Jazz Amira Hardrict was a star who lit up every room she entered with her bright smile. The embodiment of divine love, she had the gift of making everyone around her feel seen, loved, and uniquely special. Introduced to theatre as a toddler when accompanying her grandmother to rehearsals, Jazz made her on-stage debut while still in diapers. She walked right to center stage, stood directly under a flood light, and, with arms stretched out, faced an empty theatre and took a bow. 

By the age of five, her goal was to become a singer, dancer, and actress when she grew up. However, Jazz was fighting a battle that most people did not know. Jazz was born with Sickle Cell Anemia, which meant that she experienced regular and excruciating pain crises. Nevertheless, she dreamt big. Jazz accomplished more by the age of 13 years than many do in a lifetime.  She was cast five times in the African American Shakespeare Company’s annual production of Cinderella; starred as Young Simba in 3Crosses’ production of The Lion King; performed in three Skyline High School musicals; shot two national commercials, and starred in two short films - “The Fighter”, a story of living with sickle cell, and “Jazz in Wakanda”, which was screened at the Harlem Film Festival.