Hello There!
I'm Marissa Lockhart, a Milwaukee native with a MA in Emerging Media Design and Development and a BA in Creative Writing and Spanish from Ball State University. I am a passionate writer, artist, and public speaker who strives to promote diversity, equity, empathy, and inclusion through immersive and innovative storytelling.
When I am not working on milestone projects such as The David Letterman Learning Experience and UDecide: The Interactive Transmedia Story for Sexual Health and Wellness, I enjoy painting, collecting plants, performing speeches and poetry, and making homemade jam. I pride myself on bringing positive energy wherever I am. I lead life through empathy and optimism. I look to the works of Maya Angelou, Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, Shonda Rhimes, and Spike Lee for activism and storytelling inspiration. These artists are not afraid to tell stories from perspectives that are often silenced or nonexistent in mainstream media. These artists taught me that there is power in telling your story and that storytelling is an essential method for creating social change. Because of the brave writers before me, I seek to tell my story unapologetically. This portfolio aims to provide a telescope into my work and world, and I am very excited to share all of it with you. Genuinely, Marissa |
My Mission
My mission is to leave a legacy of success and resilience wherever I go. I want all people with marginalized identities to see their reflection through me and know that they can not only have a seat at the table, but also build their own table from scratch.
Growing up in the inner-city of Milwaukee, WI, while attending a predominantly white school district in the suburbs, exposed me to the blatant systemic segregation and disproportionate allocation of resources for disadvantaged communities of color. From a very young age, I was determined to make a difference for people that are too often stereotyped, dismissed, and denied equal opportunities. Through my writing, research, and ability to facilitate difficult conversations about social identities, I seek to provide a microphone for the stories that shed light on the experiences of BIPOC in our current culture, environment, and political climate. Though not all my work directly relates to social advocacy, everything has a human element. From my experience with UX Design and Design Thinking, I have become increasingly aware of the role empathy, and a human-first approach plays in all aspects of marketing, innovation, and design. I strive to go beyond putting myself in someone’s shoes -- I want to run a mile in them. Having a strong sense of emotional intelligence guides me towards understanding perspectives and connecting with people from all walks of life. Empathy is essential to me, and I aim to use it in all aspects of my work. |
Awards and Recognition
Miss Junior Teen Milwaukee / 2012
Student Speaker for Nicolet High School Graduation / 2016
Academic Recognition Scholarship / 2016
Dean's List Recipient / 2016 - 2019
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Elizabeth Martin Scholarship for Creative Writing / 2017
Excellence in Creative Writing Grant / 2018
PCM Best Presentation Award / 2018
1st Place Prose Speaker at the National Speech Championship /2019
3rd Place in Rhetorical Criticism at the National Forensics Tournament / 2018 & 2019
Graduated Cum Laude from Ball State University / Fall 2019
Dean's Collegiate Advisory Council / 2022