I've always felt that art is my lifeline. I have fond memories of writing my first screenplays around the age of 12, and recruiting my neighborhood friends to act in my amateur movie productions during summer break. I had an ancient camcorder from a thrift store that I barely knew how to work but I was having the most fun in the process. My family and I didn't have a lot but we made the most of our circumstances. Through our times of struggle, they assured me that my dream in film was always credible. As I grow through life, I find my outlook of the world becoming more vast. I recognize the importance of storytelling and what it can teach us all about love, differences and familiarity. As an actor and filmmaker, I believe it's important to be as present as possible for creativity to flow and remain. I've met artists in Columbus with the same sensibility and that is amazing to see. This year, I was very blessed to direct and act in my second short film Ursula, which was shot in the historic home of Langston Hughes in Harlem, New York City.

—Kwamé Berry, filmmaker