UC San Diego

Throughout the process of Native Son, it was imperative for me to create a strong sense of community among my collaborators and facilitate a safe, open environment in which to explore the delicate subject matter of the play. I approached this by cultivating my informal authority: building strong connections with the company by actively seeking trusting relationships and demonstrating my unwavering commitment to the collaboration. What proved challenging was exercising my formal authority and trusting my instinct to courageously initiate challenging conversations. When the process required me to embrace the full responsibility of the formal leader, I allowed fear and the weight of judgment and uncertainty to suppress my voice and retreat.

In the play, the character of Bigger struggles to honor his instincts and trust his heart to make the right choice. Bigger is persuaded by The Black Rat, his inner voice, to play it safe and act against his truth. This process has taught me that embodying vulnerability and allowing my instincts to guide me through the many challenging situations that arise make me a resilient and compassionate leader. By advocating for my collaborators and myself, taking big risks, and using adaptive language, I can influence the process in innumerable ways. I know I embody the necessary tools to lead authentically, and intend to further invest in the explicit responsibility required to lead artistic collaborative processes both informally and formally.