Psychologist, performer, and poet Mykee Fowlin visited Marlboro Middle School on September 26 to deliver a captivating presentation called “You Don’t Know Me Until You Know Me.” Through a range of characters in his one-man show, Fowlin conveyed the powerful message that no matter how well you think you know someone, you only see as much of them as they allow.
Fowlin explained how from a young age, we are conditioned to hide our true selves for fear of rejection—a behavior that often persists into adulthood. Fowlin demonstrated how this affects people throughout their lives and emphasized the importance of using our own experiences with pain to express empathy toward others. He discussed how everyone wears a “mask” differently, and even those who seem the most carefree, like the class clown, may be hiding inner struggles because, as he pointed out, “when you laugh the loudest, nobody asks what’s wrong.”
At the conclusion of his presentation, Fowlin acknowledged the student audience. He noted the various emotions that this presentation produced, and observed peers comforting and engaging with each other—a reminder that they are not alone. We are incredibly proud of our students for showing empathy and support for their classmates!
