Name: Robyn Hightman
Age: 18
Birthday: September 19th
Interests: Environmentalism, music performance, political science and history, fine arts, and activism
Hometown: Charlottesville, Virginia
Class: VCU Art Foundation 2016-17, VCU Arts 2020
Intended Major: Art Education and Craft/Sculpture
Have you lived in Virginia all your life?
I was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, and although I have lived and traveled all over the east coast, the majority of my youth was spent in central Virginia. However, my home environment was incredibly unstable, as neither of my biological parents were able to sustain any form of housing or income whatsoever; as a result, we were often homeless and resorted to living in a tent, a campground, or the back seat of a car. Some years we would be able to snag a cheap, rundown motel room or trailer during the harsher nights of the winter months, but some years we wouldn’t. In the off chance that one of my parents managed to find a trailer, apartment, or room for us to stay in, it was almost guaranteed that we would be evicted within a short period of time. By the time I reached middle school, a few of my friends’ families graciously invited me to stay with them for weeks at a time, and by early high school I was spending more time couch surfing through my peer group than living with my parents.
I understand that you are no stranger to the Foster Care system. I couldn’t imagine anyone being strong enough to endure something like this alone. Could you tell us a little bit about it? When did you enter the system?
I was removed from my parents and entered the Foster Care system in my junior year of high school, but the Department of Social Services has been involved in my life for a significantly longer period of time. Both my biological mother and father have struggled with a wide variety of mental illnesses, and they physically, emotionally, and sexually abused and neglected me throughout the entirety of my childhood. It took me years to gain the courage to speak up about my situation and against my parents, and even longer to win the fight for myself and my safety. Unfortunately, the system itself is absolutely riddled with issues, and is staffed by undertrained, overworked employees. I was often saddled with a social worker who seemed know less about the legal system than I did and rarely acted in my best interest, and was shuffled between foster parents who had absolutely no interest in housing a child or making sure that any of my needs were met. For the most part, I dealt with this on my own, working a full time job during the school year to support myself, and serving as my own advocate in the battle against DSS and my parents. I was lucky enough to have a few supportive teachers at my school who encouraged and inspired me to continue in my efforts to escape my circumstances and follow my heart.
How is VCU going for you so far? Do you enjoy it?
It’s definitely. . .a lot [laughs]. For the most part, it’s been pretty great to be here and be constantly surrounded by creative, talented, and passionate individuals. There’s nothing like being able to knock on your neighbor’s door at midnight to bounce a project concept off of them or to be able to walk down the hall and peek into floormate’s rooms and see them working on five foot tall drawings, musical compositions, and even fully staged photoshoots at who-knows-when at night. I do miss having a semi-regular sleep schedule, but the Richmond sunrises are worth it, I think.
What is one extracurricular you’re currently involved with at VCU?
During my first semester, I served as the Director of Records for Johnson Hall. This position required me to attend Community Council meetings and Residence Hall Association meetings every week, where I represented the residents of my building, managed the hall’s budget, and developed creative ideas, programs, and tactics in an effort to foster a stronger sense of community within the building and across campus.
At what point did you know that you wanted to pursue the arts?
When I was about three or four years old, I watched a professional quartet perform and absolutely fell in love with the featured floutist. Nearly every day following that concert, I begged for my very own instrument, a wish that was finally granted by the time I entered the second grade. From that point forward, I became involved in the arts in every way I possibly could, picking up dance, theatre, design, the fine arts, and much more!
Robyn practicing with the Stevie Wonder band
That’s extremely impressive. How did you manage to get such a strong foot in the door?
I grew up in the contra dance community, traveling as a dance gypsy to festivals and the like from as early as a few months old. The nature of contra dancing provided a basis for the growth of my creative interests, and strongly encouraged my musicianship as well. As I moved throughout elementary school, I quickly picked up community theatre and joined a few local bands. Through my involvement in these programs, I began to grasp the fundamentals of professionalism as a visual and performing artist; I discovered how to interact with and promote myself and my work, as well as the work of others. These connections lead me to multiple leadership roles and internships in middle and high school, and pushed me towards personal development, growth, and success in all of my various artistic pursuits.
Would you say that your high school was a place that fostered this creative growth?
I’m a bit mixed on that one. I think that the majority of my fine arts teachers at both Charlottesville High School and Fluvanna County High School cared a lot about their students and their subject, but I feel like they were often limited by a shortage of funding or a lack of administrative support. The heart was there though, and that really made all the difference.
I know this may be a bit of a reach, due to the fact that you just ended the first semester of our first year here at VCU, but where do you see yourself in the future after graduation?
I would have never made it to this point without the power of artistic expression. I found refuge in the simplicity of color, love in line work, and courage in the fibers of a blank canvas. My experiences have helped me to realize the value of creativity, particularly to youth in high need and low income areas. Ultimately, I hope to teach art because I believe that it can be used as a tool to help children who may be dealing with significant stress, be that in their home environment, their academic courses, or otherwise, and can help them develop the motivation, confidence, and drive to invest themselves in a nontraditional manner, which can translate itself well to successes later in life or in other areas of study. I want to be able to give children a safe safe to experiment and express themselves, while providing guidance and an open heart and mind. My goal is to teach internationally through the Volunteers for Peace program during my undergraduate studies, and I dream of teaching in the Chicago City Public School system following graduation.
Well thank you, Robyn for opening up and allowing us to gain insight on your life. I know this isn’t even the half, but just these bits alone have shown us just how much of a story you have to tell.
Of course – I’m an open book! Thank you for interviewing me!