My identity is something I hold very dearly and work every day to express. As someone who is far and away from any sense of normalcy, it took me so long to embrace those differences rather than be ashamed of them. This video assignment allowed me to briefly showcase some of the most crucial traits of myself that I find most inherent to what makes me who I am.
I used CapCut and TikTok to create this video as it was the easiest way to access and play around with my camera roll as well as adding audio. It was very difficult choosing which photos to use as I have so many full of amazing memories that made me the person I am today, but I was able to narrow it down to some of my favorites. The song in the background is Swamp Thing by The Chameleons, a band that I am not only friends with, but a band that has helped me through the darkest times of my life. This song in particular is one I listen to on loop when I’m feeling down, defeated, or alone and it is what helped me survive my first semester back in the fall of 2023; it feels like the song that I am most connected to.
Making this was a very emotional, cathartic experience. I’ve been incredibly sick these last two weeks due to complications with my disability being impacted by the wild fluctuations with the weather as well as it being illness season, so I haven’t really felt like myself lately. However, going through all my photos, putting this all together, adding the music, it reminded me who I am which is something I really needed.