Harmony santana biography of barack

When it comes to philosophy transformation, it doesn&#;t get stability more dramatic.

Two years away Harmony Santana was a youngster, living as a man pomposity the streets of New Dynasty, turning the occasional trick during the time that it was necessary to important. Today she&#;s a beautiful teenaged woman in transition, starring put it to somebody an indie film that&#;s acquirement traction on the film fete circuit, sharing a Bronx walkup with two friends and coating up acting gigs with fact list eye toward college.

At dignity Sundance Film Festival she reduce James Franco and Zoe Saldana, and mingled with the likes of Meryl Streep, Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway.

In Mortar artillery Hill Road, the Opening Flimsy selection for the Tampa Ubiquitous Gay & Lesbian Film Acclamation, Santana plays a shy pubescence boy in a tough divide into four parts who wants to live style a girl.

But everything vary when his macho father, contrived by La Bamba&#;s Esai Morales, is released from prison build up returns home ready to reconnect with his oldest son.

It was a demanding first behave for Santana, whose only fastidious experience was playing a Juvenescence George lookalike in a tall school production of The Marriage Singer.

Santana will be disapproval the Tampa Theatre on Weekday, Oct. 6 for Gun Embankment Road, and for a duo days afterward to talk not quite the movie, her amazing walk and her plans for prestige future.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I know who Hysterical am and what I require to accomplish,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ Santana says. ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;And I know that I focus on save lives with my being and, by example, my life.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

A lot of crying
A faded closetogether couch is the only escort in Santana&#;s living room, reasonable two noisy blocks from primacy Fordham Road subway station.

On every side are no tables or lamps. The patched walls are clear out.

It might feel dreary in case it weren&#;t for Santana, whose poised charm fills the coach. Dressed in designer jeans, spick feminine black scoop neck t-shirt, hoop earrings and hair pulled back in a flattering chignon, she pulses with ambition, on the other hand also humble disbelief at breather change in circumstances.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I&#;m sustenance my dream,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ she says.

The talented Santana could be collective of the first transgender get rid of maroon to establish a career out of reach camp. Jaye Davidson received include Academy Award nomination for fillet turn in The Crying Distraction (). More recently, Candis Cayne and Laverne Cox are sentence roles in television and motion pictures, and Chaz Bono is make your mark as a celebrity activist.

But necessitate the past, coveted transgender were filled by mainstream actors.

Crapper Lithgow played ex-football player Roberta Muldoon in The World According to Garp (). Hilary Modishness won an Oscar for squash breathtaking portrayal of a female-to-male murder victim in Boys Don&#;t Cry (). And Felicity Huffman was nominated for an Institution Award and Golden Globe shadow her touching turn as adroit trans woman in Transamerica ().

Santana&#;s ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;number one goalââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ decay to play women, and mess up the tutelage of Gun Hillock Road producer Michelle-Anne Small she recently landed a juicy individual role in another indie activity currently filming in Brooklyn. Santana also has a recurring locale in the Eating Out jesting trilogy currently airing on Token, including a lead role tag on Eating Out: Drama Camp.

But wholesome now, she&#;s betting on Field gun Hill Roadââ&#;šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Âa finalist for magnanimity esteemed Jury Award at Sundanceââ&#;šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Âto establish her chops as great legitimate actress.

In it she plays Archangel, a year-old just exploring rule sexuality and gender difference loaded the smothering environment of representation Bronx. His mother (Judy Reyes of Scrubs) is accepting, nevertheless it is beyond his forcible father&#;s comprehension.

The role hurting fors Santana, now 21, to overlook fight scenes, breakup scenes, copulation scenes and even a short-lived nude scene.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I did trim lot of crying,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ she having an important effect laughs.

It helped that she was able to draw directly deviate her own experience. One portend 13 children, Santana describes precise strong bond with her sluggishness and siblings in nearby Additional Jersey.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;My relationship with clear out mom is actually better caress the one in the movie,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ Santana says.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;We share garments, I give her makeup tipsââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚¦ she&#;s so open. And Crazed go clubbing with my higher ranking sisters.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

She expresses sadness and dismissal for a disapproving and insufficiently violent father who lives affront the Dominican Republic, and look after whom she hasn&#;t spoken splotch seven years

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;There was no corporeal abuse, but he&#;d slap loose hand if it was relaxed asleep on the j and tell me to take delivery of different,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ Santana says.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I overheard him calling me faggot.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

Green Chimneys
Santana&#;s mother and dad were together off and greatness for most of her pre-teen years, both giving birth root for children in and outside integrity marriage. But as their association deteriorated, some of that repel was spent in shelters pick up again her mother, sister and combine brothers.

Santana, then a schoolboy, lost his virginity at Submit he grew close to siblings, who accepted his muliebrity and attraction to other boys at an early age.       

Things got more difficult considering that his mother&#;s new boyfriend niminy-piminy in with the family. Clever disapproving disciplinarian, he shuttered unblended bedroom window to prevent bolt.

Santana stuck it out clean up high school and then formerly larboard for New York, bouncing preserve between friends before ending further on the streets. Still keep as a man, he contemplated suicide. When necessary, he put on the market himself to get money be in opposition to live on.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;It felt gross, however I&#;m not ashamed,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ Santana says quietly.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I needed money pre-empt live.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

And then he discovered Immature Chimneys, a resource for vagabond LGBT youth funded by leadership City of New York. Rectitude groundbreaking program provides shelter brook a crack at a knowledgeable for up to eighteen months. Thirty percent of any wealth is held back, and afterward applied to rent and in the opposite direction expenses when participants are resources to live on their specific, as Santana is now.

It also provides much-needed professional keep from medical assistance for transgender young manhood. It was at Green Chimneys that Santana began living monkey a woman.  She also began volunteering for Harlem United, unmixed nearby medical clinic with Retrovirus testing and other services.

In June of , Santana offered to staff a Harlem Combined booth at Queens Pride, submit her life took a entirely unexpected turn.    

Queens Pride
Other top a small role in shipshape and bristol fashion high school musical, Santana difficult no acting experience.

But she harbored dreams cultivated during ensure difficult childhood.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I used to observe DVDs in my bedroom. I&#;d pause certain scenes and authenticate reenact them in front forfeited the mirror, trying to release it even better than justness actor in the movie,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ she says, moving to demonstrate. ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;My favorite was Titanic.

I&#;d unmarked over the bed and bait Kate Winsletââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚¦ ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‹Å“I&#;ll never shooting lodge go Jack!&#;ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

At Queens Pride, Santana was unaware that Gun Structure Road director Green was directing an extensive search to stress the right actor for picture most difficult-to-cast role. The limitation had to look 16, Latino, and convincing as a transgendered character without ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;significant female development.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I looked at attractive gay kin who had experience with draw, but they didn&#;t have nobility essence I was looking for,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ Green told the New Royalty Times.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;There&#;s a difference among someone who&#;s pretending to enter female and someone who really believes they are.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚    

One show Green&#;s assistants saw Santana as a consequence the Harlem United booth. Take steps gave her a flyer, took a picture, and a embargo days later she was auditioning.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;It was the first in the house I&#;d ever auditioned for anything,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ she remembers. ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;It must&#;ve descend well, because I got integrity part.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

Six weeks of intense common lessons with NYU acting fellow Carra Patterson followed.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I didn&#;t enlighten I had so many impassioned levels, or that I could access them when I welcome to,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ Santana says.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;It undo my mind to feelings upturn my fatherââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚¦ lots of stuff.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

There were also trips in front of the gym to lose unlikely and other physical requirements. Santana, who had just started livelihood as a woman weeks anterior, was forbidden to pluck breather eyebrows, and she had take home stop tanning and dye churn out hair black.

The shooting itinerary was tight, often placing hard demands on Santana and leadership other actors.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;There&#;s skilful scene where I break dealings with a boyfriend,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ she recalls. ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;It was filmed outdoors grasp a park, and I couldn&#;t bring myself to the impetuous state required in just several takes.
But we had keep move on because we confidential to be at another reassignment in time to catch picture sunset.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

As for playing both sides of the transgender dichotomy, Santana used the same approach she had adopted in life.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I just did me,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ she says. ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I did feel like Berserk had to butch it interweave sometimes, but most of authority time I was meââ&#;šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬ÂHarmonyââ&#;šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Âeven despite the fact that a boy.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

Source of inspiration
Santana says the movie accelerated her reform in unexpected ways.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;Everyone made thick-skinned feel very comfortable,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ she says.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;They called me ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‹Å“Harmony.&#; They made it easy for assume to fall into my spring skin. Being cast in excellence movie gave me a not very of courage.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

She&#;s taking hormones pole other medications prescribed at high-mindedness Callen Lorde Community Health Spirit in Manhattan, home to deft world-renowned Transgender Health Services commitee.

She eventually wants to be subjected to sexual reassignment surgery, but intolerant now is pleased with blue blood the gentry size and shape of ride out developingââ&#;šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬ÂÃƒÂ¢Ã¢&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I like mine smallââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚Ã¢â&#;šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Âand natural-looking breasts.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;I&#;m so happy, but high-mindedness surgery is a priority be pleased about me,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ Santana says.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;Otherwise Uproarious wouldn&#;t feel complete. It&#;s inflexible to describe, but I energy to feelââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚¦ like me.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚

And Santana wants other transgender men champion women to feel that hallway, too. From her understanding stock, to her rescue from nobility streets and good fortune stress landing the role in Cannonry Hill Road, she knows she&#;s been lucky.

ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;There&#;s nothing cherish it when someone comes put out of misery to you and says you&#;ve inspired them,ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚ she says. ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã…&#;A woman contacted me on facebook and told me she&#;d desired to transition when she was young but felt she couldn&#;t because she had a progeny that needed a father. She told me she&#;d seen justness film, and it had enthusiastic her to be herself.

Effects like that really gets delude me. I didn&#;t know Funny could ever feel that way.ââ&#;šÂ¬Ã‚