Meet Antwon Duncan-Milczewski

We recently connected with Antwon Duncan-Milczewski and have shared our conversation below.

Antwon, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

This was a challenge for me that still feels like I am overcoming in some ways, though the battle has been won quite a while ago, the scars still feel fresh somehow. I looked at all parts of myself, the good, the bad, and the conflicting, vetting it through the lens of what others told me I was and needed to be, and then I did what I felt like was the only right decision. Own all of me. Live authentically in all aspects of who I am and ultimately allow God to be the one to prune the branches.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I grew up in an east side suburb of Cleveland Oh, which though I didn’t know it at the time, really helped lay the foundation of all of my future endeavors by providing me with faith, people, and experiences which became my three pillars of life. Like most small town people, the realities of life have a way of vastly altering your dreams, which I would later learn the importance of Anchoring my Ambitions. Through the toils and valleys where I questioned my worth, my goals, and my very identity, I developed the awareness that all of these experiences are what I needed to go through to fuel my future work; Own all of Me. After leaving Garfield Heights a myriad of people lead me to the last pillar of what I do today which is tell the story/ Speak Life.
I am blessed to have the wonderful opportunity to use art/ dance as a means to provide discipline and direction for young artist to get a glimpse of their potential. helping them begin to realize every work of art says something and can be used to change a heart, challenge a community, or even impact the world. I am one of two Career Technical Education teachers tasked with building the performing arts program at McKinley Senior High School in Canton Oh. It is still very much a work in progress, but over the last 9 years we have been able to do a host of successful musicals, teach students how to write and workshop their own work, choreograph full pieces, and learn multiple aspects necessary for productions. We have more students leaving the program each year who transition into collegiate programs for performing arts, and some have recently graduated from programs and are heading into major professional productions. Stay tuned for the reveal of our upcoming season by periodically checking https://mckinleyperformingarts.weebly.com/

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Well I alluded to this in the last topic, but the three qualities are anchor your ambitions in faith/ something bigger than you and less fallible than people. Own all that you are, because even your mistakes and misfortunes play a vital role in who you are this day and in this moment. Realize your story is important so share it in an endeavor to build others up and thus speak life to those who need support to make it to the next chapter or moment of their story.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

My parents sacrificed their livelihood in may ways to give me the best opportunities for education. They moved into a suburb that strained their finances to shield us from the pitfalls designed to promote and perpetuate the failures of young black men. They set bars that exceeded their educational achievements and celebrated all of my wins.

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Image Credits

Headshot- PlatinumPhotographyOhio

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