Growing up in South Central, raised by a single mother who immigrated to the U.S. in search of a better life it is simple to say that life wasn’t easy, and I often found myself unsure of where I was headed. As a child, I found comfort in drawing though it was nothing fancy, just simple sketches that helped me make sense of so many different environments both good and bad. But as I got older, I pushed those passions aside, chasing 'practical' jobs instead. I worked in retail and other fields, thinking success would come from something else, yet I always found myself drawn back to design. It was like a quiet thread that kept pulling me in, reminding me it was the one thing that had always felt right.

After years of trying different paths, I have finally acknowledged what had been clear all along: design was never a last resort, it was always the first. It’s how I express myself, how I process life, and how I find joy in the world. Design allows me to create something beautiful that connects with others, and when I see people appreciate my work, it makes everything worth it. Now, design is my purpose, and I’m finally making it my first priority, knowing it’s what I was meant to do all along.