Where I Am From

I grew up in the Bethlehem area, in a place some called “Millerville”—the spot with all the yellow houses on 177a before you get to 2. Where you can find kids running around and playing all hours of the day. It is where I had pecan fights in the yard with the Potters, had my first kiss (it was awful), spray painted my initials on Mom’s arbor (learned the sting of a switch that day), watched my sisters get married, watched some go through divorces. It’s where Dad taught me how to read at the kitchen table (ask me his methods later) and how to shoot a basketball like Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s sky hook. Where Mom taught us the importance of dancing, music, and laughing… and demonstrated that women can weld, paint, and drive fork-lifts just as well as they can cut hair and look pretty.

I am from, where across the yard, and through the screen door, a rooster-decorated kitchen welcomes you with open arms and leaves you with a full belly: my Granny’s house. Though he is no longer with us, it is where my pawpaw will always be sitting, in his rocking chair in front of the T.V.—gunshots from a John Wayne classic cracking the room. When I was little, it was where I swore it could be medically proven that coke floats could heal “stomach aches.” As an adult, they can heal homesickness like nothing else.

I graduated from Bethlehem in 2013, where I was involved in as many things as possible. Every club: FCCLA, FBLA, Key Club, Drama, Show Choir, you name it. Every sport: cheerleading volleyball, and basketball co-captain (state champs! … academic state champs anyway). If I competed against you, I apologize if my parents got a little rowdy during the games, but we both know that is just apart of it. Ask me about Dad’s reaction to our game senior year at Covenant Christian School…

Where I’ve Been

After getting my AA from Gulf Coast in Panama City (and working at Olive Garden), I moved to Tallahassee to finish my BS in anthropology from Florida State University (and work at a different Olive Garden, God Bless those Breadsticks). This is where I truly fell in love with learning, ethnographic film, and swing dancing (yup). It is where I stumbled into adulthood. Where I made life long friendships that challenged me to think differently about the world around me.

It’s where, on my first day of classes, I called Savannah crying because I couldn’t park and didn’t feel smart enough to be there. As a first generation college student—and one that just transferred from community college—this was a reoccurring feeling.

Where I Am

Currently, I am finishing my Master’s in interdisciplinary studies from NYU’s experimental humanities and social engagement program. I also work as a digital assistant for the Center for Culture, Media, Communication, and History of NYU, and worked as an intern and video producer for the youth media program, Hook Arts Media.

I still swing dance!

After moving to Brooklyn, I was welcomed into a community of thoughtful, kind, talented, and funny dancers at Brooklyn Swings. I was given the opportunity to DJ the local Friday night dances, and was about to begin teaching solo lessons before the coronavirus took hold. Even during the pandemic, this community still looks after each other.

For those who may not know me, my name is Savannah Miller. I am the youngest of seven daughters—thats right no boys—of Wayne and Sandra. I am the favorite Aunt of Bethlehem students: Brianna, Shaylyn, Laylah, Kenny, Kaylee, Mia, Sofia, and Khloe… she is still a baby but I already know how she feels.

——I am a firm believer that my granny is actually an angel (or the closest thing to it).

Where a back porch is multiple things: as a kid, its where I would eat watermelon (yellow-meated is the best) fresh from WR’s field, until my face and summer dress were messing enough that they needed to be sprayed down by the water-hose. The porch was also my first school, where I mastered the art of good conversation—truly listening before speaking—and learned the power of a strong cup of coffee. It is where I learned to appreciate simplicity and companionship in their purest forms.

My best friend is Savannah Lee— having the same name isn’t all that weird (until I dated her brother). You might recognize me as the girl who is always photoshopping herself into Mrs. Lee’s family pictures like the one to the left. We have grown up together: from little cheerleaders to moody teenagers to young adults, still figuring it out. Her family has become my family throughout this process. Where I am from is also the stories told and the support given by them.

It is also where I completed an honor’s thesis, made two films, graduated Cum Laude, and was inducted into the Garnet and Gold Scholars Society.

…still can’t park, though.

It is where I went on to win a research grant to make a film about gender and educational inequalities in West Bengal, India where I lived for almost three months…by myself. India was where I found a family on the other side of the world, and learned that I was addicted to Nepali Momos (dumplings) and achar (if fire could be a dipping sauce).

I live in Brooklyn, in a cozy apartment with my three roommates—Bella, Kelby, and Shealon. These three have become my family away from family. Navigating New York wouldn’t have been possible without the love, support, laughter, and meals we have shared these last few years. Where I am going is largely in part to their willingness to put up with, and sort through, my constant rambling. Though I am in Bonifay currently because of COVID-19, my heart is still on Pulaski Street.

Where I Am Going

My experiences in various parts of the country and India, have led me back home. Stepping away from a place gives you a chance to see parts you may have overlooked before—the good, the bad, and the in-between.

With this in mind, I want to bridge where I am from, where I have been, and where I am, to get where I am going. Having roots in multiple places means I feel a moral responsibility to contribute to them in some way.

My academic and personal experiences are the result of a curious and creative mind being in a supportive and inclusive environment. Where I am going is in the direction to support and encourage others in the same manner.