00:00I'm super proud to be a Detroiter and I think Detroit really gets a bad rap.
00:13Having had so many fond memories and a great upbringing, it's my heart, you know, and it's my home.
00:19It was important to my mom that we had arts education.
00:24I was in an honors program, science and arts it was called, and I ended up taking my electives in the art department
00:31and specifically in the fashion department because I always loved to sew and it was something my mom and I did together.
00:37When I was in the 11th grade, I got a scholarship to come to New York and attend Parsons for the summer.
00:42It really opened my eyes to the fashion industry and the importance of fashion.
00:48I think the whole business side of it became clear to me and so I knew that I definitely wanted to come back to New York
00:56and come back to Parsons and that's what I did.
00:59Going to Parsons really did help develop my design aesthetic.
01:02There were a few African American students and there were, I guess, three of us in my graduating class.
01:08You've got to keep yourself inspired. You've got to see challenges as opportunities
01:13and I think at the root of what we do as designers, you know, we're problem solvers.
01:18You know, having your own business, it just takes absolutely everything you have.
01:22Everybody thinks it's super glamorous and, you know, you might be toting bolts of fabric down the street
01:28or on your hands and knees cutting a pattern. It's a lot of hard work and it's draining
01:32and I always emphasize to students, you know, it's important to take internships
01:37and get inside of companies and see how they really function and make sure this is something that's really for you
01:45because the guts of the business is not glamorous in the way that it's shown on television or in movies.
01:52I love this work, you know, and it's a gift to be able to do something you love for a living.
02:00It's been, it's been a ride, you know, it's been really gratifying. It's been a lot of fun.
02:05It's been a lot, a lot, a lot of work, but I've worked with a lot of amazing people,
02:10had some just great experiences and I hope it all continues to flow.
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