Tell us about yourself and your academic journey:
I attended two high schools. I really wanted to go to a certain college but they waitlisted me so I went to my second pick. It was like a fun moment for me. I was like, I'm never going to go there, and I went there, and I stayed for four years… so that was a little funny. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do so I went as undecided. But then when I got there, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to be in the business field, but then I also know how business is just straight books and accounting and finance and stuff. So I went into culinary, so more like a hospitality aspect of business. and I really enjoyed it, except for math and accounting. I really enjoyed it and I got to meet really cool people along the way, some chefs, who've worked at different schools or came from other programs and stuff. I had a chef who went to Mexico, so the class was centered around his cookbook, which he made while he was in Mexico, and I was like WOW! Then I took catering classes and I got to do different events. Our school would host Entrepreneurship events for different vendors to come out to the area and stuff like that. I feel like it's been a struggle, and would not just say academically… anything math, it's like I don't know, but if I get help, I'm able to get through it. But just in general, it's just been all over the place.
You've been able to navigate that all the way to the end. Have you met any chefs who have inspired you? What are your future plans?
Okay, so I have met some chefs that inspire me and some that made me look at them weird. So I've had a few chefs that I've come across. So far, all of them that I've worked with since 2020, there's just been one that came in 2022, and he's different. So, that was a different experience for me because like, He's chaotic, everywhere is chaos. But he's so good at what he's supposed to be doing. Like, forget his behaviour and like what he does… He's good at it. I took an intro to Farm to table class with him and we did all the local vendors, because my school is in a farm area. We got fresh meat, eggs, butter and cheese. We used that to cook a menu and then they'll sell it for like $60 a plate. It was a little bit crazy, but it was so cool for us because we got to eat it and experience it. He took us on trips. We went to a Michelin star restaurant. It was really cool. So they've inspired me, I guess by… it started with my internship. I did an internship at Disney World and the restaurant I worked at was like " Oh my god, you're so good. Do you want to stay?" and I was like: " I'm flattered, but I have college happening" and they were like: " Oh, no problem. When you come back and you graduate, you can stay as long as you want, they'll have you. So that is what I'm going to do. After I'm done, January 26th, 2025, I'm headed to Florida. I'm moving out there, to stay out there. I'm excited.
How did Inspiring Futures support you throughout this time? It just gave me that support I needed, someone to talk to that I didn't have. Also, it really helped underline that I'm not crazy, and when I say this, what I'm feeling is valid. I guess it is a strengthening way to cope and to strategize things. So that helped me also.... Even now with my Financial aid...the school said “late fees, late fees, we don't know anything about late fees.” So I'm like :”What is going on?” So then, they're like, oh did you reach out to them? So then my school is like: "oh, we didn't get any information from them.” So, then I'm like reaching out to my school and they're like, my school should be able to make this connection. I should not be coming in the middle. So basically, then Inspiring Futures helped advocate, and now they say, "we see it on your account.” So I'm just waiting for everything to go through to get a refund. Thank you for that. Thank you for that.