Driven by the story

by Charlotte Price

Karidja Monjolo wants to know what makes people tick.

 Since taking psychology in her junior year at West Chicago Community High School, Monjolo been fascinated with the inner workings of human emotion.

“You get to learn why you like this, why we’re that way, and why people are or aren’t creative,” she said. “I think psychology is really broad.”

Monjolo’s interest in psychology drives an ambition to explore psychology or journalism as future career paths. However, what sparked her interest in storytelling wasn’t purely academic.

Monjolo connected her interest in psychology and human behavior to her passion for theater, which she has pursued since fifth grade. She has found a specialty in exploring and absorbing the factors behind a character and their choices.

Karidja Monjolo

“I think it’s mostly just storytelling,” she said. “I think a lot of my interests mostly just stem from the fact that I think it’s cool to be able to be informed on someone else’s story.”

This passion gives Monjolo an advantage when it comes to acting.

“I think I really take time to be a character,” said Monjolo. “Earlier in the year I played Myrtle from “The Great Gatsby,” and there was a lot of material for her character, there was the book, there was the movie, there were the scripts. I had the resources to dive into her character. I really try to get into the role and understand the character,” she said.

Monjolo hasn’t always been able to easily immerse herself in a character. She began her journey in high school theater with an ensemble role in “Clue”, and has worked throughout her high school career to be part of a winning performance of “Incident Room” at All State finals this year.

“It was a really emotional show,” she said. “I had to cry at the end, I had to cry during the show. It was a lot, and that was the first time I had to do that.”

Though a challenge, the wins her performance contributed to both at sectionals and states made it worth it.

“It was a really nice validation, just because I put a lot in that role and I wanted to do it justice,” Monjolo said. “It was like the ultimate validation.”

Monjolo noted her older peers as pillars of support on her path to success.

“If I didn’t look to my senior counterparts and I didn’t see how they do things, I don’t think I would be as good,” she said. “They really taught me what it means to be a good actor.”

Now, Monjolo looks to her senior year and remembers the value of learning from example. She hopes to be a positive role model for incoming freshman, recognizing it as among her biggest goals.

“I want to help the younger freshman and sophomores the same way that seniors helped me when I was a freshman and sophomore,” Monjolo said. “I want to help them navigate the theater program and learn just how to do theater in high school.”

For all her interest in exploring the actions and emotions of others, one wonders what background has contributed to Monjolo herself.

Her background as the child of a first-generation Liberian immigrant has contributed significantly to her identity and upbringing, she said.

“My mom raised me with a lot more conservative, traditional values,” she said. “It just goes back to what my mom believes and that’s what my family does.” 

However, Monjolo has branched out and found values unique to her own views. She participates in Club Green at her high school to advocate for climate activism, and is also passionate about issues of both racial and gender equality.

“[My mom and I] are definitely on the opposite sides of the spectrum, and we tend to disagree on certain political or more general world issues,” she said.

Despite this, Liberian culture has recently proved to be a rich and rewarding area of exploration for Monjolo.

“The reason why I started digging into it is because of my grandma,” Monjolo said. “She just came from Liberia in February, so she obviously brings a new, fresh perspective. She brought clothes back, she brought jewelry back.”

With a strong foundation from both her family and theater role models, Monjolo hopes to pursue a career path in journalism, where she can act on her love for exploring storytelling.

“With theater, you get to be the story and act in someone else’s story,” she said. “But with journalism, you get to find the story and make the story.”