(A young Stef playing Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz)

Hey, Reader!

          My name is Estefanía (Steffi) Colón, and I am a second generation Puerto Rican born and raised in Queens, New York with an avid passion for acting. This passion was ignited in me as a young girl when my mother enrolled me in drama classes to help me overcome my shyness. Now, I am proud to say that I have become a bold, confident woman with an insatiable desire to learn and succeed.
          My experience as an actress has been shaped by my own personal struggle and my identity as a woman of color. Recently, I acted in a theatre production of "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf" by Ntozake Shange in which the emotional connection I felt with the character I played (Lady in Red) greatly enhanced the performance I gave; however, I believe that my acting would have been even stronger had I had a solid dramatic arts technique foundation.
          I recently earned acceptance into a 6-week summer intensive acting program at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. One of the missions of this highly selective school is "to give the young student actor a means of seriously investigating the depths of his or her own instrument in order that the instrument might expand, widen in range and, in every way, respond to the subtleties of the complex and delicate human emotional relationships and situations that an actor faces each time he or she prepares for a new role." The school is home to the widely sought after "Meisner technique" and has produced several notable alumni.
          Because of the steep cost of this program and the time I would normally spend working that I have to sacrifice to attend, I have started this GoFundMe to raise the money I will need to pay for approximately half of the cost of tuition. The program begins in June, so I am aiming to raise these funds in a relatively short period of time.
          Acting has played such a critical role in my life becaas given me an outlet to express the wide-range of emotions I have felt over my lifetime. All of the love, pain, hurt, frustration, happiness, jubilance, etc. I have ever brought to the stage are my own emotions, just in a different context. Although it can sometimes be a challenge, I am always eager to give life to characters whose stories need to be told. When I am able to captivate the audience and offer them a true connection with a character or circumstance that is not their own, that is when I know I have succeeded in my mission.
          Acting is genuinely my passion, so any help I receive to further my dramatic growth and, ultimately, reach my career goal of becoming a professional actress will mean the world to me. The money I raise will enable me to seize the opportunity to learn some of the best skills from some of the best teachers in the drama industry.
          I will be so incredibly moved and humbled by your support of me and my dream. Thank you for adding fuel to my purpose and giving me the encouragement to continue and do even more. This is only the beginning.

Sincerely,
Estefanía Colón