I have always found such genuine joy in helping and inspiring others. So as I reach the beginning of my career, I have vowed to spend the rest of my life achieving just that through my passion for fashion and art. When I create anything I always have this ulterior goal to yield something meaningful, not merely appealing. Perhaps that is why I am so drawn to sustainability—because to be sustainable means to protect not only the world, but also its people. Despite it being a primary interest of mine, there are excessive problems associated with the fashion industry that I have no interest in taking part in. The excessive waste, carelessness with resources, toxic exclusivity, cheap materials, and questionable means is enough to thoroughly tarnish the luxurious picture often associated with the word ‘fashion’. And, as a girly girl who admittedly loves pretty things, that is not ok with me. It concerns me to witness the significant level of wastefulness glorified in modern culture. It is unnatural. Severe repercussions will inevitably occur if society continues to engage in this path. Yet as a Christian I know it is part of my responsibility to protect the earth God’s hands so graciously lended us, even when others forget. Society has become desensitized to harmful means, forgetting what remains an essential truth: Nature is a limited blessing created through intensive care. It can only aid us should we handle it mindfully. Therefore, I am going to devote my life to spreading that message to the best of my ability, even if my impact begins small. As a result of my sustainable focus, my artwork is primarily comprised of recycled materials and up-cycled items—from the repurposed fabric of my dresses, to the ten-year-old beads detailing the embroidery. Through sourcing these materials from various places, one truth has stood out to me: current resources are endless. I mean it. Heck, I patch-worked some jeans with pieces from a 20-yr-old semi-stained curtain (with permission from my mother, of course), and the jeans are still holding strong two years later. Modern society has an obsession with ‘new’. The word suggests cleanliness and luxury. Truthfully, anything can become clean and luxurious with minimal effort. You need just rummage through your own closet to find something that can be transformed with just a few stitches or some fabric shaving and a splash of bleach. Someday I hope to find success with my own sustainable fashion business. I want to spread knowledge of these simple, effective, and perfectly fashionable techniques that have the capability of protecting miles of earth from the fate of our landfills. I may not be capable of convincing everyone to be environmentally conscious, but I am confident I can influence a large amount of waste contributors to refocus their consuming habits, even if just through beauty at first—because once you capture a person’s admiration, you are then capable of inspiring action within them—and quick action is the only thing that will sustain our planet.

I have always found such genuine joy in helping and inspiring others. So as I reach the beginning of my career, I have vowed to spend the rest of my life achieving just that through my passion for fashion and art. When I create anything I always have this ulterior goal to yield something meaningful, not merely appealing. Perhaps that is why I am so drawn to sustainability—because to be sustainable means to protect not only the world, but also its people. Despite it being a primary interest of mine, there are excessive problems associated with the fashion industry that I have no interest in taking part in. The excessive waste, carelessness with resources, toxic exclusivity, cheap materials, and questionable means is enough to thoroughly tarnish the luxurious picture often associated with the word ‘fashion’. And, as a girly girl who admittedly loves pretty things, that is not ok with me. It concerns me to witness the significant level of wastefulness glorified in modern culture. It is unnatural. Severe repercussions will inevitably occur if society continues to engage in this path. Yet as a Christian I know it is part of my responsibility to protect the earth God’s hands so graciously lended us, even when others forget. Society has become desensitized to harmful means, forgetting what remains an essential truth: Nature is a limited blessing created through intensive care. It can only aid us should we handle it mindfully. Therefore, I am going to devote my life to spreading that message to the best of my ability, even if my impact begins small. As a result of my sustainable focus, my artwork is primarily comprised of recycled materials and up-cycled items— from the fabric of my dresses, to the origami roses and beaded detailing. Through sourcing these materials from various places, one truth has stood out to me: resources are endless. I mean it. Heck, I patch-worked some jeans with pieces from a 20-yr-old semi-stained curtain (with permission from my mother, of course), and the jeans are still holding strong two years later. You need just rummage through your own closet to find something that can be transformed with just a few stitches or splatters of paint. Artwork is not something that should make sense to everyone. An idea may seem questionable at first—like that one time I turned an old tree skirt into a quilted jacket, or perhaps the time I scraped the wax out of a candle simply to make a fairy lantern. People may feel uncertain upon first hearing such any idea, but I have learned to trust my intuition, because it is impeccable at connecting things I am not even consciously aware of. And guess what? When I finished that quilted jacket, my family raved about it. That is why everything I create comes from my soul. Art is not the time to question my instincts but rather to let them rage freely. Someday I hope to find success with my own sustainable fashion business. I want to spread knowledge of these simple, effective, and perfectly fashionable techniques that have the capability of protecting miles of earth from the fate of our landfills. I may not be capable of convincing everyone to be environmentally conscious, but I am confident I can influence a large amount of waste contributors to refocus their consuming habits, even if just through beauty at first—because once you capture a person’s admiration, you are then capable of inspiring action within them—and quick action is the only thing that will sustain our planet.

I have always found such genuine joy in helping and inspiring others. So as I reach the beginning of my career, I have vowed to spend the rest of my life achieving just that through my passion for fashion and art. When I create anything I always have this ulterior goal to yield something meaningful, not merely appealing. Perhaps that is why I am so drawn to sustainability—because to be sustainable means to protect not only the world, but also its people. Despite it being a primary interest of mine, there are excessive problems associated with the fashion industry that I have no interest in taking part in. The excessive waste, carelessness with resources, toxic exclusivity, cheap materials, and questionable means is enough to thoroughly tarnish the luxurious picture often associated with the word ‘fashion’. And, as a girly girl who admittedly loves pretty things, that is not ok with me. It concerns me to witness the significant level of wastefulness glorified in modern culture. It is unnatural. Severe repercussions will inevitably occur if society continues to engage in this path. Yet as a Christian I know it is part of my responsibility to protect the earth God’s hands so graciously lended us, even when others forget. Society has become desensitized to harmful means, forgetting what remains an essential truth: Nature is a limited blessing created through intensive care. It can only aid us should we handle it mindfully. Therefore, I am going to devote my life to spreading that message to the best of my ability, even if my impact begins small. As a result of my sustainable focus, my artwork is primarily comprised of recycled materials and up-cycled items—from the repurposed fabric of my dresses, to the ten-year-old beads detailing the embroidery. Through sourcing these materials from various places, one truth has stood out to me: current resources are endless. I mean it. Heck, I patch-worked some jeans with pieces from a 20-yr-old semi-stained curtain (with permission from my mother, of course), and the jeans are still holding strong two years later. Modern society has an obsession with ‘new’. The word suggests cleanliness and luxury. Truthfully, anything can become clean and luxurious with minimal effort. You need just rummage through your own closet to find something that can be transformed with just a few stitches or some fabric shaving and a splash of bleach. Someday I hope to find success with my own sustainable fashion business. I want to spread knowledge of these simple, effective, and perfectly fashionable techniques that have the capability of protecting miles of earth from the fate of our landfills. I may not be capable of convincing everyone to be environmentally conscious, but I am confident I can influence a large amount of waste contributors to refocus their consuming habits, even if just through beauty at first—because once you capture a person’s admiration, you are then capable of inspiring action within them—and quick action is the only thing that will sustain our planet.

I have always found such genuine joy in helping and inspiring others. So as I reach the beginning of my career, I have vowed to spend the rest of my life achieving just that through my passion for fashion and art. When I create anything I always have this ulterior goal to yield something meaningful, not merely appealing. Perhaps that is why I am so drawn to sustainability—because to be sustainable means to protect not only the world, but also its people. Despite it being a primary interest of mine, there are excessive problems associated with the fashion industry that I have no interest in taking part in. The excessive waste, carelessness with resources, toxic exclusivity, cheap materials, and questionable means is enough to thoroughly tarnish the luxurious picture often associated with the word ‘fashion’. And, as a girly girl who admittedly loves pretty things, that is not ok with me. It concerns me to witness the significant level of wastefulness glorified in modern culture. It is unnatural. Severe repercussions will inevitably occur if society continues to engage in this path. Yet as a Christian I know it is part of my responsibility to protect the earth God’s hands so graciously lended us, even when others forget. Society has become desensitized to harmful means, forgetting what remains an essential truth: Nature is a limited blessing created through intensive care. It can only aid us should we handle it mindfully. Therefore, I am going to devote my life to spreading that message to the best of my ability, even if my impact begins small. As a result of my sustainable focus, my artwork is primarily comprised of recycled materials and up-cycled items— from the repurposed fabric of my dresses, to the ten-year-old beads detailing the embroidery. Through sourcing these materials from various places, one truth has stood out to me: current resources are endless. I mean it. Heck, I patch-worked some jeans with pieces from a 20-yr-old semi-stained curtain (with permission from my mother, of course), and the jeans are still holding strong two years later. Modern society has an obsession with ‘new’. The word suggests cleanliness and luxury. Truthfully, anything can become clean and luxurious with minimal effort. You need just rummage through your own closet to find something that can be transformed with just a few stitches or some fabric shaving and splash of bleach. Someday I hope to find success with my own sustainable fashion business. I want to spread knowledge of these simple, effective, and perfectly fashionable techniques that have the capability of protecting miles of earth from the fate of our landfills. I may not be capable of convincing everyone to be environmentally conscious, but I am confident I can influence a large amount of waste contributors to refocus their consuming habits, even if just through beauty at first—because once you capture a person’s admiration, you are then capable of inspiring action within them—and quick action is the only thing that will sustain our planet.

I have always found such genuine joy in helping and inspiring others. So as I reach the beginning of my career, I have vowed to spend the rest of my life achieving just that through my passion for fashion and art. When I create anything I always have this ulterior goal to yield something meaningful, not merely appealing. Perhaps that is why I am so drawn to sustainability—because to be sustainable means to protect not only the world, but also its people. Despite it being a primary interest of mine, there are excessive problems associated with the fashion industry that I have no interest in taking part in. The excessive waste, carelessness with resources, toxic exclusivity, cheap materials, and questionable means is enough to thoroughly tarnish the luxurious picture often associated with the word ‘fashion’. And, as a girly girl who admittedly loves pretty things, that is not ok with me. It concerns me to witness the significant level of wastefulness glorified in modern culture. It is unnatural. Severe repercussions will inevitably occur if society continues to engage in this path. Yet as a Christian I know it is part of my responsibility to protect the earth God’s hands so graciously lended us, even when others forget. Society has become desensitized to harmful means, forgetting what remains an essential truth: Nature is a limited blessing created through intensive care. It can only aid us should we handle it mindfully. Therefore, I am going to devote my life to spreading that message to the best of my ability, even if my impact begins small. As a result of my sustainable focus, my artwork is primarily comprised of recycled materials and up-cycled items— from the fabric of my dresses, to the origami roses and beaded detailing. Through sourcing these materials from various places, one truth has stood out to me: resources are endless. I mean it. Heck, I patch-worked some jeans with pieces from a 20-yr-old semi-stained curtain (with permission from my mother, of course), and the jeans are still holding strong two years later. You need just rummage through your own closet to find something that can be transformed with just a few stitches or splatters of paint. Artwork is not something that should make sense to everyone. An idea may seem questionable at first—like that one time I turned an old tree skirt into a quilted jacket, or perhaps the time I scraped the wax out of a candle simply to make a fairy lantern. People may feel uncertain upon first hearing such any idea, but I have learned to trust my intuition, because it is impeccable at connecting things I am not even consciously aware of. And guess what? When I finished that quilted jacket, my family raved about it. That is why everything I create comes from my soul. Art is not the time to question my instincts but rather to let them rage freely.

I’ve always been mesmerized by beauty, specifically art and fashion. When I first consciously observed this, it worried me. What meaning—what overarching goal is there for this pile of gathered fabric? How does art help the world? And then I realized…it was the story. I live not solely for beauty, but for the stories that result in that beauty. I live for things tarnished or concealed, things mostly crafted with a motif. In fact, practically all the choices I have made throughout my entire life have been in search of that same thing. My very soul is that of a seeker. Everything I yearn for in life can be encapsulated by one word: meaning. That is what I truly seek. I want to understand why, discover how, be given the chance to innovate, and, primarily, apply meaning to my very actions and being. It does not come as much of a surprise, then, that throughout my life I have thrived in academic environments, always displaying an unquenchable desire to learn. The adults in my life often told me that I enjoyed math—I achieved such high-level work in it. In fact, I vividly recall my elementary principal confronting me after scoring far above grade level in math—I was encouraged to join GATE. Yet, while I enjoyed the structure of math and intrigue of science, it never fulfilled me the way art did. But how could a girl so logic-based prefer the messy simplicity of art? I detected doubt in my teacher’s eyes; they expected academic achievement from someone like me. How did the ‘messy simplicity’ of creativity benefit a high-achieving mind? They expected GATE—but I refused. Resulting from my earlier proficiency in logic-based subjects, people continued throttling me with expectations. I grew frustrated that my achievements in other realms were denied recognition. That is when it pummeled me—the war within myself. I have suffered unknowingly with several forms of anxiety, OCD, depression, anorexia, and related physical ailments since I was a child. I kept quiet about it because I thought it was normal—why voice my miseries and burden others if I am not even sure, myself, that I am not overreacting? I pressured myself consistently to be perfect—to please others. It was so intense it got to the point where I felt my very mind and body were drowning me; I avoided people and extracurriculars, even my hobbies, just to quiet it all. But the pains continued striking my chest, my mind, my head, and my gut until I was afraid to go to sleep—what if something was wrong, and I did not wake up? This was not just an inner mindset issue; I had the heart palpitations at thirteen years old to prove it. For too many years, this sickness was mine alone to bear. Until I finally spoke up. The result?—I grew to embrace myself enough to quit consistently meeting those teachers’ standards. It is perhaps the best decision I have made to risk not conforming to those adults’ expectations—I can finally embrace the purpose that has called to me since childhood. I can finally seek that meaning that defines my passion. Besides, why submit to safety, watching your dreams drift away, if you can fly in pursuit of them? Falling is inevitable—everything gone above must come down. And if all things contain an opposite, why can’t all things grounded rise? We don’t truly know anything even after we’ve tested it. And so I will continue testing until the day I can prove that all things fallen must fly again—I am resilient in that way. For too long, I have linked my worth to others’ uneducated opinions of me. Sure, I spiraled during the most essential years of a life to reveal one’s worth. But that does not change the truth. I am the girl they assumed I wasn’t—I am wise and relentless. I endured the most fragile years of a human’s life, grappling silently in a war of immense proportions contained within my skull; I was overlooked, passionless, and void of happiness—too overwhelmed to be involved in typical adolescent experiences. Yet I managed to do more than just pass those honors courses—I finally sought contentment, which has consumed my mind without ever actually being present since childhood. I have yet to celebrate this achievement. But now I will. I do not seek pity or sorrow. I seek only to advocate for myself. Because one thing I’ve learned through my habit of seeking is that I am my own nemesis; I am capable of shaping how others respect and view my image, but I have yet to do anything but judge and reject myself. So here I am telling you that I am resilient. I do deserve the answers I seek. I am strong. I deserve to be seen for who I fully am, not for what my grades convey or the depths to which my anxieties tarnish those grades. In fact, that girl—the seeker, the one raised by harsh internal and external tyrants, the one who was starved of contentment, the one whose raging soul craves to burst from her but has seldom been allowed, the one whose stubborn determination directly contradicts her subtle demeanor—she will seek no longer because she has created an answer. She will now receive.