00;00;00;09 - 00;00;17;15 Unknown So for me growing up, I was always drawing. It was something genuinely that I just loved to do. I actually didn't realize that people couldn't draw because I just thought it was something everyone else was doing, and it wasn't until I was. I don't know if it was like first grade or something. There was a teacher who pointed out like, oh, your drawing is really good. 00;00;17;17 - 00;00;40;19 Unknown And she just kept praising it. And it wasn't until I started noticing everyone else's drawing that it looked very different and people were struggling. Like, that's the first time I realized, like, oh, this is something I'm good at doing that someone else isn't. But I've literally since the day I can remember, literally, there's always like a pen or pencil in my hand, always drawing, whether it's like literally napkins, like scrap pieces of paper, anything I can find. 00;00;40;20 - 00;00;58;26 Unknown It's just always been a part of my life for me, just being first generation, the oldest of three. It was just something that I didn't know anyone else in my family that did art, so it wasn't something I was familiar with. And when I realized it was something I wanted to do. It was scary thinking that I could kind of make the wrong choice. 00;00;58;26 - 00;01;17;05 Unknown And my sisters were very I was very concerned with kind of I have to be the example for them and making sure that whatever I did, I was going to be able to guide them. So for me, it just seemed nursing was the way to go. It wasn't until my family was the one that very much supported me to kind of go into art, and they were like, this is what you want to do. 00;01;17;12 - 00;01;45;09 Unknown Don't don't do something. My mom said, make sure that every morning you get up, you're going to be excited about the job that you're doing, whatever that is. Make sure it's something you like. My dad the same, my sister's the same. So that's kind of how I ended up, you know, transitioning from nursing into art, for sure. I think, again, I think for me, being the oldest, just the first one in my family to go to college and graduate and all that, I think there was a lot of pressure that was coming mainly from myself. 00;01;45;09 - 00;02;07;09 Unknown My family never put that pressure on me and I know it's usually you hear about, you know, very strict parents that have a very like they have something in mind for you. My parents just wanted me to genuinely be happy and for me to be okay in whatever I chose. And I think my dad always told me, whatever it is you decide to do, whatever it is you want to do, just make sure you see it through and give it your all. 00;02;07;09 - 00;02;24;18 Unknown And that was very much what gave me the confidence to really focus on art and really just like, go full force on it, because I think for me it's, you know, in my family, it's just I get that from my mom and dad. I see how hardworking they are and what they've been through and how committed they are to, you know, everything that they do. 00;02;24;18 - 00;02;52;12 Unknown So I, they very much were an inspiration for me. And, that's just kind of how just being surrounded by that is really what motivated me on a daily basis, even though I was obviously, you know, nervous on whether or not things were going to pan out but just kept going. I think for me, there is a lot of fear about, again, being the oldest and kind of wanting to be an example for my sisters, I wanted to make sure that I was doing the right thing. 00;02;52;12 - 00;03;13;00 Unknown But as I've gotten older and even now, looking back, I don't think there's ever a right or a wrong. You're just genuinely supposed to listen to your instinct and what it is that you want to do. As long as you really focus on that, you figure it out along the way. It's not something where a lot of people make decisions based on fear, and that's what kind of sets them back. 00;03;13;02 - 00;03;30;09 Unknown With my family being there to support me and constantly being like, you've got this. Or, you know, there were late nights my mom and dad were always there to support me or whatever it is that they could do. They would bring me food. Then my sisters would stay or they'd be like, I'll drive you there. Whatever it was, they were there to support me in any way that, I needed. 00;03;30;09 - 00;03;47;05 Unknown So it was really their support that allowed me to really be curious about what I was trying to figure out for myself. And, it was genuinely that support, because then at that point, all I was doing was really just drawing. And as I mentioned, as a kid, it was something I didn't think about. It was just something I did. 00;03;47;07 - 00;04;11;25 Unknown So being like, able to just have that freedom is genuinely what took off. A lot of that pressure during my time at Cosby. Honestly, my family growing up, my mom, she crossed over when she was pregnant with me. She didn't know that at the time, and my dad was already here. And it was a thing with when they came from Mexico to here in California, they pretty much they didn't change their lives. 00;04;11;25 - 00;04;30;04 Unknown They continued their lives as it was over there. My mom still making the same food. My dad's still working the same way that he knew, when he worked with his dad. So growing up, I very much grew up in the way I would have. I feel like if I was in Mexico, in a way, I feel really connected to that because my parents kept that really present. 00;04;30;07 - 00;04;51;27 Unknown And what's always been present is how, family is genuinely number one. Everything else can go south, but as long as we're with each other, we're supporting each other. And then my parents work ethic is something that's genuinely I feel like part of the reason I'm so ambitious, my dad would genuinely be working nonstop. It'd be like 3 a.m.. 00;04;51;27 - 00;05;18;25 Unknown 4 a.m.. He was. He was nonstop working. He would go out of state, but we never felt that he was far away because he always made himself present. So to me, that's something that no matter how busy I get, I always make sure that I'm with my family because that's something that it's very easy in a very like high paced work environment to kind of focus on your own things and somehow like, you know, you lose track of time and you start to prioritize other things. 00;05;18;27 - 00;05;41;21 Unknown But with my family always just being like, so present with me, it's something that I'm constantly making the effort to make sure I'm present with them. So their work ethic and just, the support that they give as a family is something that I'm continuously trying to, to continue doing myself. I think for me, Cosby was one of the first schools that I realized offer design. 00;05;41;24 - 00;06;12;28 Unknown And as someone who didn't know anything about design, I came in here for nursing. And when I realized that they had a design program at that time, I had barely discovered what graphic design was, and I was really intrigued. So at that time, that was genuinely what kind of got me looking into what the programs offered, because at the time, I'm not sure as of right now, but at the time there was graphic design for in graphic Design five, I ended up going with graphic design in marketing that program, and that was also a really cool option that I didn't see was available anywhere else. 00;06;13;05 - 00;06;35;13 Unknown And they offered marketing and design experience that I could get from both sides. I could really eventually I went into advertising, but that was very much the start of it. So it was a really cool, it was something that I didn't see anywhere else over here. It's very interesting how things kind of like, in a way, you end up doing exactly what you knew you were meant to be doing. 00;06;35;13 - 00;06;53;20 Unknown But at the time, it's not that obvious. That's why I'm so, so like, big on literally follow what your instinct is telling you. But I think you don't know how to listen to your instinct until you're older. I think for me, Cfsp was one of the first places that I realized that offer design, and I think specifically that it was graphic design in marketing that really stood out to me. 00;06;53;20 - 00;07;11;13 Unknown It was one of the professors, when I was actually doing nursing, he and I had to go get something signed so that I could because I had put graphic. Okay, wait. I'm going too much into the details. Let me backtrack. So yes, USB was honestly one of the places where I first saw that you could do graphic design in marketing. 00;07;11;13 - 00;07;30;08 Unknown And one of the professors, I spoke to briefly, he really did encourage that. And it was through that that I'm glad I did take that, because it helped me understand the marketing and advertising side of things and really how I could take my work and really kind of market it myself. So it was, it was that that really, like sealed the deal for me. 00;07;30;12 - 00;08;01;04 Unknown And it was kind of what really led me to just, continue the program itself here. I think for me, I never really thought of myself as an artist, per se. I think for me, I was just the way I saw myself was just someone who really enjoyed to draw, to create. I was really curious and I think, it wasn't until later in my career that I really realized, like, oh, I'm an artist, because I think there is that imposter syndrome, and there is all that, you know, oh, you're comparing yourself a lot. 00;08;01;04 - 00;08;23;03 Unknown And like, you kind of set these ideas of, once I get here, then I'm an artist. But in reality, when you're born an artist, you're always an artist. I think it just takes time for you to catch up, and really see yourself as such. And so for me, it was something that definitely through my time here, it was something that I was really gaining the confidence to really start seeing myself through that. 00;08;23;03 - 00;08;43;15 Unknown So this was definitely part of that journey to kind of help me realize, like, okay, I am an artist, I can do this. And I've been doing this for a long time. For me, it's specifically I did graphic design and marketing, so a lot of the classes and even electives were focused on digital art and also, you know, marketing, advertising, econ classes. 00;08;43;18 - 00;09;13;16 Unknown And for someone that grew up just drawing, I felt like I wanted to kind of explore that a bit. And, I took traditional drawing classes just for fun. I took figure drawing. I did sculpture, and it was it wasn't required. It was just something I naturally felt curious to explore more. And I think, the variety of classes that were available were genuinely well, helped me really create a program that worked for me, and it helped me not feel so tied to a program that was kind of set up, and that was a good thing. 00;09;13;16 - 00;09;36;09 Unknown There was flexibility for me to really kind of explore and be curious and have fun. And eventually I took what I learned in my traditional classes into those digital classes, which led me into, kind of what I do now, which is digital illustration. So definitely so many classes to choose from. I think for me, it's so important when you come into this program or just in general, whenever you're doing art. 00;09;36;09 - 00;10;01;23 Unknown I think you just have to let yourself really relax and really see what you're drawn to. And don't don't be so worried about making mistakes. Allow yourself to really explore, mess up, try again. Try a different medium. Because I think sometimes you tell yourself, I have to do this with charcoal, right? But sometimes if you try pastel, which is very similar but a different approach, it might it might click with you better. 00;10;01;29 - 00;10;32;10 Unknown Or sometimes you're trying to do something visually and you're like, I have to do this, digitally, right? But there might be an approach to doing it traditionally, or maybe you might want to pick up photography, because I think there's so many little pockets of different things you could do within the art world, and it's important for you not to just put yourself in a box or and be open minded, because there's so many opportunities and so many things that you can really explore for me, that was genuinely what helped me be a little bit quicker about understanding myself. 00;10;32;17 - 00;10;56;29 Unknown I didn't come into the program thinking, I'm going to do exactly what's lined up for me. I came into the program eager to learn and see what was being offered, but also eager to kind of be curious and figure out things for myself. I never was I never felt tied down to do one thing. And I think you just have to allow yourself to have fun, mess up, ask questions, and genuinely just kind of see where that takes you. 00;10;57;00 - 00;11;20;19 Unknown The quicker you fail, the quicker you can kind of like, you know, okay, that is for me or that's not for me. And I go through a filtering process for me growing up, since I was always told, oh, you can really draw, you're really good at drawing. And that was something I knew I was good at, and specifically in my graphic design classes, we were already given preexisting stuff and assets to kind of create, whether it was a poster or a brochure or something. 00;11;20;21 - 00;11;46;21 Unknown For me, I never felt comfortable using a preexisting material. I always wanted to create it myself. So I would always, for every project, create an illustration for it. I never used what was offered, and I didn't realize that until it came time to put my portfolio together that I was. I was really hesitant to use someone else's work or something that even though it was part of the project, I just could not get on board with it because it didn't feel like my vision and what I was trying to get across. 00;11;46;23 - 00;12;09;28 Unknown So I realized that I had illustration in every single project, and that's when I really realized, like, no, this is really important. You're not just trying to do design, you're trying to create something for this design. For everything that I was doing, genuinely. And so from there was when I started thinking maybe I should start looking more specifically into illustration or how I can really incorporate this into my design. 00;12;10;00 - 00;12;36;13 Unknown For me specifically, I specialize in vector artwork so that you use Adobe Illustrator. It's very digital, very precise. And I think when you think of traditional art, it can be just as precise. But my approach to it was very organic and very loose. So it was kind of two different worlds and kind of what I learned in traditional art and just kind of being a little bit more, you know, not worrying about making sure I was within the lines and certain things. 00;12;36;13 - 00;13;00;25 Unknown I was creating. I was still being very geometric. But at the same time, it was in a different approach to the way I would create digitally. So just the, the materials I was using, the way I was shading and the way that that was kind of happening in the traditional work I was doing, I started incorporating that, incorporating that approach into my digital work, and the way I do it in my digital work is different because it's very shape driven. 00;13;01;00 - 00;13;20;24 Unknown So the way let's say, for shading, I use color, right? I end up changing the way the color is or something. When you look at it from far, you might feel depth, even though when you get closer it's very flat. So it's just the way my brain kind of processes things, you know, from going something a little bit more realistic to something that's a little bit more blocky. 00;13;20;27 - 00;13;42;00 Unknown That was just my personal approach to it and how I really incorporated the two together. The one class that stands out to me was a sculpture class I took, and only because that one wasn't part of my, my program that I had to take. It was an elective. And that class I remember, I took it thinking it was going to be one thing, and it ended up being completely different. 00;13;42;00 - 00;14;01;06 Unknown And within the first week, I was ready to drop that class. But when I spoke to the professor, she told me, like, wait another week, see how you feel about it. And I'm glad I stuck around because that ended up being one of my favorite classes. But again, that what that class really taught me is that you sometimes narrow yourself into thinking, oh, I want to do this. 00;14;01;06 - 00;14;27;02 Unknown So I'm only going to take classes that are specifically, you know, I can see them existing in the program or whatever it is I'm setting for myself. But this class was so different that at the time, I didn't see how I would apply what I was learning there to that class, but I stuck around and really like what it really helped me see was a different approach to creating a different thought process, a different way of like, you know, there was a different approach and step system to how you were creating things. 00;14;27;04 - 00;14;47;23 Unknown And again, that's really helpful, I think, as an artist, because it's all about your own personal perspective. But at the same time, it really is about just learning how other people think and approach certain things is genuinely how now, when I'm creating, when it deals with advertising specifically, I'm not just thinking of myself and my thought process. I'm thinking about how someone else thinks of things. 00;14;47;28 - 00;15;08;08 Unknown And that class really taught me how to think outside of myself, and that's something I apply now, and I've been applying ever since, to be honest, for me, illustration was just something. It was a gut feeling. To be honest, it was never there was never a specific point where I thought, oh, I've, I've made it or this is it, or I'm, I'm going to be successful in this. 00;15;08;09 - 00;15;26;23 Unknown It was genuinely I'm having fun. I want to do more of this. How can I continue push? Like, how can I continue to push myself and see what other opportunities were out there? And for me, it was very much just curiosity. It was just being curious about something and knowing that I really enjoyed it. And then do you guys want to? 00;15;26;25 - 00;15;45;21 Unknown Well, I think it took some time for me to understand what illustration really was and really see how I could apply it to what I was trying to do. It took some time. It was genuinely something that was closer to my graduate program, where I really felt like I started to understand myself as an artist. So it took some time. 00;15;45;21 - 00;16;05;08 Unknown But overall, it's just, I think something that builds, it's slow, but it builds over time. I think being at Crosby and just having that, that flexibility to really like, choose my classes and have professors to go to and ask questions and just that freedom to really be myself as an artist is genuinely what helped me build that confidence. 00;16;05;15 - 00;16;25;25 Unknown So through that, I kind of was able to kind of take that next step a little bit more confident in myself, in my decisions. Because when you first come into, you know, any program, you're you're a little nervous, you're a little scared, and you're trying to figure yourself out. But definitely through the course of the time that I was here, I was able to kind of understand what I was doing with myself. 00;16;25;27 - 00;16;44;13 Unknown So I really did provide that space of just freedom and just full enjoyment in, whatever class I was taking for me when I started posting more of my work online, it was very interesting because I always grew up with like, Stranger Danger. So I was like, I'm not, you know, I'm not going on there. I'm staying far away from it. 00;16;44;16 - 00;17;10;19 Unknown But honestly, I, I'm glad that I ended up posting my work because I ended up finding a really cool poster community and honestly, just met so many talented artists on there that really connected with what I was doing. Because sometimes it's difficult to find people who understand where you're coming from. But I was genuinely able to find like a group of people who I admired and eventually ended up, you know, connecting with like, agencies and different clients and all that. 00;17;10;19 - 00;17;33;28 Unknown And then my work, I started to be able to work on official projects and that group that, that I had started with, we ended up growing together. So that's really special to to be able to continue to support one another. And I think being able to post my work and not be afraid because I think a lot of the times we wait to post our work or show what we're working on until it's perfect, but nothing's ever perfect. 00;17;33;28 - 00;17;54;14 Unknown I think if you tell yourself that you're never going to be ready, you genuinely have to post what you have right now and share what you're working on right now, because that's eventually like, allow people to be part of that process and allow them to see you grow, because through that, people feel connected to what you're doing. People understand where you're coming from, and eventually you guys end up growing together. 00;17;54;14 - 00;18;16;07 Unknown There are a lot of times when you connect with other artists and other people in different communities, and you genuinely end up finding, more similarities and you inspire each other. So don't hesitate to kind of show your work or, you know, post whatever you have you're working on because I think you're doing yourself a disservice and you're getting too much in your head. 00;18;16;07 - 00;18;35;06 Unknown If you start to tell yourself, let me wait till this or this or this, like, just take that pressure off and just do your work. Just like, as if no one's watching. And eventually the right people will come into your life and you'll, you'll be able to connect and genuinely create a community that you genuinely feel like yourself in. 00;18;35;08 - 00;19;00;11 Unknown You are speaking. Oh yes, I had it. And as you're flattering me, I said, okay, we will, we will literally. I'm saying I'm like, this is beautiful. I love this. This is exactly I was I was more and more, oh my gosh, you're speaking directly. I'm dealing with that right now. And trust me, I feel you. I know it when I speak with artists. 00;19;00;11 - 00;19;18;08 Unknown It's so like I've been. There's it's such a like. I'm like, you have to push past it. I know it's like. Because as soon as you push past it, everything opens up. Yes. And is hitting this wall? Yes. And against myself. Exactly. She is wonderful. She is showing me some of her work. Sorry. Yeah. You're like, put her out. 00;19;18;09 - 00;19;38;18 Unknown Let's turn the camera around. I want to know about Morgan, about her. She showed me some of her artwork because we've just met when I started this position. Okay? She was already here, and then I came on. And then we're. We work closely together. Okay? We do both social media. And she showed me, she shared with me some work, her artwork because my sister. 00;19;38;23 - 00;20;00;09 Unknown Yeah. I mental artist I love to see like the unique and everyone's different art. So when I saw her, I was like, this is so beautiful. Like I love to see the artwork. It's like, I admire it more. Yes, because I am a person that does not possess those skills. But I admire everybody that can distill. Yeah, because of mastering those things. 00;20;00;14 - 00;20;22;17 Unknown So yeah, you are appreciating, you know, that it's coming from a different place because. Yeah. And I just love seeing it. So when I saw hers I was like, yeah, it's nothing on Instagram. I'm a no no. I like see and I have my own beef with Instagram, especially how it's changed. That's a whole other thing. It's really difficult because I feel like, a lot of the times people will tell me, well, how'd you get there? 00;20;22;25 - 00;20;40;12 Unknown And I was like, yes, it started on Instagram, but it's so different now than what it was. You know, Instagram is so like, it's not the space it used to be, but the same things still apply. You have to continue, like make yourself visible. I know it's like, trust me, as someone, when I started, it was because my professor told me and I was like, okay, whatever. 00;20;40;12 - 00;21;09;04 Unknown Just posting it, posting it. And I didn't realize it. It grew without me even realizing it genuinely. But what kept it going? Because yes, anything can kind of take off. But if you don't maintain it, that's when it, you know. So to me I'm like, doesn't matter if it's through Instagram or wherever. Genuinely, it's that whole thing of how you say sometimes you hit a wall, whether it's because of your own self-doubt or because maybe things you're not finding the right places or to, like, really showcase your work and stuff like that. 00;21;09;07 - 00;21;35;14 Unknown But whatever it is, I'm genuinely like, you have to keep because I always say artists are problem solvers is what we are, and we do it in a creative way and the way we do it, our style is our visual language. And so it's just this thing that it's so unique. The way you create is coming from your own experiences, your own perspective on how you see things, your preferences on color, whatever it is, it's genuinely something that it's so unique to you, the way you do what you do. 00;21;35;14 - 00;21;53;07 Unknown So I think a lot of artists don't realize that, like, no one else can copy you. They can try and with I coming into this like, don't write whatever I want and try to keep up. Try to keep up because you're not gonna, you know, kind of a thing. I mean, it's got the human hand. No, no it won't. 00;21;53;07 - 00;22;16;05 Unknown And then it's a thing where I'm like, I will only take it so far. But the thing about AI is that it has no, like, heart or soul or like it can't speak on behalf of why it's doing, why that work is what it is. And I think that's that connection. And when you make people feel through your work is genuinely what makes people want to get to know what's behind the artwork, because anyone can put up cool artwork here and there, kind of a thing. 00;22;16;05 - 00;22;41;15 Unknown But like, what's the story behind it? You know? Exactly. But I want to talk to you. Yes, yes yes, yes. It's good. All right, all right. Your work has since been connected to projects from major brands such as Disney, Marvel, Netflix and Pixar. What is it like to trace that journey back to the experimentation you were doing at see Issue of Speed? 00;22;41;17 - 00;23;05;22 Unknown Honestly, it's just interestingly enough, it hasn't changed. Even from the day that I just started drawing as a kid. It's genuinely been the same. And it's it's honestly just been me and the way I approached creating. And because that's still like, what's the only thing that's changed is I've gotten more experience in learning, you know, what is it that we're trying to, for example, if it's advertising, what are we trying to sell? 00;23;05;22 - 00;23;24;10 Unknown What are we trying to say with this? What's really you know, what angle are we coming from? And it's more about understanding how I can use what I know how to do to kind of help someone else tell their story as well. Or if I'm working on something for a film, it's like, what's their story? Okay, how can I use my skills to help? 00;23;24;12 - 00;23;42;20 Unknown You know, kind of bring that to life and in my own visual voice and my visual language. And so it's a thing where, through Ksby, I did a lot of, like, self-exploration through my work, and it was very much about just like, okay, let's try different classes, let's try different approaches. Let's do this in charcoal. This digital, let's do this with painting. 00;23;42;22 - 00;24;13;29 Unknown Let's try a sculpture class. And it was just me visually, kind of like using the things available to me to kind of express the same thing, but in different ways. And that's really interesting to see. The way it can kind of manifest in different ways, kind of a thing. And so it was just genuinely that freedom, all those classes available, having time to really explore and not get so caught up in my head because I think when you just allow yourself to just like let that come out of you, you really end up kind of you end up seeing yourself. 00;24;13;29 - 00;24;38;05 Unknown Because a lot of the times we live in here in our minds and we're constantly like asking ourselves these internal questions. And I think with Will, through art and all the different classes I took, I was able to kind of pour myself. I'm such a rambler because I'm like, it's one of those things where I'm like, it's. It's also difficult when I feel like people don't understand, like art is not so different from any career. 00;24;38;05 - 00;24;59;20 Unknown It's genuinely the same thing. It takes the same amount of work, it's the same, you know, approach. And it's just again, I think there's just it's not represented the right way. And there's this stereotype around it and people end up kind of making their minds about it before they even really let themselves really understand what it is. And so I think like it's one of those things where I'm like, some people get it, some people don't. 00;24;59;20 - 00;25;24;00 Unknown And that's okay. The biggest thing is, as an artist, allow yourself to be misunderstood. Allow yourself to genuinely just get it wrong. Allow yourself to kind of hate it for a while, to then fall in love with it again. You have to go through that process because it's so personal and you learn more about yourself through that because you understand what takes you off, you understand what you like. 00;25;24;00 - 00;25;47;24 Unknown You understand. I like to work indoors or I like to work outdoors, or I need to get, you know, I need to be social with people or, you know, I need my alone time. You start to understand yourself as a person. And when you understand yourself and kind of like the things you genuinely like, you gravitate towards, it's through that that you then apply those same things to your work, and it only improves the work because you're not burning yourself out through it. 00;25;47;26 - 00;26;11;02 Unknown So it's definitely something where I feel people need to give art. I mean, it's one of those things that you don't. You as an artist should never try to tell someone why your art is important. You should just be focused on yourself and doing what you love to do. The right people will understand that the wrong people might not, and that's okay, but that's that's out of your control. 00;26;11;04 - 00;26;31;14 Unknown So I think for me, the biggest thing that I always tell people is like, don't focus on anyone else. Focus on yourself. Just do what you love to do. It might get rough sometimes it might be difficult, but through that, like, I mean, it's going to work out. And I know that's a difficult thing to say because we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow or, you know, it's unpredictable. 00;26;31;14 - 00;26;49;11 Unknown But I think just stay present, enjoy what you're doing. If you're enjoying it, you're already winning. Because if you're it's the only thing you have to enjoy it in order to maintain it. I think for me, like just growing up in the eye is something I love. I love that I honestly like nothing compares to the mountain backdrop. 00;26;49;11 - 00;27;05;29 Unknown To me, it's just so it's who I am at my core. I genuinely just being on campus. I feel like I'm back home and it's just it's how I grew up. It's everything that I do. Anyone does, honestly, is a collection of their own experiences and where they've been and lived. Me and my family moved around a lot. 00;27;06;00 - 00;27;24;08 Unknown We've lived out of state and part of, you know, the eye is definitely a big part of that. And so it's part of those collection of experiences, you know, and to me, it's just genuinely something I feel I feel really connected to. So it always feels like I'm back home any time I set foot on campus, it's like I never left. 00;27;24;13 - 00;27;44;27 Unknown I think, honestly, any time the Latino community is winning, like I'm winning, I'm just like, I love to see us. We're so, you know, there's so much vibrancy to what we do and our work ethic is unmatched. And it's just genuinely we're just natural problem solvers. And we don't take no for an answer because we love to keep going. 00;27;44;27 - 00;28;15;02 Unknown We love to we don't we don't sit there and just kind of like mope. We genuinely know that things are hard and that's a part of life. And sometimes it's unfortunate situations we've had to be dealt. We've had to deal with things that are very unfair. But to me, any time I love seeing that, that I love seeing Latinos in the creative space because we're it's a space where we're allowed to genuinely speak for ourselves rather than someone else trying to tell those stories for us. 00;28;15;02 - 00;28;39;10 Unknown I think it's so important because you know, if we let someone else tell our stories, for us, it just is only enforcing a stereotype. And the minute we're in there, we're able to give a different, like completely different perspective. And we're able to speak from a place of authenticity. And it's just something where, again, it's unmatched. And the level of love that we give to our craft is again, unmatched. 00;28;39;10 - 00;29;05;22 Unknown It's something that I feel really inspired. I, I'm a proud daughter of immigrants, a definitely for me, being Mexican-American, it's something that's in me. It's who I am. It's not something I can separate myself from. It's genuinely everything I do. It's part of my experience just here in life. And so for me, just being able to be a part of that and be able to represent in some way is genuinely what keeps me motivated. 00;29;05;24 - 00;29;29;00 Unknown And it's generally something genuinely that makes me feel like once you were everywhere, to be honest, I think that's the thing. We're already there and it's just we don't. Sometimes we don't get enough camera light. But I think for me, just being able to anytime I see it happening or I see someone I love to highlight them, I love to kind of like, share that with, my community on Instagram. 00;29;29;06 - 00;29;49;04 Unknown It's genuinely something where I'm like, let's cheer for one another, because being able to see that gives you that confidence of like, I can do it too, or event, depending on where you live, it might not be that visible to you or you might not be getting, you know, you might not be seeing that there's, creative jobs like that for you. 00;29;49;04 - 00;30;14;00 Unknown But the more that we continue to push it and show it, we're making it visible for other people to see. And it just it's something that continues to grow. So for me, I'm just genuinely proud to be able to represent and be a part of that. It's so important, honestly, not to set limits for yourself. I think sometimes depending again, where where you go to school or what your background is or your family dynamic. 00;30;14;00 - 00;30;36;07 Unknown And those things, those can play a big role in how you view yourself and how far you can get in certain things, I think. Allow yourself to be curious. Allow yourself to really like just try to figure it out for yourself. Don't allow someone else to tell you who you are and what you can do, because only you know that they don't know how far you're willing to take something. 00;30;36;07 - 00;30;59;15 Unknown They don't know how you plan on getting something done. Just genuinely listen to yourself. Try it out, fail maybe, and try again. But it's just the thing about allow yourself to be curious. Allow yourself to just have fun. Allow yourself to ask questions to get to know you know people on campus. Ask your professors questions, anyone. Just don't. 00;30;59;18 - 00;31;25;22 Unknown Don't put yourself in a box and don't think that because someone else did it this way. It has to be done that way. You genuinely have to figure that out for yourself. Like comparison will literally keep you stagnant. You have to just avoid. It's easier said than done, trust me. I know because I've been there and I'm saying it because the minute you compare yourself is a minute that you start to lose your direction honestly. 00;31;25;27 - 00;31;47;24 Unknown So honestly, for students, I want them to know that it might be a scary time, right? You're trying to figure out who you are and what that next step is. And you know, what do I want to do with my life? But this is only part of a bigger journey. So allow yourself to really get to understand yourself and enjoy yourself so that you can start building those little steps along the way. 00;31;47;27 - 00;32;10;12 Unknown It takes time. Take that pressure off of yourself. As long as you're asking the right questions and you're allowing yourself to be curious, the right people will will like, will be there to support you. It's completely normal to be scared and to feel like you might make the wrong choice. I think when you're young, you also feel there's all these outside pressures you don't know yourself yet. 00;32;10;15 - 00;32;32;05 Unknown So having to choose a career which can be so defining, is very scary. And I think there's a lot of pressure and, you know, your identity around that. So I can understand that fear. But I think it's really important to allow yourself to be curious about it, because that is genuinely how you will discover yourself and discover what's right for you. 00;32;32;05 - 00;32;53;00 Unknown For me personally, it allowed me to be curious about different classes, different professions. As I mentioned, I was going into nursing. It's completely normal to be scared and it's completely like, it's totally okay to feel like you don't know what you want to do or if you made the right decision or not. Allow yourself to feel that way because that's just a part of it. 00;32;53;02 - 00;33;14;07 Unknown But don't let it consume you. Allow yourself to. Maybe if you have doubts, allow yourself to ask questions around. Look at your, you know, look to your professors. Maybe there's other students in your classes. Ask them why they're interested in that. Start to really try to understand yourself by understanding other people as well, or utilizing the resources available to you. 00;33;14;09 - 00;33;34;01 Unknown It's it's a thing where the only way you're going to know if something's really fit for you is by trying it out. So just know that it's not something that's set in stone. This is only a part of a such a bigger journey, like so much for me has happened since GSB, and it is not how I planned it to go. 00;33;34;03 - 00;33;49;02 Unknown I don't plan anymore. I am not a planner. I used to plan and I'm like, okay, a plan B, then C and I'll do this and that and now I'm just like, just go with the flow. To be honest, it's okay to have an idea of what you want. That's really important. But the only way you'll know that is by really getting to know yourself. 00;33;49;07 - 00;34;09;12 Unknown So the way you'll do that is by seeing what you enjoy and being self-aware on that. Through that process of like enjoying the classes you're taking in, the stuff that you're doing also, you know, set up interviews and talk to your professors or students around and just start to understand, you know, why other people aren't interested in it. 00;34;09;12 - 00;34;32;27 Unknown And if it's something that really connects with you. Because a big part of, also the profession that you end up choosing is the community that's built around it, around it. And if it's something that speaks to you, you'll definitely feel like you're in the right place. Just and be curious. Allow yourself to be curious. I always say that because it's genuinely what helps you really discover things you weren't looking at before. 00;34;32;27 - 00;34;53;16 Unknown Don't put yourself in a box. Be open minded. Let people tell you what they think just for the sake of understanding where they're coming from. And then honestly, you can then make your own decision. But don't. Don't put yourself in a box or don't close yourself off to. There's so much available to you if you genuinely take a step back and really take another look.