Growing up where money was hard to come by, Gill often was unable to have many of the same things as his peers. When asked where his He-Man action figures were, for example, he would often say they were left at someone else’s house instead of saying he did not own any. This, Gill explained, was when he realized his passion for telling stories.

"I used to think that this was just me lying, but I realized that was my first excursion into being a storyteller," Gill said. "I was telling them the story of somebody that I wanted them to see, not the person that was in front of them."

Gill said his epiphany to create comic books came to him at a prom after-party where he was working as a caricature artist. There, a psychic told him that he would publish at least two books. Gill later had a conversation about her with prom goers where he told them how crazy he thought she was.

"They said, 'why don’t you draw a book?' and I said, 'who’s got time for that?' Then they said, 'haven’t you drawn one tonight?'" Gill said. "It legitimately dawned on me then. I went home and started drawing a story."

Gill has since written many successful comic series, both about his own life and about historical events. One of his most well known series, "Strange Fruit," covers elements of Black history that many people are unaware of. Stories like that of Henry Box Brown, who mailed himself in a box to escape slavery, or an interracial group in Maine whose history was almost entirely wiped out by the government, allow for more insight into true African American history. Gill’s comic book format makes them more accessible to wider audiences.

"Comics make stories more palatable to people who would otherwise not partake in it," Central Michigan University audiology professor Donna Nelson said. "Comics may be a way to bring people together to talk about difficult topics."

Gill tells the stories from his upbringing that have been key in shaping who he is in his comic "Fight." Gill said that it is important to share the hard things because other people may find comfort in knowing that somebody else has experienced them too. 

"'Fight' is my love letter to kids who grew up like I did," Gill said. "I was branded a bad kid all through school, but in reality I had probably gone through more in the morning than most people go through in their entire lives. This is a way to look at these children and have empathy for them. That was what I needed as a child."

For history sophomore Ella Cox, reading about people’s stories through comics can make it easier to visualize, and ultimately connect with them, on a deeper level.

"Being able to see someone’s experience versus just reading it off of a page makes it easier to see the character’s emotions and the use of color can emphasize them," Cox said. "It adds depth."

Gill explained that stories are a vital component of virtually every aspect of our lives. Hearing other stories can make us more empathetic and can help to build more meaningful relationships. Gill also said that stories shape our reality and what we value.

"When we look at the culmination of a civilization, we don’t dig up their accountants or their politicians," Gill said. "We dig up their art, and we use that art to tell the story of who we are."

Stories build connections and work to bridge the gap between the divisions that exist between different types of people. Gill said that while we are all unique individuals, our stories are common, so it is important to share them with each other as a means of supporting one another. 

"Share your story, make connections, rebuild humanity," Gill said. "When that doesn’t help, give somebody a hug, because that always helps."