AJ - Eastern Michigan University
“I kept it in for a long time. It was a desperate desire for normalcy.”
From Me, The “Other” film
I’m a gay, white, Christian man currently attending Eastern Michigan University. I grew up in Pinckney, Michigan – an isolated, small, very white town! Growing up in school, there were at most 5-10 ethnic students. It wasn’t until college when I came to terms with being gay – which meant that I had to come to terms with my Christianity and my homosexuality. At that time, my immediate decision was if I don’t have sex, it should be OK with the Church. It wasn’t a denial of the issue. My family believed that you must live the way you believe Christ would, which for me is accepting one another and wanting people to feel happy and fulfilled. A couple of years after I realized I was gay, I came out to my family and friends and I was fortunate that they were all very accepting. My father said, “You can be gay as long as it doesn’t get in the way of your studies!” It is my desire to show that the things some people might describe as “other” aren’t actually so far removed from what they consider “normal”.
Who is a hero or heroine in your personal life?
I have had many teachers in my life, but few of them have been as important to me as Mary Helen Ciaravino. A broadcast professor of mine from Washtenaw Community College, rather than just tell us how to-do things and give us the grade, she treated us as though we were working to be professionals and made sure we know how much work we still had to do in order to succeed in a creative business. Though she was almost always harsh, she helped me to realize that I still had a lot of growing to-do and helped me become more critical and accepting of myself.
Who is an historical figure that you would have loved to have met?
The French film theorist and critic Andre Bazin. Reading some of his work, I relate to and believe a lot of what he says about what film is and what it should aspire to be. I honestly would like to know what he thought about films that are made today and how well he thinks they live up to his ideals.
What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?
When I was a kid, I had a stammer that gave me a very hard time speaking. I had to go to speech therapy for many years through elementary school and middle school. Thankfully it’s hard for most people to tell that I ever had one now!
What’s your favorite place in the world?
I’ve only been there once, but I LOVED going to Hawaii. I’m unfortunately not in the photo, but here’s a photo I took at the top of Mt. Mauna Kea at twilight (the photo doesn’t do it real justice).
What is one of your favorite things to do?
Since I was a in middle school, I’ve always liked doing theater. I’ve never done it professionally, but I acted all through high school and did some stuff in community theater while I’ve been going through college! Here’s a photo of me in a community theater production of “Taming of the Shrew” from a few years ago. Growing up, my family went on a good number of biking trips. Here’s a picture of me with my mom when I was twelve while we were doing the PALM ride: a bike trek across lower Michigan that took place over the course of a week!
What do you do to relieve stress?
I like doing puzzle games and listening to orchestra music to relieve stress and get my mind off things. If I’ve got time I’ll watch a film (big fan of comedies and action films).
What’s your favorite movie of all time?
“The Matrix” by the Wachowski Siblings, though it’s hard for me to really choose just one!
What is your favorite book?
“The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams and “Battle Royal” by Koushun Takami.