Picture this: A blur of motion, a record-breaking sprint, the roar of the crowd. A close-up on the focused gaze of an aspiring filmmaker. Finally, a moment of quiet devotion, hands clasped, reaching for a higher purpose.
This isn鈥檛 a movie trailer, this is the story of Zyyare Brown-Johnson, a cinematic visionary and a student-athlete with a passion for ministry. He is rewriting the script of what it means to be a modern-day athlete, where every scene is a step into a bigger, more meaningful picture.
Brown has been a part of the since 2021. He graduated in 2024 with his bachelor鈥檚 in Cinematic Arts, and he is currently working towards his master鈥檚 in Cinematic Arts while finishing his last year of eligibility with the Huskies.
Let鈥檚 rewind. With a mother, father, stepfather, and sister all involved in the sport at the collegiate level, his path seemed almost destined. But track wasn鈥檛 his first love,
鈥淚 really wanted to play football, but I wasn鈥檛 big enough as a kid,鈥� he says.
But as the saying goes, 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 choose track, track chooses you.鈥�
Fast forward to now, and boy, was Brown the right choice! At the height of his college career, Brown broke HCU鈥檚 record in the 60-meter dash, clocking an impressive 6.90 seconds.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 been my number one moment,鈥� he declares.
Brown鈥檚 athletic success isn鈥檛 just about personal glory. He鈥檚 always made sure to keep his focus on the bigger picture: glorifying God.
鈥淭he whole point of my story isn鈥檛 鈥榣ook at me,鈥� it鈥檚 鈥榣ook at God!鈥欌��
Brown credits his unwavering faith with getting him through hard practices and never feeling alone. While his athleticism might be what first brought him to HCU, it鈥檚 his love for filmmaking that鈥檚 truly captured Brown鈥檚 heart. His interest in film started in high school, where he created short videos and interviews, carrying a camera everywhere he went.
Brown even had a segment on his social media dedicated to passing time during the lockdown in 2020.
鈥淚 would do a backflip a day, post it every single day, and it lasted up until about my junior year of college,鈥� he says.
What initially began as a creative outlet for Brown quickly evolved into a passion for a career in the filmmaking industry.
鈥淚 was going to be an engineer,鈥� he says, 鈥渂ut my mom told me to pursue something I loved and enjoyed doing.鈥�
This advice changed the trajectory of his entire college career. Brown changed his major to Cinematic Arts, a decision that aligned perfectly with his creative instincts.
When asked about his goals outside of school and athletics, Brown was not shy when he shared, 鈥淚 want to be the best Director ever.鈥�
Drawing inspiration from greats like Jordan Peele, Steven Spielberg, and Christopher Nolan, Brown aspires to create thought-provoking content in his favorite genres, Sci-Fi and Horror, that leaves viewers in awe and amazement.
鈥淚 want to make a cool superhero film one day,鈥� he shares, is one of his ultimate goals.
Out of all his projects, his favorite to date is a documentary on a fellow student-athlete and familiar face, Kendal Septs. The project exemplifies his inspiring commitment to capturing authentic moments and showcasing how God is moving in real time.
鈥淚 feel like He gave me a unique skill to capture what He鈥檚 doing and show it to the world.鈥�
Brown uses his love for film and his dedication to ministry hand in hand all around the HCU campus. Currently a YoungLife leader, he shares his testimony with his peers and helps to capture beautiful moments on ministry trips hosted by the organization.
Brown also serves as the Student Athletic Advisory Committee President, where his role is dedicated to community service and hosting events for athletes on campus.
As the credits roll on his journey as a collegiate athlete, Brown is eager to focus on his career and channel more of his energy into his creativity. With a vision that refuses to be confined, he is ready to turn his dreams into a very real reality.
Guided by his mantra, “Hard work gets you anywhere, Consistency gets you everywhere,” Zyyare Brown is set to direct his own success story, one shot at a time.