I remember my early years as a tomboy; that is, I refused to own dresses, only wore knee-length cotton or basketball shorts, and dismissed the idea of wearing pink. In third grade, however, my grandmother started taking me on shopping trips at the mall. She showed me the joy in clothes, and her eye for style drew me to fashion: an outlet where I found my voice and discovered what makes me unique. I later stumbled upon the show Project Runway through a family friend and have yet to go back to a world without fashion. I remember over-accessorizing throughout elementary and middle school—eagerly waiting for monthly issues of InStyle. In high school, I then became known as the player who dressed up for field hockey pasta parties and the girl who filled in her eye brows for track meets.

Past work and experiences revealed that fashion empowers me to choose courage over certainty, where I want my work to help people put their best foot forward and celebrate individuality. A general business degree (sans the fashion lens) would leave me simply checking the boxes and going through the motions. 

While my passion revolves around fashion, I also want to surround myself with people who challenge and uplift me. Hence, the best decision to study fashion merchandising at the University of Delaware, where I found admirable mentors and understand where my values align. Finding my passion and making a positive impact on the community shapes who I am today and how I plan next steps.

I’m recognized for how I show up to (at one point, college classes) social/family events—you name it—wearing sky-high heels that epitomize, yes, self-deprecating short jokes but more so my ambition to lead an industry that shapes my outlook on individuality, community, and culture, where I remain passionate towards evolution and transformation to carve out new spaces and keep stories at the forefront.

A lifelong learner and independent explorer, I take steps necessary to find opportunities to immerse myself in the people I serve, setting goals around launching and scaling global initiatives. S(e)oul searching, I now know that only in fashion do we have a quality of life and embrace who we are: what never go out of style.