Sitting in candle-filled room decorated with photographs of friends present and past, Kiyan Williams and I talk about life, love, peace and our futures. A muscular modelesque sophomore, Kiyan is a performance artist and a highly eccentric individual, who finds time to challenge heteronormative identity while studying Comparative Race and Ethnicity and History at Stanford.
“I am a lover, I am a performer, I am a person” Kiyan tells me as he wraps himself up in his cheetah-print Snuggie. Kiyan, originally from Newark, New Jersey, was raised in an environment with high crime rates and high poverty. He accredits his mother and his determination to be the best for his success in high school. “You can look at the situation in two ways: You can judge the drug addict at the corner or you can admire their resilience and determination to stay alive. I admire.”
In high school, Kiyan played half back for his football team but also stayed true to his own individualism, excelling in academics and fashion. On campus, Kiyan is known for his fierce, gender bending outfits.
“I see clothing as an expression and something that can show my emotions on any given day,” he said. In the Stanford Campus MovieFest, Kiyan conceptualized, directed, and starred in the movie “Runway Divas”, which shows gender transformation at its finest. As the main character, Kiyan plays two characters, one male and one female, who challenge one another to a runway battle. As he switches between blazer jackets and 4 inch heels, it becomes clear that identity is not black and white, but a spectrum.
At Stanford, Kiyan identifies as a queer black male who enjoys exploring identity within cultures.
“I officially came out as a sophomore in high school to my best friend and I haven’t looked back,
he said. “Being a black man is definitely a struggle, but a beautiful struggle.”
“And Stanford allows people to be positive and proud of their identity,” Kiyan continued. “Even though I do not define myself with one community, the communities at Stanford are a wonderful place for comfort.”
While Kiyan is still unsure about the future, it is clear that whatever he chooses will fully embrace his past, his identity, his sexuality and, more importantly, his passion for positive energy.
As Kiyan says, “Love life. Love it, and be fierce in it.”