What's in a Name?

Isaiah Sweeney

Isaiah Sweeney- African American (mother); Irish American (father); Personable and engaging, Isaiah is a creative soul with an active involvement in the high school's football team and music department. He is seen by Trudy Hodge as the "wokest" boy in school with his increased social awareness and love for advocating human causes. He is a smart, multi-talented biracial teenager with a talent for music and playing the double bass, and his dream is to attend Julliard. Raised in comfort in suburban East Hampton, Long Island, he is also a skilled saxophonist and is a music virtuoso. Calm, cool, and collected, Isaiah is described by his peers as having the "pride of a lion and a heart of myrrh", placing great value upon his success and personal accomplishments. Driven and passionate, he has a well-developed artsy side and will often embark on a single-minded quest to achieve his goals. He also tends to place great pride upon his appearance and is not averse to dressing stylishly, depending upon the occasion. He has a walk-in closet that hides his extensive shoe collection, as his mother claims he has somewhat of an unhealthy obsession with Air Jordans and Nikes. Formerly a shy child, Isaiah tap danced as a young boy and was widely involved in the performing arts from an early age at his mother's encouragement. Through years of participating in acting and dance classes he opened up considerably and acquired a sense of confidence. When interacting with other people, he was also skilled at playing piano and still does so periodically as a stress release. He enjoys the works of various poets and classical music composers, such as the great romantic composer Frederic Chopin. Isaiah's love of performing has since become more of a hobby however and somewhat faded over time and he has since developed a preference for creating music. 

He is still somewhat involved in the performing arts however by working behind the scenes on the school's theatre production team. Often seen as charismatic and sociable, he is good-humored and considered friendly and outgoing, earning him many admirers with his pleasant attitude, candid demeanor, and strong social skills. He is a cheerful, genial boy at the high school known for his optimistic perspective on life and tolerant approach to situations. An amiable, unassuming fellow, Isaiah tries to confront negative circumstances in his life with positivity and seldom appears unsettled by unexpected changes or happenings in his surroundings. He is very attentive to his loved ones and unafraid to express what he feels, being known for his openness and honesty in revealing his true self. He has a good sense of humor and enjoys making those around him smile, often in a good-natured, upbeat sort of way and is skilled at deflecting negative energy or vibes elsewhere. He is a very humorous and jocular teenager, who often shares his resplendent trademark smile to hide his feelings of being immensely afraid at times. Isaiah is considered to have a bit of a silver tongue, particularly when flirting and is mentioned to somehow always know the right thing to say to people, facilitating his ability to get what he wants and earning him significant social approval. His voice has humorously been likened by some of his friends and fellow classmates as sounding like "audible chocolate", and he has tried zagnuts before. Sometimes perceived as the nicest, most engaging guy around with his ability to talk, he is persuasive in his speech and considered a natural leader. He can motivate others with just a few words and loves to help, as he is considered an effective problem solver who is dependable even in difficult circumstances. 

Often feeling conflicted with the presence of two distinct cultures in his household, Isaiah comes from a wealthy family and hails from an affluent upbringing compared with many of his peers. He was raised as the family's sunshine boy who couldn't do anything wrong and so was constantly pampered and spoiled for it. Although often privileged and receiving high-end gifts, he is humble and has a hidden heart of gold, making great efforts to stand up for the underdog. He is not blind to the social struggles that often conflict people in modern times and is often a strong advocate for matters regarding race and social identity. Isaiah identifies strongly with his African-American roots while embracing his birraciality as the product of two cultures that merged through an interracial marriage. He has significant popularity among his peers as the quarterback for the high school's football team and tends to use his social power positively. He tries to promote social causes among his peers but finds his escape through writing and composing his own music and playing instruments. Despite being generally accepting of others and unbiased, he will sometimes compromise his beliefs and alter his true self to better fit in with others due to his underlying insecurities regarding his self-identity and where he belongs. Isaiah can then seem uncharacteristically self-obsessed, shallow and image-oriented, although his long-time girlfriend Trudy Hodge always knows how to keep him grounded and bring him back down to earth. He is considered "light-skinned" by the African American community and has coily caramel brown hair that resembles a bushy afro, striking hazel eyes, and full lips. 

His parents are stunned to see that their bill has come back with an exorbitant about of money, discovering that their son has been spending much of their wealth on a variety of things for himself and his friends. They confront him on his actions, but it is very obvious that he lacks the understanding of how to spend money, thinking that it comes from the "money store". Isaiah can be a morning person when he has to be, but when he doesn't have to, he is described as being like a slug, and he has a dream machine clock radio. He also has a Stuyvesant High School pennant on his wall, a neat stack of books on his desk, and a poster from a summer camp production of Oklahoma. His sister mentions that he is "sometimes quiet, but he is very sure of himself in his own way, just like their mother, and very organized in a similar way, too". She chaperones his school trip to Paris to spend time with her son, yet he deliberately flunks his French test so that he can't go. Isaiah has two younger sisters, a pair of identical twins named Courtney and Desirae who are both in the seventh grade, and he says that he has always wanted a romantic honeymoon in St. Kitts and Nevis. Amazed that he spent only 25 cents in total by the end of the day, his parents realized he had finally learned his lesson and reinstated him despite having previously cut him off. He and his best friend and childhood sweetheart Trudy led a happy marriage, and her wedding dress was long white satin, with a simple sleeveless design, lace panel on the front, and slits on either side of the skirt. He decides to be more careful with money and is given a monogrammed white peracle sheet by his parents as a wedding gift, as well as a clock with his sister's faces embedded in it. Isaiah considers his favorite snacks of all time to be Tofu dogs and Wasabi green peas and admits that his biggest fear is to ever become a shallow LA celebrity. 

He jokes that he would never be paid enough to watch a buddy cop film and often says that he finds cell phones to be annoying. He was born on December 23rd, which is exactly 2 days before Christmas day and once had a dog named Barker that was a grey and white boxer breed. He gets around in his father's limousine and loves to hang out at a restaurant called The Dish, and he has also seen the Flatiron Building multiple times. Isaiah is a teen who dresses normally and follows rules but is secretly orchestrating harmless, creative, or satirical, anonymous pranks to challenge the status quo. He faces immense pressure to maintain the family dynasty, leading to anxiety, loneliness, or a desperate desire to do something meaningful. Rather than blowing money on parties, he begins to use his resources instead to fund local projects, as well as startups and environmental causes. He also uses some of his money to pay for tools, tutors, or experiences that help him achieve perfection, not just to buy status items. Isaiah is driven to achieve immense success on his own terms in order to prove that he isn't just riding his parents' coattails. He comes to use his trust fund for philanthropy or grassroots organizing, leading to tension with certain family members who believe in keeping the money within a certain circle. He and Trudy continue to pursue their passions, living in a large two-story home in New York after she completes her studies, and she achieved prosperity as a primary care provider while he immersed himself in the city's music scene. They later give birth to two sons, a multitalented academic athlete named Jabari and a sensitive, artistic soul named Khalil. ENFJ 3w4