Ray Charles was an iconic figure for me while growing up. His ability to create and share music in such a poignant way, inspired me to do the same with my talents. Being able to do all of this while being blind, becoming an orphan at the age of 15, and dealing with constant racial barriers in his career made him a role model for myself. On a larger scale his unimaginable success as a musician made him a pioneer for black artists in America.