For me, songwriting is my primary means of expression. Lyric and melody make for a potent combination; music is the medium through which I voice my opinions. I love staying up at night, staring at the starry skies with my moonlit eyes, pen furiously gliding over paper, my mind brimming with inspiration. I revere the folk musicians of the 1960s, whose words of change inspired countless men and women to stand for what they believed in. The true meaning of songwriting is not reaching #1 on the Hot 100 charts, the true meaning of songwriting is to inspire- therein lies the correlation between songwriting and the First Amendment. The most recognized achievement of the First Amendment is the prohibition of any rules or regulations that would abridge free speech. If there was no First Amendment, music would not have any influence today. The winds of change brought along during the 1960s would not have happened. The lyric I write on the uptown train, the melody I hum while jogging on the bike path, I create them because I want to inspire individuals; without the First Amendment, there would be little reason for me to write, sing, record and perform. Live for a reason – with every chord I strum, melody I sing, and emotion I describe, I find that my life serves more of a purpose. With free speech and countless other musicians by my side, I believe that my aspirations to inspire are worthwhile efforts.