I have to say this before I begin. Everything that I have accomplished so far, I dedicate to my parents Varno and Dawn Harris. Without them in my life, I wouldn't be where I am right now. Neither of my four other siblings would be where they are right now if it wasn't for them, and for that I am grateful.
I was born on April 1st, 2000. I have a twin brother named Varno Harris. Even though at times we don't see eye to eye, he's my brother, and I love him to death. Ever since I can remember, I always had a passion for video games and technology. My mother always said that when she was pregnant her stomach would glow green from me and my brother playing Xbox in her.
When I was 4 years old, I moved to Westlake, Ohio to begin my school year in kindergarten. At the time, I really didn't know what race really was and never fully grasped what it meant to be an African-American in America. My father has always talked about race and what to expect from people. He would, and still, shares his experiences while he was growing up and always talked about black history. Learning these things at a young age has allowed me to grow up as the young adult I am today, and I am blessed for that.
My parents have always said that I am a natural-born leader, and looking back I have shown the traits of one. I started playing tackle football in the 6th grade. My dad coached every athletic team I have been on (except high school teams). I remember one game distinctively out of every other game. I played defensive end. We were getting crushed on the right side of the line, and there was this one kid who was scared to make a tackle.
Time after time we kept getting beat. I ran up to my dad and told him I could take over for the kid. My dad asked me multiple times, "Are you sure you want to go in there?" Confidently, I replied yes. And sure enough, I stopped the kid multiple times and made the offense stop running the ball on my side. At the time, I really didn't think what I did showed leadership, but as I got older I soon realized it did.
In my freshman year of high school, I knew I had to focus in order to get into a good college. At the time, I knew that I wanted to be a computer programmer and make video games when I'm older. I began to take programming classes not only at school but at Hyland Software as well. And I have to say that I've learned a lot. I also took part in sports such as football and track. I was involved in our newspaper, band, and WHBS, in which I earned the title of Morning Announcements Director. I even started a weekly show called WHBS Friday Morning News, located on YouTube.
In my junior year, I decided to make a YouTube channel. I have to thank my 16-year-old self for that decision because that's where I found my true passion: writing. The first thing I wrote was a "Wonder Woman" (2017) movie review. Then I wrote a review about a game called "Dungeon Defenders." Surprisingly, a freelance writing group called TheLootGaming found my reviews on my channel and asked me to write for their team. The team is constantly growing, and I hope to reach even bigger places. I then found another organization known as BonusState.co.uk and began writing for them as well.
Through all the events that I have been through, they led me to getting accepted into Miami University. My two older sisters Imani and Jada Harris both attended the school and both came out smarter and are both achieving their life goals at jobs that they are very proud to be a part of. This influenced my decision in attending the university, and I do not regret my decision in the slightest.
For those reading this who are interested to get to know me on a personal level next week, I'll be submitting an article talking about my certain interests, my personalitiy and my experiences in school, etc. So stay tuned for that coming up.
This young man behind the keyboard is so much more than an average teenager. With the support of his family and loved ones, he hopes to become the very best gaming journalist he can be. He may even start his own company one day, who knows.
The sky's the limit.
