After repeatedly watching the “cinematic masterpiece” Ice Princess, in which a Harvard hopeful creates complex physics formulae based on the principles of figure skating, 6-year-old me decided that this was the appropriate sport to participate in. Living in Florida, finding ice was a bit of a challenge, so I begrudgingly settled on dance as a next best option.

Dance was as close to figure skating as it could get - without the ice. (Except for roller derby, I suppose.)

Falling in love with dance was a slow and extremely painful process, but it is now such an integral part of my being.

Identifying as an artist is a choice, a choice that anyone can make and a choice that comes with great possibilities and great duties. This past year, I learned what it meant to use your craft for good.

At the start of a new competition season, list day is the exciting and heart-wrenching day of deliverance where all of the dances for the year are listed with song titles and cast members. Nervously converging around the list on that fateful summer day, I glanced at the cast list for "Dream of Love," the piece that would change my life.

When the first rehearsal began, our choreographer, Jennifer Walker (you can read my open letter to her here: To Jen ), had us all sit down and close our eyes. The music came on; the powerful words flooded the room. The piece started with Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, slowly transitioning into the chorus of Macklemore's "Same Love" with the constant refrain of Lin Manuel Miranda's passionate "love is love is love is love."

The music alone sent a powerful message. Before even moving a muscle, we discussed the political implications of the piece and what the fight for acceptance and equality meant to people of all walks of life. It was a sobering feeling to be discussing the same injustices that MLK fought against with his life. Being a part of the dance community and the larger community of artists also meant that we held total acceptance and love as standards for the world around us. Our mission was to deliver that message through this piece.

The rehearsal process was grueling, both physically and emotionally. It is a crime not to perform a piece with such a strong message without total conviction. We also had to ensure that we kept the message in mind and continued to fight through our craft. This meant delving deeper into the history and current happenings of our fight as well as getting involved in the global conversation.

The first time performing "Dream of Love" on stage was an experience that cannot be matched. I channeled all of the adrenaline coursing through my veins into my art form, and I felt myself fighting as if for my own life. All the dancers around me generated a similar aura. Bursting with emotion, we hit a pose of a rainbow about halfway through the dance, and we were met with a roaring applause. As the piece finished, dancers hand-in-hand, we exited the stage, leaving our hearts on the floor. Not a single dancer escaped that performance with a dry eye. Neither did the audience.

As the season went on, performing the piece became even more meaningful. At one performance at a local HBCU, we received a standing ovation and an astounding chorus of "YOU JUST DID THAT!" and "YES!"

Our rehearsals were every Tuesday night from 8-9, including the fateful night of the 2016 election. Holding our breaths with love and hope in our hearts, we gathered around a tiny iPad screen to watch the results roll in. The map filled with red, and our hearts filled with dread. Not only had I become part of this amazing piece of art used to spread love and hope, but I had also dedicated my personal time to outreach, canvassing, and pushing for political awareness all around me. Devastated but not discouraged, our mission took on a whole new meaning. We had to use our craft for good.

Each new performance brought new tears and touched more hearts, and I cherish the fact that I was able to participate in the radiation of love. As an artist, one has a duty to dedicate their talents to the advancement of society. Spread love.