I remember my early years as a tomboy, when I refused to own dresses and only wore basketball shorts (also dismissed the idea of wearing pink and sequins) to mimic my tomboy cousins. 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. I later stumbled upon the show Project Runway through a family friend and have yet to go back. 

I remember over-accessorizing throughout elementary and middle school, while eagerly waiting for monthly issues of InStyle. In high school, I 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. Today, 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 high ambition to lead an industry that shapes my outlook. A lifelong learner and independent explorer, I find that fashion empowers me to choose courage over certainty, where I want my work to reflect a changing world and new perspectives.