By Princess Davis
The following is the second installment in a series of stories written by the 10 talented participants in the 2024 Hofstra University Summer High School Journalism Institute, from July 22-27. In this piece, Princess Davis, a Hempstead High junior, profiles Leslie Omana, a Hempstead senior. All participants were asked to write short biographies on one another as an opening exercise.
Leslie Omana, 17, a Hempstead High School senior, found her love for writing in the bustling classroom of her sophomore year Advanced Placement Language and Composition course. The course’s rigor set her mind ablaze and unlocked her undiscovered potential as a writer — so much so that she earned a five on the AP exam, the highest mark on the test that only 10.4% of students achieve.
Omana, who considers herself an artist first and foremost, believes writing has its own artistic expression to it. What she adores most about pen to paper is “being able to tell a story…” she said. To her, there is something mesmerizing about pouring one’s heart out onto through writing and “…letting the real beauty shine through…” She enjoys writing more melancholic stories, as she thinks they are the most expressive.
If there is anything Omana loves more than writing, though, it would be drawing. Before she writes a story, there is a vision in her head of what she wants to compose: how the characters and setting appear, as well as the mood.
It all starts with her vividly colorful mind. Ever since she was a child, she has loved to create. Her aunt told her the words that encouraged her to continue drawing. She recalls the story of how it began.
When Omana was a toddler, she lost one of her toys and had to draw it for her aunt so she could help her look for it. Her aunt was taken aback by what she drew, saying it was so good, it should be in a museum.
“I think my aunt was just hyping me up because I was a kid…” Omana said with a chuckle. Still, her aunt’s words meant a great deal to her, and she began drawing more often. Now she loves it.
Omana also loves to use metaphors and symbolism in her writing and her art. She explores ideas of the human soul and what it truly means to exist.
One of her biggest inspirations is Tanya New, a Hempstead art teacher. For Omana, New was a connection to her heritage, as Omana sometimes struggled with the lack of diversity she was presented with at her school. New’s love for the craft of art only fueled Omana’s passion as a creator.
One day, Omana wishes to combine her passion for the arts and her love for journalism into a career as a comic book author. This way, she can do what she loves where both of her talents can be appreciated.
