When I was in elementary school I began developing a passion for both writing and art. I would read books and loved using drawing and painting as my artistic outlet. I was also shy and did not really expose myself to different opportunities outside the classroom – until I joined Tools For Tomorrow. I never realized that I could be praised for being creative until I was in Tools For Tomorrow and for the first time I was encouraged to share my creativity which helped me ‘get out of my bubble.’

When I attended Idyllwild Arts Academy, that was the first time I had ever been away from my family or even near a forest! I remember that the art class I loved most was in an open wooden cabin in the woods. I loved the fresh breeze and greenery that surrounded me. I loved having that exposure to a world beyond the Coachella desert or Los Angeles concrete city. Being out in nature, making art, and interacting with students that had similar passions meant the world to me. I met so many new people and quickly learned that I loved the engagement. After that trip I tried to join any leadership program my schools would offer. In middle school I was in WEB, in high school I served as the ASB Executive President, and now in college I am a student coordinator for the CSUSB Palm Desert Student Ambassadors Society.

I will be graduating in June 2020 with a Bachelors in Communications; Public Relations, Media Studies, and Human Organization. With the passion for writing and art I developed at such a young age I was able to find that I was a people person, loved writing news articles, and wanted to study media. Tools For Tomorrow gave me the confidence to keep putting myself out there and made me love going to school.