Chris Reese's Career Mission
Career Mission Statement
It is the mission of Chris Reese to be able to use a career in
the entertainment industry to bring more attention to the social
cause of the education, research and funding for the ultimate purpose
of finding a cure for Sickle Cell Disease. He hopes to become a
great inspiration to those that have Sickle Cell, and to people
in general.
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The Vision
In 2005, Chris being of Christian religion, received what he felt
was a God-given vision. This vision, to use the door of entertainment
to become an instrumental voice in the campaign to educate and find
a cure for Sickle Cell Disease, would demonstrate the glory of God
and things possible with Him involved. As a black male with the
disease, Chris started realizing several things:
- 1) Being a disease that afflicts people of African descent(among
other ethnicities), there is a lack of education, and a false
amount of assumptions and beliefs about Sickle Cell among African-Americans
and other peoples- most noted, that having Sickle Cell is an automatic
death sentence, leaving one in a position to be pitied;
- 2) Though there are numerous fundraising events, and organizations
dedicated for the cause of Sickle Cell, there is not a state of
awareness, and funding comparable to AIDS, breast cancer, muscular
dystrophy, etc;
- 3) Being that Sickle Cell is a disease that afflicts many people
of African descent, a strong voice for the cause would not(and
should not), start with anybody except one from this particular
descent, and
- 4) Referent power(i.e., using talent, media and entertainment
industry to bring attention to cause) would be an extremely powerful
factor in seeing this vision come to fruition.
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What is Sickle Cell?
Sickle cell anemia is the most common inherited blood disorder
in the United States, affecting about 72,000 Americans or 1 in 500
African Americans.* In sickle cell disease,
the red blood cells which are normally round in shape change to
a distorted, rigid, sickled shape when oxygen is released from the
red blood cell. Sickled red blood cells cannot pass easily through
the blood vessels and therefore block the normal blood flow. This
blockage of blood flow causes severe pain and damage to organs and
tissues.
Although there is currently no cure for sickle cell disease, a few
effective treatments and appropriate medical care have greatly improved
survival and the quality of life for persons with sickle cell disease.**
*information taken from: Genes
& Disease
**information taken from: Sickle
Cell Disease Foundation of California
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Career Plan
5 Year
Within the next five years, Chris seeks to fine-tune his comedic
voice into an original comic styling. An original and unique style,
along with being funny, is what makes Chris believe certain comedians
stand out from the crowd. He envisions his comedy as developing
into an act that is energetic, imaginative, and distinctive. Also,
Chris seeks management or representation that will not only believe
in, and support his talent, but also his vision in bringing attention
to an important social cause, and the career strategies taken to
get there. Chris hopes within five years to be able to build his
name working college tours, through bookings at comedy clubs, and
venturing into acting. Behind the scenes, he hopes to begin establishing
relationships with various medical professionals, community activists,
Sickle Cell organizations, etc, working to help develop more of
an awareness, and education of Sickle Cell Disease (i.e., lectures,
speeches, events).
10 Years and Beyond
Ten years from now, Chris hopes to be a well established name in
the world of comedy and entertainment. More importantly, he hopes
to have used his name to build a more a much deeper awareness and
education of Sickle Cell, having established important relationships
with leaders in the medical, political, and entertainment fields,
among others. Chris’ long term objectives and dreams are to
one day: create a household name in establishing a more universal
foundation/organization dedicated to the education, funding, and
cure for SC, and providing assistance to people with SC and families
with people of SC; create publicized annual fundraising events (i.e.,
walk, marathon, entertainment event); become a motivational speaker
and author; expand acting in films, theater; create business ventures
in entertainment; and help develop programs/schools that foster
the awareness, and develops the talent of artistically inclined
kids.
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