When I was younger, I had difficulty communicating with others. I couldn’t string words together to share a thought. I took speech therapy classes before I entered kindergarten, but I still didn’t progress at the same level as my peers in reading, writing, and math. Art was where I was most comfortable. It’s where I excelled. It’s what set me apart – in a good way – from my classmates. Eventually, I was diagnosed with mixed receptive-expressive language disorder, which led to an Individualized Education Plan built on my strength: visual learning. This helped me go from struggling to read to making the honor roll.Despite the challenges, I never doubted my future centered on art. The drawing skills I used to communicate and understand the world around me as a child evolved into cartoons that depict life in all its glory, excitement, despair, and monotony. I take broad concepts and transform them into dynamic images that inform, engage, and entertain.