Latin School of Chicago

Arin Lawrence '00 For as long as she can remember Arin Lawrence '00 has been writing poetry, using words to express her emotions. She also always has had a passion for singing, expressing her feeling with her voice. But it is only recently, after leaving jobs in fundraising and publishing, that Lawrence has decided to risk living the life of a struggling artist to become a songwriter. "I went away to Paris last year to escape the box I had created for myself – working 9-5 shifts, in offices," explains Lawrence. "After editing a volume of poetry, I just hit the streets, walked around, met friends, visited museums and started finding ways to sing there." Performing in the Paris music scene inspired Lawrence to begin writing her own material. "I realized no one was going to write for me . . . yet. Plus, starting out as an artist, I wanted to be able to define my own vision and version of the world and how I live in it." Lawrence is now back in New York selling her pre-EP called "Duly Noted" and working on a fulllength CD. A published poet who writes several blogs, Lawrence also is completing a book of poetry. While she has at times battled against the label of songwriter, preferring to keep her love for singing and writing separate, much of her poetry has turned out to lend itself to music. In both mediums "I'm revealing thoughts I have about situations that I've been through that other people are probably also going through. I am speaking to an audience with a voice that I hope moves, encourages, reminds and identifies with the public and private parts of people." Lawrence credits Latin for fostering her creativity and giving her the confidence to pursue her dreams. At Howard University, she majored in English, inspired largely by her work with Latin's L'Tanya Evans, who she says opened her eyes to many of the writers she still admires. She also was deeply involved in the music program and was a member of just about every choral group on campus. "We learned so much and had so many opportunities. It was just an exciting time, and so many of us are still following our artistic passions," Lawrence says, mentioning fellow alumni Cassidy Freeman '00, an actress who stars on "Smallville," and Erik Hall '00, a musician who tours the world. And while following her passions is frightening, it also is a thrilling experience that Lawrence is ready to dive into. "Pulling my voice into a form that's palpable to audiences who actually have to HEAR me is a powerful and scary and beautiful thing all at once," she says. "I am speaking to an audience with a voice that I hope moves, encourages, reminds and identifies with the public and private parts of people." Latin School of Chicago 43

• Cover