MADISON DABNEY

madison

DABNEY

Let Them Lead

2020 was a year that took the nation by storm. The circumstances behind the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor sparked a fire inside of young black Americans, leading us to question the society in which we exist….As a black American woman, I was forced to relive the trauma of my ancestors, causing me to question how far we have really come as a nation and what I could do to impact change.

You can’t buy happiness. But you can buy fabric, and that’s pretty close.

I‘ve been the costume manager and head seamstress for our technical theater team for the past four years. Under the leadership of our theater director, Mr. Cody Willets, I research the play, the time period, the themes, and any additional information my director requests. I then use the information I gather to create costume designs, which we later finalize and turn into physical products.

Give Yourself A Hug

If I could tell my younger self, or someone like me, some advice, it would be simply: “Don’t compromise.” It is easy for young girls, especially girls of color, to feel out of place and feel as though they need to hide themselves in order to fit in. I wish someone would’ve told me that earlier as it would’ve helped my feelings of imposter syndrome. When I began embracing who I am, I was able to start making an impact in my community and doing things I’m passionate about.

18-year-old Madison Dabney is a senior at Lake Norman Charter High School. She is the leader of the Student Diversity & Inclusion Council as well as an entrepreneur and a talented seamstress.

Roar and Let Roar

At the start of the pandemic many social justice issues came to the forefront and were escalated when people felt their voices were not being heard. But I believe the key to a truly inclusive student body in academia and in society in general is to have open and honest dialogues, even when it comes to difficult topics and situations. In other words, communication is key. Even though there is a lot of passion behind people's point of views on some of the more sensitive issues, there has to be mutual respect as well as open minds.

Singing Her Praises.

As it turns out, in addition to being a rock star when it comes to costume development, Madison is also quite humble. Here’s what her English teacher, Melissa Smith, has to say about her contributions to the theater team: “Madison’s relentless creativity and dedication can be seen by the mind-blowing pieces she sews and brings to life. Madison is the first to arrive to rehearsal and the last to leave and has dedicated more hours than anyone else in perfecting her craft.”