Sydney Maple, a member of the class of 2021, is a native of Malvern, Pennsylvania. Before she matriculated, one of the most exciting aspects of her impending Princeton experience was the chance to get to know the course offerings and the professors in the Department of African American Studies. Sydney had a consistent desire growing up to explore her blackness, and the way black identity shaped the distinct experiences of African American people from the inception of this nation. Upon beginning her academic career at Princeton, Sydney’s AAS classes quickly became her favorites. From the intriguing course material, the limitless, interdisciplinary nature of her work, and the support and gratitude of her professors, she couldn’t fathom loving a department more than she loved AAS.

Sydney’s interests include studying the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality in performance forms, exploring black feminist literature, and seeing the tangible manifestations of racialized public policy measures. In terms of her independent work, Sydney hopes to combine her interest in the arts and her love of dance, exploring what it means for artists to inhabit and create work in spaces where they are often unwelcome- in spaces where policies and social norms often obscure these narratives. Outside of her academics, Sydney is a SHARE Peer (Sexual Harassment/ Assault Advising, Resources, and Education), a Lewis Center for the Arts Peer Arts Advisor, and treasurer and member of diSiac Dance Company. Following her time at Princeton, she hopes to firstly maintain her passion for dance, as well as find time for some form of graduate school in the distant future. A life path that combines her passion for the arts and her love of interacting and helping others would be the ultimate dream!