What Up Everyone!

This is Fallon from UC FLORIDA. You thought you’d seen the last of me didn’t you! WRONG! This season I’m going to be your insider for UC CAROLINA here in the UC SPOTLIGHT! I’ll be the one that gets you all the good stuff from this year’s cast. I’ll ask the questions YOU want to hear answered and help you get to know each and every one of these awesome young people. So make sure you check out the Spotlight every week. Peace!

Fallon

Fallon: Tell me a little about what your life was like growing up.
Jesse: I grew up in a bad area and I wasn't very wealthy. I never had alot. My mom taught me to be very independent at a young age and I didn't have a good relationship with my father. He lied to me alot and I couldn't trust him.

Fallon: How did dancing impact your life?
Jesse: Dancing saved my life. Discovering my passion for dance could very well have kept me from growing up to be a pregnant coke-head.

Fallon: What were some of your early goals in life?
Jesse: I grew up being told that I'm going to be famous and to be on Broadway one day. I still really want to be famous one day and I dream about being on Broadway alot, but as I grew older I wanted more and more to impact other people's lives in a big way. I know that this is my priority in life and it's most important to me. Nothing could make me happier than that.

Fallon: How would you describe yourself in words?
Jesse: I'm very neurotic and I'm definitely a control-freak! I'm also very liberal. I believe strongly in being open-minded and that's a huge part of who I am and everything I stand for. I would also call myself a survivor.

Fallon: A survivor? Explain...
Jesse: Well, I think there are two kinds of people in this world and those are survivors and non-survivors. Some people just can't deal with things that come their way and I know that I am one that CAN overcome things.

Fallon: What are your views on religion and church?
Jesse: I think that everyone thinks that what they believe is right. And people need to be accepting of that, calm down, and to focus on building relationships with people instead of forcing their beliefs on each other. I think that church should be like one big NA meeting where everyone is accepting and doesn't judge each other. Nobody lives a perfect life. You should be real and not have to walk into church with a fake smile and pretend life. People have issues and that's just a fact of life. And I also think that EVERY extremist in EVERY religion should be put into a stadium and they should kill each other.

Fallon: Wow...you obviously have a strong stand against extremists.
Jesse: Yeah! They are just so closed-minded. People need to drop to others' levels and not to push their point too hard or shove anything down someone's throat. That isn't effective at all. I know I wouldn't listen to people like that.

Fallon: How do you handle getting your point across to other people?
Jesse: I just get to know them and try to see what it is like to walk in their shoes before I judge them. I explain my experiences rather than telling them what to do. I don't think it is my place to tell anyone what to do whether I think it is right or wrong. Whether it be with homosexuality, abortion, religion, or anything. I always try to learn about other people and I think that is important as long as I stand my own ground. Not everyone is like me and I like to recognize that. I like to show people how I feel and that I care through love.

Fallon: Why do you feel so strongly about accepting others?
Jesse: I grew up around African Muslims and a family member of mine is a homosexual. Even though I don't agree with their beliefs, I learned that it gets you no where to judge or ridicule them and that it is just important to love them for who they are.

Fallon: What do you think you struggle with the most?
Jesse: I struggle with relationships and getting wrapped up in them way too quickly. I get extremely emotionally dependent on guys.

Fallon: Have you had any unhealthy relationships?
Jesse: Yes, I have. I moved when I was younger and I had no friends for a while. I tried so hard to find someone who understood me. Then, I met a guy and it was great at first. I wanted to be loved so bad and he told me he loved me. So, we started having sex because I just figured that that's what people do when they fall in love. But our relationship ended because he was very emotionally abusive and it was messing with my head alot.

Fallon: How did this relationship affect you?
Jesse: My entire identity was gone. People told me that I "just wasn't Jessica anymore" and it was true. I also have baggage and pain. A part of me was given up to him and it hurts bad. Then, I got in more bad relationships after that and I didn't really know what a healthy one was like.

Fallon: Do you think it was worth it?
Jesse: No, but I try not to live in regret or to think about 'what ifs'. I wish I could take it back but I need to deal with the cards I've been dealt and to move forward. And hopefully people can learn from my mistakes and learn that they can really hurt themselves.

Fallon: What have you learned yourself since those experiences?
Jesse: I just learned a whole lot about who I am when looking back at those times. I also learned since then, that the whole world isn't my enemy because of one or two people.

Fallon: What did you learn during the filming of Ultimate Choice?
Jesse: I saw that there really are good guys in the world who treat girls right. It reassured me not to settle for anything less than someone who will respect me. I learned so much about myself through our discussions too. The entire filming was a huge growing esperience.

Fallon: Well, the Presidential election is right around the corner. Who will you vote for?
Jesse: I know people will get mad at me for saying this, but I really don't like either Bush or Kerry. Bush's political campaign on Ground Zero was completely insensitive and Kerry is fake and into himself. I just think both of their motivations for doing anything is to help their campaigns. So maybe Nader...I really don't know!

Fallon: haha...well then, what's going on in your life right now?
Jesse: I'm working three jobs. I teach fifty beautiful kids dance, art, and drama. I also homeschool and work at a restaurant. And I really want to open a dance studio in a bad area for underprivelaged children.