Yesterday, I got an amazing email from a young lady in Singpore telling me her story and how this project has affected her. As I was reading her email, I thought to myself, this is what my project is all about! Her story is the reason why I want this project to succeed, because I know without a doubt in my mind how much of an impact it would have on people’s lives, in a positive way.

“Hi Willie

I followed Lee Unkrich’s retweet onto your website and it made me cry. It was as if this website was written for me!! :’)

I have always been a doodler… on the walls at home when I was little, then on my notes in class from when I started school till now in university. I spent the most of my childhood wanting to be a cartoonist, illustrator, children’s story book writer.. However, growing up in ever-pragmatic Singapore, it was never an option to pursue an ‘artistic’ career. Going the conventional, and ‘sensible’ route, I am lucky enough to have landed myself in a prestigious London university, where I am now finishing up the last week in my four-year professional degree.

I have always enjoyed drawing, but I have never once thought I was nearly good enough to pursue it as a career. However, recently, while watching Steve Jobs’ graduation address on TED about following your dreams and never settling, I got all fired up and started thinking about really going for this childhood dream again. Despite really enjoying what I am doing at the moment, and garnering a 6 year contract working with people with communication problems in hospital in Singapore beginning this autumn, I really really think I would regret it on my deathbed if I never once in my life truly set a foot down to pursue this childhood dream. I want to be an illustrator!! I WANT TO WORK IN PIXAR!!

Telling my friends and family this has been hard. Most friends pass it over with ‘yeah, you do that’, and my family laugh it off and I suppose none of them are taking me seriously when I tell them how I plan to use this 6 years of having a stable job to save up, to better my drawing skills, so that after this 6 years I will have the skill set to find a job in the industry and the money to sustain myself through this (what I expect to be) hard process. It has been hard to find someone who truly believes in my pursuing this dream.

And now, when I am beginning to seriously plan my way of breaking into the industry and fulfilling my dream, it is really really inspiring and encouraging to come across your project. I just wanted to share my story with you and tell you how what you’re doing is truly amazing. I will work hard and I will keep my dream alive. Aww, I can’t tell you more how much this means to me.

Thank you!!!”