Desiring to dothat came up. Desiring to do
something...anything...to get out ofsomething...anything...to get out of
the rut I was in and to start to makethe rut I was in and to start to make
something of my life, I applied tosomething of my life, I applied to
participate in a program developed byparticipate in a program developed by
the non-profit organization,the non-profit organization, Year UpYear Up,,
its a year long intensive trainingits a year long intensive training
program that provides low-incomeprogram that provides low-income
young adults, ages 18-24, with ayoung adults, ages 18-24, with a
combination of hands-on skillcombination of hands-on skill
development, college credits, anddevelopment, college credits, and
corporate internships..the goal...tocorporate internships..the goal...to
empower urban young adults toempower urban young adults to
reach their potential. Now while itreach their potential. Now while it
wasn’t about art, it was what I neededwasn’t about art, it was what I needed
to rediscover my potential and theto rediscover my potential and the
dreams I had for me. It weigheddreams I had for me. It weighed
heavily on my mind, how can Iheavily on my mind, how can I
possibly encourage my children topossibly encourage my children to
pursue their passions if I wasn’tpursue their passions if I wasn’t
pursuing my own. I needed to putpursuing my own. I needed to put
myself in a position to be able tomyself in a position to be able to
support them in the way that I wishedsupport them in the way that I wished
my own parents had supported me.my own parents had supported me.
During both the development phaseDuring both the development phase
and the internship experience I had atand the internship experience I had at
Freddie Mac, I shed the confines ofFreddie Mac, I shed the confines of
me…those things that caused me tome…those things that caused me to
be passive and timid.be passive and timid.

9. And every since I decided that IAnd every since I decided that I
was going to go back to school towas going to go back to school to
pursue the life I wanted inspite ofpursue the life I wanted inspite of
my circumstances and lack ofmy circumstances and lack of
support. I set my heart onsupport. I set my heart on
attending school online….at Fullattending school online….at Full
Sail University. I saw that I had theSail University. I saw that I had the
opportunity to garner all the skills Iopportunity to garner all the skills I
want that would set me up towant that would set me up to
pursue all of the options I want topursue all of the options I want to
in the Visual Media Arts Industry.in the Visual Media Arts Industry.
So I set a plan, get a job atSo I set a plan, get a job at
night...check! And enroll innight...check! And enroll in
school….check!school….check!
I currently work graveyard shiftI currently work graveyard shift
security, this allows me to besecurity, this allows me to be
home with my kids in the eveninghome with my kids in the evening
for homework, dinner and thefor homework, dinner and the
likes. Devote time to the husband..likes. Devote time to the husband..
And have time during the day forAnd have time during the day for
me to attend class and completeme to attend class and complete
assignments…So now I amassignments…So now I am
pursuing my passion for media atpursuing my passion for media at
Full Sail, I haven’t let anything stopFull Sail, I haven’t let anything stop
me and I won’t. Plus, I have theme and I won’t. Plus, I have the
three little people who arethree little people who are
motivation enough for me to givemotivation enough for me to give
them the best and it starts withthem the best and it starts with
me.me.

10. And this is justAnd this is just
the beginning…the beginning…