Clarke Central High School junior Donte Marquies poses on a bench outside of the front office on August 19. Marquies has always looked up to his mother and his sister. “My mom has always been influential, and my sister. They’ve always been influential in my life and always supported my decisions, no matter how crazy they may be. They always tell me, y’know, take time for yourself, do what makes you happy, be yourself,” Marquies said. Photo by Audrey Kennedy
The ODYSSEY Media Group will provide viewers with stylized profiles that center on people in the Athens community telling their own stories.
Clarke Central High School junior Donte Marquies’s confidence in himself helps him spread his positive mindset to his peers.
Donte Marquies has a beautifully positive outlook on life.
Growing up, Donte sang in the choir at his church. This was his introduction to what he loves to do: singing to express himself.
Growing up, he was always told he was beautiful. He became interested in fashion and modeling, aspiring to tour once he grew older. He loved himself, and he knew how much he meant to his family and to his friends.
Growing up, he was endlessly supported by his mother and his sister. They consistently gave him advice and love. Most importantly, they encouraged him to be himself and to never censor himself for others.
When Donte was 14, his mother was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
When he was 14, he began to let himself go.
His emotions overwhelmed him. His feelings of worry for his mother combined with the strain of an unhealthy romantic relationship, and for a period of time, he began to behave differently.
“It’s like I never actually felt like it was real,” Donte said. “I didn’t know how to feel. I was not numb, it was just unbelievable. Like it wasn’t my life I was living.”
As his mother got better, so did he. He was comforted by her strength, and with time things began to look up. He started looking inside himself and figuring out what made him happy. His work on personal growth changed him for the better.
“I’m not fragile, I’m more patient, I’m more observant,” Donte said. “I am not naive to the world anymore. I know what the world is and I know things can happen so I don’t expect things. I believe that when you don’t expect things from people then you don’t disappoint yourself.”
Through his presence, Donte hopes to remind people of their personal worth. He knows how it feels to sink down, so he tries to lift people up.
Donte’s world revolves around the bigger picture. He keeps going for himself, but also for the people in his life who love him. He knows that if anything bad happens to him, he has an answer – love.
“Just love, y’know what I’m sayin’,” Donte said. “I love everything about myself.”
