The first time I made a piece of clothing was when I was seven. My mom signed me up for a fashion design class. The class taught me how to make clothes and style them. I designed a short classical strapless gray dress with a little splash of blue and white paint. At the end of the class, we had a fashion show to show off all our hard work. I was excited because I had worked hard on my dress and couldn’t wait to show it off. This was the beginning of my fashion journey.
Fashion has always been a part of my life and my most considerable number one passion. My mom was my biggest inspiration. She was the one that introduced me to the art of fashion—showing me different ways to incorporate it into my life. I was so intrigued by all the different ways I could style just a basic T-shirt. She would always play dress-up with me, teaching me different ways to combine colors and patterns. I would dress up in my mom's clothes and catwalk in our living room. She owned a popular vintage clothing shop. I would work there and help her style the mannequins. My mom is a great businesswoman; Marketing fashion is her talent. I would watch her talk to customers; just by simply listening to the customers, she knew exactly what the customers wanted. Her talent inspired me so much; I adopted her savvy business skills and still, to this day, continue utilizing them.As my style of fashion evolved, I continued to experiment with different textures and patterns, making them my own. In middle school, I started to see different types of styles through magazines and fashion shows. One style that I gravitated towards was streetwear. I fell so in love with this style that I started to recreate my unique streetwear looks. I would take photos of different ways I would style a shirt and post pictures on my Pinterest, creating a community of fashion influencers. At the beginning of my freshman year, I started to get a lot of criticism and hate for my way of dressing. Growing up in a small city, some of the kids didn’t understand the way I saw streetwear. Despite the hatred, I remained confident in who I was and what I wanted to accomplish. When I entered junior year, I saw more people asking me about my clothes. Girls would ask me where I got my clothes, and I would help them style their outfits. By this time, I was incorporating makeup into my designs. Just like fashion, make-up was another way to express my creativity.
In 2020, I created a brand called “Hey Chica Beauty.” I made a collection of lip glosses and body shimmers. I had my very own pop-up shop, and so many people came to support me. I continued to advertise my business, and it got trendy around town. I started taking college classes in business management and marketing in junior year. I wanted to learn more about how to run a fashion business. With my mom's help and the college classes I took, I began developing my entrepreneurial skills. I want to empower collaborations that translate creative ideas into action and become part of the business community.These skills will undoubtedly help me stand out from my peers. I want to empower collaborations that translate creative ideas into action and become part of the business community.
I'm a self motivating African-American first generation HBCU transfer student from Los Angeles California attending North Carolina A&T. The Ryder collection scholarship really stood out to me because I could relate to Karahn Green. I have a luxury Tote Bag in a streetwear apparel business called NEUN. I participate in pop-up shops across southern California. However, I am taking my first semester off from my business to focus on school. I plan on bringing my business ventures to North Carolina and expanding to hosting pop-up shops and flea markets in the community.
When I told my family that I was moving to North Carolina they thought I was crazy and everyone in my family tried to talk me out of it. Why North Carolina when you live in Los Angeles? They all wanted me to go to a university in the States close to home. I’ve been sheltered pretty much all of my life and knew that I needed to take the leap of faith and get out of my comfort zone because there is no growth in it. And so I left! The city girl went off to Greensboro North Carolina. I had no family out here, no one knew me, nothing. Moving to North Carolina was a new start, a blank canvas. I was free to become whoever I wanted to be and find myself with none of my family or friends influencing any of my decisions. I am paying rent for the first time ever, deciding my meals, determining right from wrong, and if those friends I made align with the woman I want to be. I am truly adulting. It has been both liberating and terrifying at the same time and I am so proud of myself for doing it. I believe life is about taking risks and creating memorable experiences. Although it has been a huge adjustment, I am maintaining and finding the beauty of my HBCU everyday slowly but surely.
I grew up mainly with my grandparents. My parents would go back and forth, breaking up and making up. Just two young kids raising kids, crazy in love. It was never stable from my brother and I but we could always count on my grandparents. I remember waking up to holes in my door from my parents fighting, to police lights and being interrogated by police on who hit who. I wasn’t in extracurricular activities and just stayed home with my grandparents most of the time. Occasionally I would go spend the summer with my auntie Lisa and her family and see an entirely different way of living. It was filled with love, my cousins were in any sport you could imagine. My aunt and her husband graduated from San Diego State University and worked as probation officers. They always instilled positive affirmations and self love in me. They stressed to me how important it was to get a higher education. My parents on the other hand worked jobs like security or retail. My father actually just recently received his GED. Now that I’ve grown up and understand things more clearly, I do not frown upon my parents. Everything has contributed to the young resilient woman I am today. Who would have thought that shy girl would grow up to be an entrepreneur and get to the number one public hbcu like she always dreamed. Fear no longer consumes me, I welcome it. Everyday I say my affirmations and “show up as her.” Her being who I needed when I was growing up. I would like to give back by creating extracurricular programs for the youth to keep their mind challenged and intrigued. In whatever activity they choose, nothing but positivity will be instilled in them. Everytime they step into the program, they will resight affirmations specific to whatever that child needs. The affirmations will constantly be renewed, just like we are throughout life.
Family is such a vast topic in today's world. Family is no longer considered those to who you are related, but they are also considered the ones you call friends and close ones. I grew up in a split-family household. My mom came from a split family, and so did my grandparents. When you have those split family households it shows you the great things that can come from all those relationships, even the ones you aren't related to. My education and view of the family have greatly impacted the way that I see the world today.
I recently just attend a memorial service for a family member and memorial/funeral services always bring a family together. I saw people I didn't even remember, but they remember me. Even from such a young age and taking care of me. What are the people I know who love and care for me? I grew up in a home where my father wasn't involved because he was sick and passed away. I grew up in a household where my father's family desired no relationship with me. I learned during the time I yearned for a relationship with them, that blood doesn't make someone family. No matter how much you are related to them. Younger me wanted a relationship so much that to the point I cried every so often. Even now, after high school graduation, I felt extremely guilty because I wanted that support from my father's family I never received to come and show up for me.
To celebrate my hard accomplishments and even try to extend a relationship. My family background was never the traditional life that most people have. I had to accept and I learned to love the split family I have. I learned to see the support from other family members and friends. My mom taught me that the path and choices and relationships you desire aren't always meant for you. You can have the whole world and life planned for you, but that doesn't mean you will always end up in the spot that you wholeheartedly want.
I had a dream of attending my dream school, Louisiana State University. Louisiana State has one of the best veterinarian programs to date. I learned real quick that, the straight shot wasn't for me. Even with all my volunteering activities, good grades, advanced placement courses, and sports activities; my hard work wasn't enough. The education that I received and put my heart into didn't stop there. High school isn't meant for you to go to school. High school is meant to show you the real world and how things don't always go the way that you want. I learned from high school, that you have to go that extra mile to where you want to get in life. Sometimes, the bare minimum isn't always enough.
Sometimes, you have to face the music and accept that life doesn't always go the way you predicted. I learned from my family issues, changes in school, and post-high school life, that life is so unpredictable. I learned to follow the music for what it was and not for what I wanted. I learned to walk the path that I didn't pick. I won't let my feelings about having desired relationships stop me from achieving my dreams. I won't let the thought of me not attending my dream school stop me from going to the places I want. I won't let the fear of life stop me because I am here for a reason and it's to achieve the dreams that I want for myself and future generations.
